Every year, the fragrance industry gathers to celebrate the art and science of perfumery, but there is something truly special about experiencing SIMPPAR in Grasse, France—the historic birthplace of modern perfumery.

Held on May 26–27, 2026, the 19th edition of SIMPPAR brought together raw material producers, essential oil specialists, fragrance houses, ingredient innovators, and perfumers from around the world. Hosted outdoors on the Cours Honoré-Cresp in the heart of Grasse, the event offered a uniquely intimate atmosphere where visitors could explore the latest innovations while surrounded by the history and culture that have shaped the fragrance industry for centuries. SIMPPAR remains one of the most important international exhibitions dedicated exclusively to raw materials for perfumery, attracting suppliers and professionals from across the global fragrance supply chain.
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Walking through the exhibition, visitors encountered an incredible range of ingredients, from traditional essential oils and botanical extracts to cutting-edge biotechnology, fermentation-derived materials, aroma molecules, and sustainable sourcing initiatives. The event highlighted how rapidly the fragrance industry continues to evolve while maintaining its deep connection to natural raw materials and craftsmanship.
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A Highlight of the Visit: Maison Sanganeria & Ultra International

One of the highlights of our visit was the opportunity to spend time at Maison Sanganeria, the beautiful Grasse residence hosted by Ultra International during SIMPPAR week.

Far more than a traditional supplier, Ultra International has built a reputation as one of the world's leading specialists in natural raw materials and essential oils. With operations spanning multiple continents and a vertically integrated sourcing model, the company works directly at origin to secure high-quality essential oils, citrus ingredients, botanical extracts, and natural aromatic materials. This direct connection to growers and production regions allows Ultra to maintain strong control over quality, consistency, traceability, and sustainability throughout its supply chain.

The Workhorse of Modern Formulation

The beauty industry is constantly searching for ingredients that can do more with less—reducing formulation complexity, improving performance, and helping brands bring innovative products to market faster. TYDRA ONE™ is positioning itself as one of those next-generation multifunctional ingredients.

Join the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster and Tydra Labs for an upcoming webinar exploring how TYDRA ONE™ is helping formulators rethink performance, efficiency, and formulation design. The session will provide a closer look at how multifunctional polymers can simplify development while supporting the growing demands of modern cosmetic products.

Why Multifunctional Ingredients MatterToday's formulators face increasing pressure. Consumers expect high performance, elegant textures, sustainability, cost efficiency, and ingredient transparency—all within a single formula. At the same time, development teams are often working with tighter timelines and increasingly complex regulatory and supply-chain requirements.

This is where multifunctional ingredients can make a significant difference.

Rather than relying on multiple raw materials to achieve specific formulation objectives, multifunctional technologies are designed to deliver several benefits simultaneously. This can help streamline formulations, reduce complexity, improve processing efficiency, and potentially lower overall formulation costs.

The beauty packaging industry continues to evolve through strategic partnerships, and one of the most notable developments this year is the acquisition of Asquan Group by Cosmogen. The transaction marks a significant milestone for both companies, bringing together two highly complementary organizations with a shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in beauty packaging.

The newly formed Cosmogen & Asquan Group combines Cosmogen's internationally recognized expertise in applicator innovation and custom packaging development with Asquan Group's strengths in selective sourcing and global industrial management. Together, the companies aim to provide beauty brands with a broader portfolio of packaging solutions while accelerating innovation and expanding global market reach. For beauty brands and manufacturers, the merger offers access to a more comprehensive range of solutions, from award-winning applicators and patented packaging technologies to complete packaging systems available through both standard and customized development programs. The integration is expected to strengthen the group's ability to support brands throughout the entire packaging development process. One of the key advantages of the acquisition is the combination of complementary expertise. Cosmogen has built a strong reputation for creating innovative, high-performance packaging concepts that enhance product application and user experience. By joining forces with Asquan, the company gains additional capabilities in sourcing, manufacturing management, and global supply chain coordination, creating a stronger and more agile organization.

What if healthy skin isn't something you chase with the latest ingredient or trend, but something you understand through biology? In this edition of our Founder Spotlight Series, we sit down with Dr. Mireille Vega, founder of V*GAM Biome, to discuss her journey from biotechnology and oncology to building a skincare system rooted in prevention, adaptation, and whole-body health. With more than 30 years of experience spanning immunology, drug design, and skin science, Dr. Vega brings a unique perspective to the growing conversation around longevity and healthy aging.

Rather than viewing skin as a cosmetic surface, Dr. Vega sees it as a living biological system and often the first visible indicator of what is happening inside the body. In this conversation, she shares the personal experiences that inspired V*GAM Biome, why she believes prevention is more powerful than correction, and how women can build a healthier relationship with their skin by learning to listen, adapt, and support its changing needs throughout life.

From microbiome science to stress management, this interview offers thoughtful insights for founders, formulators, and consumers alike who are looking beyond beauty trends and toward lasting skin health.

1. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey and what inspired you to create V*GAM Biome?

I have been curious about how the body works for as long as I can remember. Before I ever had skin issues, I was already asking questions about what goes into the products we put on our bodies and why. When I started experiencing skin challenges as a teenager, I went deep. I became the person who reads every ingredient list, researches every claim, and tries to understand the biology behind it. That curiosity is what ultimately led me to become a chemist.

After completing my PhD in Biotechnology, I developed a formulation approach that made sense based on how skin actually functions biologically. That was in the early 2000s. But the market was not there yet, and the ingredients available were not sophisticated enough to do what I knew needed to be done. So I followed the science into other fields: oncology, immunology, and drug design.When my mother was diagnosed with leukemia, it pulled me even  deeper into those disciplines. Those years taught me something that permanently changed my perspective: the body's systems are interconnected. What I was learning about cancer prevention, immune function, and lifestyle factors applied directly to the skin. Prevention, not correction. Root function, not symptoms.

Years later, two things converged. The science and ingredient technology finally caught up to what I had envisioned. At the same time, my daughter began facing the same skin challenges I had experienced decades earlier.
That was the moment. I looked at her, looked at the closet full of expired products that had never worked for either of us, and decided enough was enough. I built V*GAM Biome to be what should have existed all along: a system that works with the skin's root functions and biology.

2. Longevity and healthy aging are becoming increasingly important conversations within beauty and wellness. What does longevity-focused skincare mean to you personally and professionally?

To me, it means I have been doing longevity work my entire career without calling it longevity. The conversation has finally arrived where the science has always been. When I think about longevity, I think about what I learned across 30 years in oncology, immunology, and health science. The same risk factors that contribute to conditions that shorten life—cardiovascular disease, dementia, immune dysfunction, and cancer—often show up in the skin first. Chronic inflammation, poor sleep, stress, and lifestyle imbalances leave visible signals long before disease appears. The skin is not separate from the rest of the body. It is often the first visible signal.
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For me, longevity-focused skincare is not a marketing angle. It is what happens when you stop treating skin as a cosmetic surface and start treating it as a living biological system connected to everything else. Prevention over symptom correction. Root function over quick fixes. When you apply that same thinking to your mind, your health, and your daily habits, everything shifts. Your skin is not the finish line. It is often the starting point for understanding what your body is trying to tell you.