Cosmetics Business Regulatory Summit 2019

Cosmetics Business Regulatory Summit 2019

Our Commercial Director Dr Cham S. Kang was honoured to be invited as a speaker to the Cosmetics Business Regulatory Summit on October 8-9, 2019, in Barcelona. Dr Cham presented a case study on the regulatory challenges an SME faces upon launching an innovative UV filter ingredient.

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Zinc Oxide (ZnO) is a mineral UV filter, generally regarded as the most effective broad-spectrume UV filter in sunscreens. o MicNo ZnO is a micron sized UV filter developed by the Turkish SME Entekno. MicNo combines the benefits & overcomes the weaknesses of conventional micron & nano ZnO.

With the definitions & regulations for sunscreens & specifically the use of nanomaterials in sunscreens varying around the world, developing a marketing strategy for the launch of MicNo has been particularly challenging. The term nano often has negative connotations, so positioning MicNo in the market has been tricky, requiring a clear differentiation from nano.

One approach pursued was certification from recognised bodies. After careful consideration of the cost/benefit, with many options too expensive for an SME, the COSMOS ECOCERT Natural certification was selected as the most advantageous. It was believed that the natural aspect would be appealing to sun care product manufacturers & the fact that COSMOS ECOCERT do not afford certification to nanomaterials would be sufficient evidence that MicNo is not nano.

However, that has not been the case, with most collaborators requiring further testing & evidence to prove that MicNo is not nano. Also, while COSMOS ECOCERT is considered the defining certifying body for natural & organic in Europe & is widely recognised around the world, it is not necessarily universally acknowledged & accepted.

The opportunity to present a case study at the leading global regulatory event for the cosmetics industry was a great privilege for our organisation. Attending the event allowed us to network with some of the industry leaders & learn about the latest beauty trends & innovations that are transforming the cosmetics industry, & the best practice when it comes to regulation & marketing.