The organisers of in-cosmetics Global have unveiled the winners of the 2023 Awards at a ceremony held at the end of the first day of the show on 28 March at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via. The winners were selected by a panel of industry experts among more than 250 entries.

Innovation Zone: Active Ingredient Award

Scooping the Gold award for the Innovation Zone: Active Ingredient Award was CALMandrin by Mibelle Biochemistry. Obtained by upcycling the peel paste from organic Chios mandarins, the ingredient is designed to improve the signs of ageing, as well as soothe reddened and inflamed skin.

Altheostem from Provital took the Silver Award, while Biocobiome from Bicosome was awarded the Bronze title.

Innovation Zone: Functional Ingredient Award

In the Innovation Zone: Functional Ingredient Award, IFF took home the Gold Win for its Aurist AGC. The water-soluble, cationic biopolymer delivers conditioning benefits on hair, improving both wet and dry combability. It is readily biodegradable and easy to use in formulations. Furthermore, it can form completely transparent formulations including with anionic ingredients and does not require pH neutralization.

Ingredients that are both biodegradable and deliver strong performance were also highly commended by the judges, with Aristoflex Eco T from Clariant and Evonik Industries’ Tego Filmstar One MB presented with the Silver and Bronze awards respectively.

Green Ingredient Award

Celebrating ingredients that make a significant environmental or social difference, the Green Ingredient Award is granted in partnership with Ecovia Intelligence. Taking the 2023 title was Rootness Awake from Clariant – described as an “eco-friendly eye contour illuminator”, the natural active ingredient is extracted from the roots of the ipomoea batatas thanks to Plant Milking technology. It is rich in DCQEs (dicaffeoylquinate esters) and targets several mechanisms responsible for under-eye circles and eye bags.

Also recognized in the Green Ingredient category, this year’s Silver Award winner was A-Sensofeel MFC by Minasolve SAS, while SeaBalance 2000 by CarbonWave took the Bronze Award.

Rising Star Award

The Rising Star Award, which recognizes first- and second-year exhibitors, saw The Upcycled Beauty Company take the title. The company has set out to change the perception of waste, making upcycled ingredients more accessible to beauty brands.

2023 Sensory and Make-Up Bar winners

In two additional categories, the winners of the in-cosmetics Global Make-up Bar Award and Sensory Bar Award were decided live at the show. Exhibitors displaying the very latest ingredient innovations in the Make-Up Bar and Sensory Bar were put under the microscope by judges including representatives from Trinny London, Belcorp, Martha Tilaar Group, Coty Monaco, Chanel, Tolentina Consulting, Ausmetix Pty Ltd and Yanbal International.

Scooping the Gold Award in the Sensory Bar section, Eigenmann & Veronelli’s Magic Eye Contour Powder-to-Liquid was recognized by judges for its excellent, soft sensory properties. Taking the Silver Award was Stockmeier Group, while Beauty Party – Symphonic Feelings by Seppic was awarded Bronze.

In the Make-up Bar, Imerys scooped the Gold Award for its Natural blurring routine, while Lubrizol was awarded the Silver Award for its SilSense Bio 5, sustainable silicone alternative for makeup with unique sensorial and performance. The final award of the night saw Kahl announced as the Make-Up Bar Award Bronze winner for its lipstick variations.