The edition of Industry voices we speak with a new company called The Skinfeed Cosmetics.
The Skinfeedcosmetic  is a synergistic organic skincare brand created by Dion Mcgregor.
This new brand is launching in March 2021. It has five major key ingredients in each product that are manufactured in British Columbia, Canada. The Skinfeedcosmetic is a cultivated beauty brand that uses beauty products to nurture+ feed+ replenish in its core creation of synergy. It was created on the 7 premises of synergy, which are;

1. Beauty is the preservation of one own health.
2. Beauty is the diversity of one own self.
3. Beauty is the regiment that one sees in the mirror.
4. Beauty is loving one innermost self.
5. Beauty is the architect for preservation.
6. Beauty is feeding oneself with love.
7. Beauty is living in synergy with one own self.

Let's see what Dion has to say about her opinion on the beauty industry. 

1. What inspired you to get into the cosmetics industry? 

My grandmother and I, started creating cosmetics for friends. We made a balm moisturizer for our friends and family.

2.What kind of impact do you want to have on the industry?

A positive impact, where we’re really using beauty products to preserve beauty plus have a good environmental change one of the synergistic values towards the environment.

3. How are your products different from the current products on the market?

The Skinfeedcosmetic is different because it feeds the skin with the ingredients that exist in its formulas with a unique blend of ritualistic approach with organic ingredients, we will be the architect to nourish+ replenish skins in the beauty industry.

4. What is your opinion on sustainability in the cosmetic industry?

Beauty is about sustaining everything around us by giving back to Mother Nature the cosmetics should be kind to the environment by using clean ingredients.

5. How important are ingredients? Do you keep up to date with innovations in raw materials?

The ingredients are the most important part of the formulation. Also, we are in the age of innovation and science. Science as well as ingredients along with the newfound intelligence in raw material processing should work to have a better impact on raw material sustainability. All the trends are good if they have essential value to the longevity of the indusrty. 

6. What is one thing that you could change in the cosmetics industry?

The global premise of what the true meaning of beauty truly is. 

The Canadian Cosmetic Cluster is going to profile cosmetic ingredient companies to help connect formulators and raw materials supply. In this edition we will profile; Farachem 
Farachem was established by experienced leading technology and market specialists of Personal care and Cosmetics industries. Their team is focused on providing efficient technical solutions tailored to the customer’s needs through their reputable partnership with leading raw material manufacturers.

1. Can you tell us about your new product innovations?

At Farachem, our aim has always been to offer products to the industry from manufacturers who are at the forefront of innovation and care for the environment. Our manufacturing partners have specific procedures and guidelines in place to make sure that the products are developed with respect to customer safety and environmental preservation. Our Italian partner, Roelmi HPC, focuses only on innovative solutions that are found through cutting-edge technologies driven by innovation in green chemistry and by building perfect models of the circular economy. This target is being achieved by following a unique program called NIP (No impact in progress) NIP. The main objective of NIP is to drive innovation following the philosophy of respecting the environment, biodiversity preservation, and the use of sustainable sources in all the new developments. 

Another Farachem partner, GfN-Selco from Germany, also pays special attention to provide raw materials that are not only highly effective but also adhere to sustainability, transparency, and natural ingredients. We also offer a number of ingredients that are multifunctional in order to give the opportunity to formulators to have a highly effective product with a shortlist of ingredients that are easier to develop by using less energy. A number of our multi-functional products could even be used for different applications. 

A great example is Celus Bi Feel, an award-winning solution from ROELMI that can be used as a feeling enhancer and as a nylon alternative in skincare, toiletries, and colour cosmetics. This product could also be used for sebum regulation in skincare and haircare applications, as well as in toiletries and suncare products for boosting the SPF. (A product Leaflet and HPC article attached)

2. What should startup formulators look for when choosing multifunctional ingredients?

I think they should try to follow the " Less is More "approach. Using fewer ingredients to get to an effective and safe product both for the consumer and the environment. This approach would significantly help in reducing the cost of formulation. Also, they should pay specific attention to the background of the ingredients in terms of sustainability and select ingredients that are not involved in the food chain. Choosing the ingredients that come with complete efficacy studies not only helps in developing an effective product but also provides the marketing team with all the information they need to differentiate the product in the market. 

3. Is there a good market for raw materials in Canada?

The Canadian market size is relatively small but thanks to the good reputation of the Canadian cosmetic industry and the avant-garde products that were launched in the last couple of years, Canadian-made products are well-received globally. Private label manufacturing has also experienced a lot of demand internationally due to the high quality of service and their reasonable prices that resulted from a weak Canadian currency in the last couple of years. This has resulted in a vibrant cosmetic and personal care manufacturing industry in Canada and therefore, a growing and sustainable market for raw materials, especially for innovative products. 

4. How does technology help your business?

We are heavily dependent on technology in both raw materials and supply chain side. Offering the products that are developed with novel technologies in chemistry and biology would make our products more interesting to our customers. Technological advancements also enable us to build end-to-end supply chain solutions that speed up processes and avoid bottlenecks in our supply chain cycle. Better Inventory management, increased collaboration between our partners and our customers in both logistic and marketing areas, more effective order tracking and delivery are just a few examples of how we benefit from technology in different areas of our business.

5. What innovation in cosmetic ingredients do you think will take hold in 2021-2022?

We see a quick shift toward sustainability, and it would play a more significant role in the next years. Water-less formulations are on the rise and the ingredients need to adapt to this growing trend. Also, Ingredients that will be applicable in Zero Waste and waterless beauty products would see a higher demand in the years to come. The optimization of the natural ingredients by sustainable biotechnological advancements like novel bio-fermentation techniques would be another area that innovative manufacturers will put more focus on.  

This edition of Industry Voices features the voice of Anna D'Amore. Anna is the owner and founder of Truvi Beauty. Truvi Beauty is skincare that is dye/colour free and does not use artificial fragrances. Their products are not tested on animals and have been formulated to help with helping many skin situations. Anna is a professionally-trained brow guru, skincare specialist, master makeup artist, medical aesthetician & product formulator.  We asked Anna to share her story and voice her industry opinions. ​

1. What inspired you to get into the cosmetics industry? 
The admiration of the beauty industry began at a very young age. It started with makeup brushes in my hand and the feeling of magic when unleashing confidence and pure joy from my transformative work. This was all because of the creativity produced through makeup! Yet, I knew more was missing. I needed to dig deeper to have a hold of the industry full circle. It was with full attentiveness (and lots of questions) with a colleague that I was working with side by side backstage during a large Fashion show in Toronto, Ontario. She was an aesthetician & makeup artist. Her care for the skin and advice peaked an interest in me in the cosmetic industry even more than ever. It then progressed to aesthetics for me and how unbelievable it was to continue to help in the transformation of one of our most beautiful organs, our skin! Pure joy from day one of my career, which now has me formulating & creating to strengthen the Truvi Beauty Brand. 

2.What kind of impact do you want to have on the industry? 
My goal for Truvi Beauty is to impact as many people as we can. We want to help individuals build confidence. We want to promote inclusivity for all skin situations and to educate that beauty has a purpose. It is more than skin deep. You can strengthen one's confidence, through wellness and that someone can feel great in the skin they were born in. Truvi Beauty means true to life. We need to embrace that being true to what our skin situation is today. With a little help from a good skin routine, we can make a change for tomorrow. Be kind to your skin, it will thank you.

3. What is the most difficult aspect of running a business in Canada? Any advice to cosmetic startups? 
I believe it's worldwide that we experience negativity no matter what industry one is in. This challenge is everywhere. I feel very blessed to be producing in a country that has access to amazing raw material-facilities/labs to create a dream into reality. Health Canada's guidelines lookout for the well-being of our communities and the end-users. The guidelines also benefit the manufacturers. As things evolve in the industry, these guidelines too must be adjusted and be implemented. This can be costly. My advice is to continually learn, do your due diligence and research and more research!
4. What is your opinion on sustainability in the cosmetic industry?
This is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the industry right now. Companies are trying to reduce and head to zero waste. Some companies have shown us already! To be ethical and eco-friendly, try to be cruelty-free, vegan, non-toxic, free of palm oil, and have packaging that is thoughtful to our environment. Try to produce cosmetic products that have a very low impact/harm to the environment from the start to finish. More work needs to be done on the part of sourcing the raw materials and packaging that can sustain the product safe for use. Nature has done the work for us, we need to go back to that as much as we can.

5. How important are ingredients in cosmetic products? Do you keep up to date with innovations in raw materials? 

Yes, ingredients are crucial. They are the backbone of the industry of cosmetics. We have to look at the where and how. Where does it come from, and how is it prepared for us to use in our brands. Together with the cosmetic scientist and labs, we need to ensure our formulations are safe and effective. Keeping up-to-date on the research is a constant priority.
​
6. What is one thing that you could change in the cosmetics industry?
To ensure that NO animal testing is done in all parts of our world, #crueltyfree and #noanimaltesting. We also need to strengthen the confidence in as many people as we can, to have them feel comfortable that companies are not adding ingredients that would cause one any harm.- ie lead and other toxic ingredients. Can you imagine how great it would be to never worry about toxicity in our products! 

The cosmetic industry is fast-paced. Innovations are being developed daily. How do you keep up? Following the right industry source will give you a complete 360 look at the cosmetic industry across the supply chain. We have taken the top 10 cosmetic industry media sources to give you an up-to-date look at the cosmetic world.

1. Premium Beauty News
2. Cosmetics and Toiletries
3. Global Cosmetic Industry Magazine 
4. Cosmetics Design 
5. Cosmetique Mag
6. Beauty Packaging
7. Happi Magazine
8. Cosmetics Business
9. BW Confidential Magazine 
10. La Pivoine
​

This edition of Industry Voices features Jillian Baker of TAMA Cosmetics. TAMA Cosmetics is unique because of the high percentage of natural shea butter in its products. They invest in natural and affordable shea-based bath and beauty products sourced through an ethical and environmentally friendly supply chain.  

1. How did you get into the cosmetic industry? Tell us your story.

A bit unconventionally, I started out distributing TAMA Cosmetics because of the social empowerment story. My day job brought me to Ghana a couple of times a year. I became friends with the TAMA team in Tamale and was always stuffing my suitcases full of their amazing shea butter products for friends, family and colleagues back home. One day, they were ready to enter the Canadian market, and suddenly I was on board to lead the way! Since then, I’ve become more passionate about helping Canadians deal with the dry winter air—it’s the worst! Shea butter is a great salve for most things in life. 

2. What were the challenges in starting your cosmetic business?

The main challenge has been finding our market niche in an already saturated industry. As a start-up and social enterprise, TAMA Cosmetics was lucky in that we secured funding to do some market research, which was a big help. However, it’s a constant push to secure the market: both e-commerce and retail. We were devastated in 2020 not only dealing with the pandemic disruptions but also  with the closure of Ten Thousand Villages here in Canada.   Luckily Ghana is faring pretty well, all things considered. The second challenge is shipping: air freight is exorbitant and sea freight takes a long time. 

3. What was the experience of importing raw materials into Canada?

Once the market is secured, it’s an easy adventure! Some challenges pop up, but rewarding to see the supply chain grow.  Our women shea collectors are paid a fair price as well as the other  employees of the the Shea Butter Village. Once you are assured of the quality of the product, the process becomes more simple.

4. Did you experience more hardships with import during Covid-19?

Yes. Ghana closed its commercial air and sea traffic for the summer of 2020. The impact of  this was was tough as we were scarily low on inventory. Luckily, the borders opened things up again in September.  We were able to resume importing our products. Prices have also gone in up the past year.  

5. How do you connect with clients? Is it hard to have an online presence?

Social media is a great connector, so we’ve pushed that a tiny bit and are planning more there. We send out emails to our subscribers. We are on Shopify , a platform that makes engagements and fulfillment very simple. We are looking to tell more of the TAMA story on Instagram and our website. 

6. What is one innovation that you would bring to the cosmetic industry if you could?

​Paper packaging for oils and lotions would be great! We value sustainability, and I’d love to see more options for green packaging. At TAMA we reuse as much as we can with shipping. For our wonderful cosmetics that are processed up in the north of Ghana, it would be great to contribute to a world that will work for the next generations.

Canada ranks top affordable country for beauty products.  Check out Cosmetify for more information.