We’re in the middle of a busy travel stretch here at IRI-Sys, with California serving as our unofficial HQ for October. Balancing rapid product development while being on the move has its challenges, but connecting with clients and seeing our impact firsthand has made it all worth it.

As we head into the final quarter of the year, our focus is clear: move faster than ever to become the go-to platform for the cosmetics industry. It’s an incredible time to be building software, with AI evolving almost daily, and we’ve got some exciting new products in the works 👀

As ingredient scrutiny intensifies across Europe, staying compliant means looking beyond what’s banned today and anticipating what’s next. In this new Cosmetics & Toiletries article, Karen explains how ingredient bans in the EU actually happen, breaking down the multi-stage review processes led by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

From early safety concerns raised by member states to public consultations and the adoption of omnibus acts that update the EU Cosmetics Regulation, the article outlines how restrictions take shape and what timelines brands can expect, typically one to two years from initial review to enforcement. It also explores recent examples like Lilial, siloxanes, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, illustrating how scientific opinions translate into regulatory action.

The takeaway: proactive monitoring of SCCS and ECHA opinions, and building flexibility into your formulation pipeline, can help brands avoid last-minute reformulations and maintain uninterrupted market access.

Can’t go wrong with tapas, vino and great company 🙂 We had an absolutely amazing dinner connecting with leaders in the cosmetics industry last Friday.

We followed it up with a happy hour the next day in El Segundo!

Let us know if you’ll be in Long Beach anytime during October 28-31!

Kering (Paris: PRTP), the owner of luxury brands such as Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, has decided to sell its beauty unit, which includes the fragrance line, House of Creed, to L'Oréal (Paris: OREP) for €4 billion in cash.

This is L'Oréal's largest deal ever. They now have a 50-year license to develop products under luxury brands names such as Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga. Once an existing agreement with Coty expires, they will be able to use the Gucci name, too.

While other beauty dealmakers are betting on 'mass-tige', L'Oréal is putting its chips on the future of true luxury products market.

Unilever (NYSE: UL) has decided to divest the Kate Somerville brand, finding a buyer in Rare Beauty Brands. Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson, CEO of Unilever Prestige said, "Over the past 18 months, the team has worked diligently to accelerate Kate Somerville’s turnaround. As the brand enters a new chapter, we believe that its continued growth and success will be best supported by new ownership better aligned to its evolving needs."

This is yet another move by the beauty giant to streamline its prestige beauty portfolio and shift focus and resources towards its priority brands. On the other hand, this further expands Rare Beauty Brands' portfolio of brands which contains Patchology and Dot Dot Dash, and nail care brand Dr. Dana.

LVMH (Paris: MC) is seeking to sell its 50% stake in Fenty Beauty, the cosmetics company it co-owned by Rihanna, per Reuters.

Advent International is considering a sale process for French fragrances maker Parfums de Marly, per the FT.