Nobody is suggesting that we’ve entered the post-COVID phase of the pandemic. But damn, if things didn’t feel normal during the recent Sunscreen Symposium and California Suppliers’ Day. There we were, in Orlando and Long Beach, sitting in conference halls, walking exhibition floors and chatting one another up in the hallways. After nearly 20 months of near isolation, it felt good to be back at a tradeshow.

Of course, it may take some time getting comfortable with the new social cues. Masks of course, but what about handshakes? Are hugs out of the question? Some organizers are putting red (stop), amber (proceed with caution) and green (go) stickers on show badges so that attendees can see at a glance where other visitors stand on social interaction.

Every organizer goes into great detail about the efforts they’re making to keep exhibition halls clean—but are consumers still cleaning like they did during the early days of the pandemic? The latest home cleaning trends are detailed in Christine Esposito’s article which begins here. Personal hygiene plays a prominent role as personal space gets closer post-pandemic. Find out the latest news on antiperspirants and deodorants/oral hygiene, click here.

The pandemic has changed the way we do business, but there’s no stopping research efforts. For example, interest in the skin microbiome shows no signs of slowing (click here). Melissa Meisel looks at the newest product launches and the trends impacting this fascinating field.

For the past several months, Happi has reported on the presence of benzene in some sunscreen formulations. Now, two researchers say they may have found the source of the issue (click here).

We hope you enjoy this edition of Happi. As always we welcome your comments and suggestions. You can call, email or maybe we’ll see you this month at NYSCC Suppliers’ Day (November 10 & 11) or the ISSA Show (November 15-18).
In December, we’ll be at HCPA Annual Meeting (December 6-9) and SCC Annual Scientific Meeting (December 13-15).

Tom Branna
Editorial Director
[email protected]