Top 5 most-read stories July 2021: Anti-ageing out, AI scent creation and Sephora business deals

A round-up of CosmeticsDesign-Europe’s most-read news from July 2021 shows interest in Avon predicting the end of ‘anti-ageing’, Firmenich’s AI-powered digital tool to develop scents, and Sephora’s acquisition of Feelunique and deal with Zalando.

Bigger beauty shifts​

An interview with Avon’s director of global skin care and trend innovation shed light on the company’s belief that beauty was approaching the end of ‘anti-ageing’, instead transitioning to specific skin needs – some of which may be associated with ageing.

Anthony Gonzalez said the clean beauty revolution and desire for the truth had spurred such change as consumers looked beyond broad and undefined terms to more specific claims based on “scientific truth”. ​Products targeting wrinkles specifically, blotchy skin or oil control would instead be the focus in years to come, and he said the term ‘anti-ageing’ would disappear entirely from beauty in two to three years.

A shift in scent creation was also on the horizon, according to Firmenich with the launch of its AI-powered digital fragrance creator. The tool had been designed to make the often complex and lengthy process simpler and faster, particularly for indie beauty brands wanting to be more creative.

Sephora business moves​

News about Sephora’s acquisition of Feelunique also made a splash – a significant deal in the beauty e-commerce world and one set to help the beauty retailer get a strong hold in the UK market, particularly with digital-savvy consumers.

Its tie-up with German fashion retailer Zalando also turned heads, with analysts stating it may just set a trend for more cross-over collaborations between beauty and fashion and brands try to gain more traction online and amongst young consumers following a difficult COVID-19 period.

L’Oréal R&D efforts​

Finally, L’Oréal’s international patent filing on a system designed to analyse protein biomarkers in the skin also proved popular amongst readers. The digital system predicted skin issues according to these biomarkers, enabling the brand to then create highly customised formulations or product recommendations to individual consumers.

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