What In-Cosmetics Global 2026 Told Us About the Future of Sustainable Beauty Supply Chains

For three days in Paris, the global beauty and personal care industry came together at in-cosmetics Global 2026 to explore what comes next for ingredients, formulation, innovation, and sustainability.

For Action for Sustainable Derivatives (ASD), the event was much more than a trade show. It was an opportunity to reconnect with members, engage suppliers face-to-face, exchange perspectives with peers across the value chain, and better understand how the industry is responding to an increasingly complex sustainability landscape.

And one thing became very clear throughout the week: while the conversation around sustainability continues to evolve, the fundamentals of responsible sourcing remain more important than ever. Across the exhibition floor and conference programme, several themes consistently emerged. Regulation continues to shape industry priorities, particularly around due diligence, traceability, and supply chain accountability. At the same time, companies are operating in an increasingly turbulent global environment, balancing sustainability ambitions against economic uncertainty, geopolitical disruption, and changing market pressures.

Yet despite those challenges, the appetite for progress remains strong. This year’s event showcased an industry continuing to innovate at pace. Discussions focused heavily on biotech-driven ingredients, green chemistry, longevity science, and the growing demand for evidence-backed performance and efficacy. Broader industry reporting from the event also highlighted the rise of trends such as ‘blue longevity’, neurocosmetics, and sustainable ingredient innovation, all pointing towards a beauty sector increasingly shaped by science, transparency, and environmental responsibility.

For ASD, however, one of the most valuable aspects of the event was not only what was discussed on stage, but the conversations taking place between people across the supply chain. In-cosmetics remains one of the few moments in the year when downstream brands, ingredient manufacturers, suppliers, traders, and sustainability practitioners are all in the same place. These in-person interactions matter because they create space for more open discussions, faster problem-solving, and deeper relationships than virtual meetings alone can often achieve.

Delegates enjoy this year’s in-cosmetics Global event

The ASD team spent the week meeting with members including Oleon, NAOS (Bioderma - Institut Esthederm - Etat Pur), Nuxe Group, and GATTEFOSSÉ, alongside numerous suppliers and sector stakeholders. These conversations provided an important opportunity to discuss the realities companies are facing on the ground, from supplier engagement and due diligence implementation to transparency expectations and evolving regulatory demands.

Several ASD members also referenced the collaboration directly during conversations at the event, using ASD’s work as an example of how collective due diligence and supply chain engagement can help companies strengthen responsible sourcing practices.

This growing recognition reflects a broader shift taking place across the sector. Sustainability conversations today are becoming increasingly practical. Rather than focusing purely on high-level commitments, companies are placing renewed emphasis on the operational foundations that enable meaningful progress: supply chain mapping, risk assessment, grievance management, supplier engagement, and traceability.

In many ways, the industry is returning to basics – not necessarily because ambition has reduced, but because those basics are now recognised as essential to delivering credible sustainability outcomes.

And that aligns closely with ASD’s own approach. Over the past year, the organization has continued strengthening its collective transparency and due diligence systems, while expanding engagement with suppliers and supporting on-the-ground impact initiatives in Indonesia. The collaboration now represents more than 40 corporate members and continues to demonstrate how downstream collaboration can create leverage for upstream change.

Events like in-cosmetics help reinforce why that collaboration matters. They provide a valuable opportunity not only to exchange ideas, but to humanise relationships across the supply chain. Behind every transparency request, supplier engagement process, or sustainability target are real people trying to navigate highly complex challenges. Meeting face-to-face builds trust, creates alignment, and often accelerates progress in ways that formal processes alone cannot achieve.

As sustainability expectations continue to rise, collaboration across the value chain will only become more important. And while the external environment may remain uncertain, one message from Paris was unmistakable: many companies remain committed to responsible sourcing and continue to invest in the systems, partnerships, and relationships needed to move the industry forward.

For ASD, in-cosmetics Global 2026 was a reminder that progress does not happen through ambition alone. It happens through collaboration, consistency, and the willingness to keep engaging, even when the landscape becomes more complex.