The beauty industry was centered in New York City a few weeks ago for NYSCC Suppliers’ Day. According to show organizers, the event attracted a record 9,464 registrants, with the majority of attendees employed as cosmetic chemists in R&D or product development.


“Bringing together top industry associations, CEW, ICMAD, PCPC, the national SCC and IFSCC was successful in creating a spectacular Beauty Week NYC,” said NYSCC Chair Cathy Piterski. “Attendees experienced a full week of top education, trends, product launches, awards and networking opportunities to advance the art and science of formulation.”


Buying Power


Organizers insist that the show is increasingly attracting high level brand decision-makers and influencers with 20% of the attendees from this demographic. Attendees have buying power, too, with 50% having more than $1 million to spend, according to post-show data. Those who attend are also loyal, with more than 55% attending NYSCC Suppliers’ Day every year.


What company executives are walking the aisles and looking for the next big idea in beauty? Brands in attendance included Au Naturale Cosmetics, Avon, Bayer, Burt’s Bees, Cane + Austin, Chanel, Colgate-Palmolive, Coty, DevaCurl, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, Elizabeth Arden, Estée Lauder, GlossyBox, Guthy-Renker, Hain Celestial, Henkel, Johnson & Johnson, June Jacobs, Kao, Kimberly-Clark, L Brands, L’Oréal, Living Proof, LVMH, Mary Kay, Procter & Gamble, Peter Thomas Roth, Revlon, Shea Radiance, Shiseido, Strivectin, Tarte, Unilever and Zotos.


“[I was] Very pleased with Suppliers’ Day in NYC. I came to learn about new trends and they were very well presented here at the Javits Center,” said one L’Oréal executive. “Skin care customization was a hot trend on the exhibit floor. Being able to interact face-to-face with so many suppliers under one roof is so much more effective and productive then long drawn out email exchanges.  I will definitely be back for Suppliers’ Day 2019!”


Other attendees agreed.


“I was looking for organic and sustainable companies for my product development needs at Suppliers’ Day and I was very happy with the number of suppliers that I was able to meet at the event,” noted an Apothecary founder. “There were so many that I had to come back the second day of the show.”


Things to See


During Suppliers’ Day 2018, active ingredients to protect against blue light and other environmental pressures were in the spotlight, as were bioactive skin care ingredients.


Evonik was busy during Suppliers’ Day, promoting six new products including several actives. For example, Skinolance is the company’s first microbiotic skin care product. It uses the cell-free lactobacillus extract to promote the natural balance of the skin flora by stimulating the growth of certain beneficial bacteria. This has a positive effect on the barrier function of the skin helping to protect against roughness and dryness. These effects on the skin flora and skin appearance were verified in a clinical study, according to the company. Also new is Hairflux, which Evonik describes as a bio-inspired hair and scalp care ingredient, combining relevant sphinganine-based ceramides and natural oils to achieve mild and well tolerated efficacy. It is described as best-in-class multifunctional olive-based ceramide with proven efficacy on different types of damaged hair and affected scalp.

Ashland debuted its Sustainable Solutions Guide, which catalogs the company’s natural, nature-derived and nature-identical materials.


“What we found was that 55% of our portfolio is natural or nature-derived,” explained Joe Torella, VP-skin care and business intelligence, adding that 36% of Ashland’s business comes from cellulosics.


Many of these natural solutions were on were on display at NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2018. For example, Ashland launched SeaStem Biofunctional with zeta fraction technology (ZFT) to regenerate skin and protect against the negative effects of environmental pollutants. Using ZFT, Ashland captures the benefit of the whole living plant and refines the usability of the Giant Kelp, the fastest growing organism on the planet, according to the Joel Mantelin, VP-biofunctionals business development.


“This kelp extract is very unique,” noted Mantelin. “ZFT enables us to preserve the chemistry of the algae to maintain its regenerative power.”


SeaStem is said to support epidermal stem cells to help optimize the skin’s natural ability to self-renew. It also shelters skin from the harmful effects of exposure to certain types of indoor and outdoor pollution and encourages remineralization of the skin with essential nutrients for hydration and barrier renewal, according to the company.


Lonza Consumer Product Ingredients highlighted its new spectrum of bioactive functional ingredients that help protect the skin from modern lifestyle and environmental stressors such as pollution, UV radiation and stress, according to the company. For example, Lonza showcased NAB Rhodiola extract from the Rhodiola rosea plant; LactoPro CLP bioactive, an advanced nutrient moisturizing complex containing Lactobacillus and soybean oil; and Metabiotics Resveratrol ECT GEO bioactive, a biotechnological ingredient ideal for cosmetic formulations.


Also new from Lonza is a scalp care portfolio to help formulators create the foundation for healthy hair. The product line is comprised of ingredients which offer different functionalities to target a variety of claims to support scalp health.


Lonza also used the NYSCC Suppliers’ Day stage to introduce to the US to its PreservationPlus system. According to company executives, this new approach ensures preservative efficacy and, at the same time, helps formulators create market-leading formulations through complementary and integrated scientific expertise, according to company executives.


Lonza maintains it has the broadest portfolio of preservation solutions in the industry; now, with the PreservationPlus concept, the company is working closely with customers to develop market-leading formulations through complementary and integrated scientific expertise. As a result, PreservationPlus is said to reduce development costs and time to market.


In addition, Lonza showcased three bioactives at NYSCC Suppliers’ Day. NAB Rhodiola extract from the Rhodiola rosea plant, is billed as a thermal protectant that provides antioxidant protection to skin from external stresses, including UV radiation. LactoPro CLP bioactive is described as an advanced nutrient moisturizing complex containing Lactobacillus and soybean oil, to strengthen the skin barrier, enhance skin elasticity, and help retain moisture. Finally, Metabiotics Resveratrol ECT GEO bioactive is said to help improve the radiance and youthfulness of skin by effectively reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.


Big Plans for 2019


According to organizers, at press time, 81% of the exhibitors were re-signed for Suppliers’ Day 2019, beating industry standards.


“The show floor for Suppliers’ Day 2019 is being expanded and we already have more than 80% of our exhibitors re-signed for next year,” noted NYSCC Chair-elect Sonia Dawson. “NYSCC will increase its industry partnerships and continue to work closely with its members and the SCC to create the best global ingredients event for the industry, by the industry. Suppliers’ Day is becoming the gold standard of the global ingredients trade shows and conferences.”


Mark your calendar! NYSCC Suppliers’ Day returns to Javits Center in New York City, May 7 and 8, 2019. More info: www.nyscc.org