Beyond The Headlines: Study links oral contraception to hair loss, CeraVe Vitamin C Serum lands in UK

12 Jul 2024 --- This week in industry news, a study revealed that some women may experience hair loss from taking oral contraceptives. Meanwhile, RMS Beauty launched its first fragrance, and CeraVe’s vitamin C launches in the UK.

Research and formulas
A recent study in JAMA Dermatology, funded by the British Skin Foundation through the Young Investigator Award, found a connection between taking the oral contraceptive pill and a type of hair loss called frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA). FFA is a skin disorder characterized by inflammation, scarring, and irreversible hair loss, predominantly affecting women. The research found that women with a specific version of the CYP1B1 gene who also took oral contraceptives were more likely to develop FFA. This supports the hypothesis that FFA results from a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, such as hormone metabolism influenced by oral contraceptives.

Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford celebrated its 20th anniversary this month with a reformulated Youth Activating Melon Serum—Advanced Formula featuring a new process that delivers active skin care ingredients more effectively to skin cells. Hydrosome H2O helped create Meaningful Beauty’s proprietary Melon Leaf Stem Cell Technology, which plumps, firms and hydrates the skin to increase elasticity and protect it from environmental aggressors. Other skin benefits include radiance and an overall more youthful look.

Being hair care is now available at Walmart.Launches and collaborations
RMS Beauty and Heretic Parfum collaborated on the beauty brand’s first fragrance, Scarlet Moon. The scent, made with natural ingredients,  retails for US$150. It features top notes of blood orange, petitgrain heart and Italian mandarin and heart notes of violet leaf absolute, galbanum, black pepper and fir needle, alongside base notes of hinoki, cedar leaf and Virginia cedarwood.

The team that created Monday Haircare and Osāna Naturals launched Being, a collection of moisture-rich shampoos, conditioners and treatments designed for all hair types and needs. It is exclusively available at Walmart and is “the first” brand distributed in a mass retailer in the US, designed to allow people with all hair textures, types and needs to “buy from one brand at an accessible price point.”

Going global
CeraVe brought its Vitamin C Serum to the UK market for the first time after demand from consumers. The serum contains 10% vitamin C hyaluronic acid and CeraVe’s signature combination of three skin-identical essential ceramides. It is part of the CeraVe Skin Renewing franchise. It comes in a lightweight, non-comedogenic formula and has been clinically proven to strengthen the skin barrier by locking moisture in and keeping irritants out.

Bubble expanded into 222 Boots stores across the UK and Ireland after launching in the regions at the start of this year. The US skin care brand has rolled out into 355 branches of Boots and now highlighted Ireland with an expansion from seven stores to 85. Bubble is known for its bright packaging and quirky branding at an accessible price point. It is popular among young customers and has 2.5 million followers on TikTok.

Business news
Ekkio added Sweetch Groupe, a natural ingredients player, to its cosmetics division. Sweetch is a manufacturer of specialty ingredients for the beauty industry. It offers ingredients, formulations and technologies enabling cosmetics brands to reduce the proportion of synthetic ingredients through plant-based and biotechnological solutions. The Group was created this year after a merger between Creathes, a French player in the formulation of microcapsules, Gobiotics, a Belgian-Dutch company specializing in prebiotics, postbiotics and probiotics for the skin microbiota and Creachem, its partner and distributor.Dolce & Gabbana re-introduce makeup.

Makeup expansion
Puig-owned Rabanne named pop star Troye Sivan its first Global Makeup Brand Ambassador. The Grammy-nominated singer will be the face of brand campaigns and showcase Rabanne’s gender-neutral product line. Sivan will front a new campaign for Nudes, a beauty collection inspired by the Maison’s fashion fabrics. He has sportedRabanne looks during music videos and appearances and is now diving into makeup to cross gender lines. 

Dolce & Gabbana relaunched its makeup category with a skin tint, mint lip oil, multi-use palette and mascara, along with 11 new products. The items are designed to achieve four looks: “fresh, classic, flawless and bold.” The Boundless Beauty collection is made in Italy. The collection of products is supported by a new Beauty Boutique at Harrods. 

By Sabine Waldeck