This October, the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster will return to France with a delegation of Canadian cosmetic companies for COSMETIC 360 and a full week of industry activities in Paris.

The delegation is part of the Cluster’s continued work to create stronger connections between the Canadian and European cosmetics industries and to give participating companies direct access to international partners, innovation, market intelligence and business development opportunities.

Our group is now essentially complete, with companies preparing to travel to France for a week that will combine trade show participation, B2B meetings, industry networking, partner meetings and special events throughout Paris.
At the centre of the week will be COSMETIC 360, one of the leading international events dedicated to innovation in the cosmetics and beauty industry. The Cluster and participating companies will use the event to meet with ingredient suppliers, laboratories, manufacturers, technology companies, packaging specialists, brands and other international partners.

But our time in France will extend well beyond the exhibition floor.

Throughout Cosmetic Week, the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster will be coordinating and participating in meetings and activities designed to help our companies better understand the French and European beauty ecosystem. This includes business introductions, meetings with existing and prospective partners, international networking, industry events and opportunities to explore new collaborations between Canada and Europe.

​Product development starts before the lab, with decisions nobody told the founder they were making. What the texture should feel like. Whether the claim you want to print is one you can support and use. Whether the jar you fell in love with suits the formula you want to make.

Annie formulates. Diego builds brands. For an hour, we’ll open up the process we use with clients, from the first conversation to the first batch. Bring your idea—or the one that’s been sitting in your notes for a year. We’ll work through decisions in the order they come up, from “is anyone waiting for this?” to “who’s going to make it, and what will it cost?” You’ll learn the questions to ask at each stage, before you commit time and money.
This is a small group on purpose, with room for questions about the products you’re planning. Come with a specific idea and leave with a clearer picture of what’s ready, what still needs investigating, and what to do first.

Who would benefit:

• First-time beauty founders figuring out how to turn a product idea into a development brief.
• Aestheticians and beauty professionals ready to build a product around the needs they see in their practice.
• Existing brands planning a new product or questioning the direction of their next launch.

You don't need a finished brief. A specific idea and a few unanswered questions are a good place to start.

We’re very excited to be heading to LUXE PACK Monaco, September 28–30, 2026 at the Grimaldi Forum, and especially proud to see Dr. Mireille “Mimi” Vega, Founder of VGAM BIOME, included among this year’s speakers.
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LUXE PACK Monaco brings together leaders across packaging, sustainability, refill systems, regulation, R&D, innovation and product development, creating an important space for the industry to exchange ideas and look at the challenges shaping the future of beauty and luxury packaging.

Dr. Vega will be participating in the session: “From Constraint to Creativity: When Regulation Becomes a Driver of Design and Branding” She will join an international panel of experts to explore how regulation can become a catalyst for better design, stronger innovation and more thoughtful brand development.

At the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to speak with CBC about tariffs and the impact they are having on the beauty and cosmetics industry, particularly on smaller businesses.

One of the things I feel very strongly about is making sure we continue to stand behind small brands, independent suppliers, packaging companies, manufacturers and emerging businesses. They are often the first to feel the pressure whenever the economic environment changes. We saw it during COVID. We see it during recessions and periods of political uncertainty. And we are seeing it again as companies navigate tariffs and changing international trade conditions.

For a large corporation, an unexpected increase in costs may be difficult but manageable. For a small brand or supplier, even a relatively small change in packaging, ingredients, freight or duties can completely change the economics of a product.
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That is why I believe these companies need more visibility, more collaboration and more opportunities to connect with the wider industry. At the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster, we are continuing to think about how we can put a stronger spotlight on independent companies and help create opportunities for them to meet potential partners, customers, distributors, retailers and collaborators.

We have been building the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards with one very simple idea in mind: we did not want to create just another beauty award. Of course, there will be medals. There will be winners. There will be recognition, announcements, celebration and all the things that should come with being selected as one of the best in your category. But we wanted to ask a bigger question: if we tell you that your product, company, technology, idea or work is exceptional, what happens next? That question became the foundation of the entire Awards program.

The Canadian Cosmetic Cluster has spent years bringing together people from across the cosmetics ecosystem — founders, formulators, scientists, ingredient companies, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, strategists, marketers, technology companies and international partners. Rather than creating an awards program that sits separately from that ecosystem, we decided to build the ecosystem directly into the prize. The result is an awards program designed not only to recognize excellence, but to help exceptional people and companies move forward.

What Are the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards?
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The 2026 Canadian Cosmetic Cluster Awards celebrate excellence across Canada’s cosmetics, beauty, wellness, aesthetics and personal care industries, while also welcoming outstanding international companies and innovators who want to build connections with the Canadian market. The Awards recognize achievement across innovation, leadership, scientific and technical development, creativity, sustainability, entrepreneurship, communication and industry impact. They are open to a broad range of participants — from emerging founders and independent brands to ingredient developers, technology companies, formulators, established businesses and international organizations. 

The 2026 Award categories are:

• Ingredient Innovation
• Canadian Product Innovation
• Global Product Innovation
• Packaging Innovation
• Sustainability Impact
• Founder of the Year
• Social Influencer / Beauty Science Communicator
• Formulation Science & Technology Innovation
• Brand Marketing Campaign
• Best International Indie Brand

Each category has been created to recognize a different part of what makes our industry exciting. A breakthrough ingredient deserves to be evaluated differently from a brilliant marketing campaign. A founder’s story is different from a packaging innovation. A cosmetic scientist communicating complex information to the public brings a completely different kind of value than a new finished product. That is why each category has its own submission process and judging considerations. A separate nomination, applicable category questionnaire and entry fee are required for each category entered.