COSMOFACTORY

There is more to cosmetic product development than in-the-lab innovation. Teams that create and reformulate are responsible for not only the efficacy, experience, and safety of a product but also profitability, which depends upon cost of goods—from ingredients to packaging and beyond—as well as marketing, customer acquisition, and more. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we learn about the business complexities of pro...

Bringing novel ingredient science to the consumer market is an opportunity, a challenge, and a risk. Turning that innovation into a brand that changes beauty consumer expectations and impacts an entire product category is an even greater undertaking. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we consider how ground-breaking brands can grow even after the hero innovation is normalized in the marketplace. Our guest is Amanda Ba...

Cosmetic ingredient companies commonly develop starter formulas as inspiration for brand leaders and contract manufacturers. Some suppliers are taking product development a step further and partnering with brands to execute market-ready product briefs.  

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we hear about cosmetic ingredient makers providing product formulation services to brands. Our guest is Catherine Slish, Innovation ...

Successful niche beauty brands have a passionate consumer base with strong repurchase behavior. This is true because the business structure behind a cosmetics or personal care brand shows up on the shelf; and consumers are drawn to brands that match their own sensibilities. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast we hear how an indie beauty brand, expert in essential oils, structures its supply chain, connects with consumer...

An international network of scientific experts, academic and corporate partners, and cosmetic industry connectors are valuable assets for any brand with global aspirations. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we hear about the vision, strategy, and science behind one of today’s rapidly rising cosmetic companies. Our guest is Lieve Declercq, Chief Scientific Advisor and Vice President of the European Innovation Center a...

In the age of cosmetic industry transparency, ingredient sourcing and traceability are at least as
compelling as brand story. This is true for leading-edge biotech innovations, time-tested naturals, and
everything in between.
This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we discover the past, present, and future of skincare made
with donkey milk. Our guest is Yoon Tak Ok, Global Sales Manager at Woo & Joo Inc....

Cosmetic preservative systems are continually advancing. To help cosmetic scientists ensure the safety and integrity of the products they create, ingredient makers today are modulating polarity and identifying new modes of action to create cosmetic preservative systems that meet formulator needs, regulatory guidelines, and beauty consumer expectations. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we learn about preservative sol...

Sourcing and designing cosmetic ingredients with biotechnology presents a tremendous opportunity to realize next-level efficacy, traceability, originality, etc. We are only at the beginning of biotech, but thanks to pioneering suppliers, our industry already has a practical history of learnings to draw on as we innovate for the future. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we look at biotech ingredient development with t...

This episode is a popular selection from the archive, and a good conversation to revisit while the CosmoFactory team is on Winter Break. (original air date October 01, 2024)

We will be back with more informative and inspiring episodes at the start of 2026. In the meantime, enjoy this and other episodes from the archive—which you can find here: https://www.cosmoprof.com/en/events/special-projects/cosmofactory/

Color cosmeti...

This episode is a favorite from the archive, and a good conversation to revisit while the CosmoFactory team is on Winter Break. (original air date July 23, 2024)

We will be back with more informative and inspiring episodes at the start of 2026. In the meantime, enjoy this and other episodes from the archive—which you can find here: https://www.cosmoprof.com/en/events/special-projects/cosmofactory/

It takes both hands-on cr...

As companies around the world compete for consumer dollars, business strategists are combining new capabilities with traditional tactics to innovate product, create brand momentum, and position the companies they work with for sustained growth.

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we find out about business development strategy. Our guest is Omar Touma, Director of Business Development at Beesline International. The beau...

Beauty product manufacturers create sizable innovations from the tiniest of technologies. One good example of this: designing next-generation cosmetic product formats with nanofiber materials.

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we learn about nanofibers from our guest Doctor Laura Frazier, Chief Scientist at TaikiUSA, the company is a branch of Taiki Group (headquartered in Japan) which specializes in product applicati...

Building a brand, helping create a category, reaching a previously underserved consumer—none of these is an easy task. Yet contemporary menopause care brands are taking on all of these challenges.

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we consider the risks and rewards of creating an OTC brand for the generation-spanning demographic of menopause consumers. Our guest is Sally Mueller, Co-Founder and CEO of Womaness. The US-...

Biofactories are driving growth in the cosmetic ingredient development sector. And molecular farming technologies are among the newer platforms that companies around the world are leveraging to produce sought-after molecules with applications in skincare, hair care, etc.

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we learn more about genomic biotechnology and how suppliers are using plants to produce ingredients in new ways. Ou...

Investor dollars play an important role in the innovation economy. Yet finding and nurturing founders who can imagine and iterate on the tech platforms, business models, and product development strategies that will help the cosmetics industry advance is a skills unto itself.

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we explore the world of venture capital. Our guest is Odile Roujol, Founder of Fab Co-Creation Studio Ventures....

Education is the foundation of innovation. As cosmetic science becomes more sophisticated and industry regulations more rigorous, the schools where students learn about beauty, biology, chemistry, and material science are more vital to the future success of our industry than ever. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we learn about cosmetic science education. Our guest is Dr. Leyte Winfield, Professor of Chemistry and D...

Natural, botanical cosmetic ingredients are getting as much attention from consumers, brands, and researchers as are ingredients from any other origin. Which is why suppliers are investing in the popularity and potential of plant extracts. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we hear about sourcing, processing, and studying botanical extracts for use in cosmetic, personal care, and even nutraceutical product formulation...

Sustainable ingredient solutions are instrumental in the development of new sunscreen and light-protection skincare products. Which is why suppliers are finding value in rescued, renewable materials that make industry more sustainable and sun care more effective. 

This week on the CosmoFactory podcase, we learn about lignin, a complex natural polymer with SPF – boosting benefits. Our guest is Daniela Arango, Chief Product ...

In the world of finance, ‘antifragile’ is commonly used to describe companies that thrive amid uncertainty and stress. Endurance often stands as proof of antifragility. Does this then mean that in the cosmetics industry, time-tested skincare ingredients are inherently reliable, effective, and safe?

This week on the CosmoFactory podcast, we consider the antifragile framework and what it could mean for beauty brands and for ...