Florian and I just wrapped our Asia tour after stops at inCos Bangkok and Cosmoprof Hong Kong. I joined a panel in Hong Kong to talk about AI, which has become everyone’s favorite buzzword, and how companies can get their data and processes in shape to actually benefit from it. After a hectic, exhilarating few weeks, we’re glad to be back stateside and focused on closing out the year strong.

One more update before we dive in. Karen will be speaking on an upcoming podcast, The Art of Scaling: Navigating Claims, Regulations & Packaging Strategies for Your Beauty Brand. If you want to join live on December 2, you can register here.

Aminomethylpropanol, used as a buffering agent in cosmetics, is currently under evaluation for classification as a reprotoxic substance category 1B by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), based on a proposal from Austria submitted in December 2024. This proposed classification includes:

Should this reprotoxic classification be adopted, aminomethylpropanol will be added to the EU Cosmetics Regulation Annex II as a banned CMR substance with an 18-month transition period after publication.

Currently, aminomethylpropanol is restricted under Annex III of the regulation due to possible nitrosamine formation (impurities leading to carcinogenic nitrosamines).  While it is not yet banned, it is likely to be banned as a CMR substance in the near future pending regulatory decisions.

Four cosmetic ingredients currently under review in the EU draft amendment notified to the WTO for continued cosmetic use despite their CMR classification are:

These substances have recently been reclassified as CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction) under the EU CLP Regulation but are proposed to remain permitted in cosmetics under strict safety assessments by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). The draft proposal was submitted to the WTO on May 21, 2025, for public comment until July 20, 2025, and is expected to enter into force by May 1, 2026.

This week we’re introducing custom fields, a new way to tailor the IRI-Sys platform to your own workflows. You can add your own fields to ingredients, raw materials, fragrances, formulas, and Regi formulas, giving you full control over the data you track. Whether it’s internal IDs, supplier notes, sustainability metrics, or any other detail your team relies on, you can now capture it directly in the system. We’re excited to roll this out and see the creative ways teams put it to use!

Estée Lauder has taken a minority stake in XINÚ, marking its first investment in a Latin American brand. Founded in 2017, the Mexican fragrance label is known for its design-driven, culturally rooted approach to scent. The deal, made through Estée Lauder’s New Incubation Ventures arm, highlights growing interest in independent fragrance houses emerging from the region. Learn more.