Climate becomes a beauty design challenge
Beyond consumer behaviour, climate is becoming one of the most important factors shaping beauty innovation in ASEAN. Tanapatr noted that Southeast Asia faces a combination of heat, humidity, high UV exposure, pollution and PM2.5 dust, all of which directly affect skin and hair health.
This is why technologies and formulations developed in Europe cannot always be applied directly to consumers in this region, he explained. Many products designed for cooler climates can feel too heavy, sticky or oily in tropical weather.
Chiratchaya Vamasiri, senior vice-president of business development at Milott Laboratories, also identified hot and humid weather as a key factor changing what brand owners and formula developers need to create.
Products must now be lighter, faster-absorbing and more resistant to heat and humidity than traditional formulas.
More cosmetics manufacturers are also adding sun-protection benefits to wider product categories, reflecting stronger consumer awareness of UV exposure and long-term skin health.
R&D moves beyond the lab
Another major trend is the growing importance of ingredients and scientific information.
Modern consumers study product labels, understand active ingredients and look for clinical evidence that can prove product performance. Scientific credibility has therefore become a key part of brand trust.
At the same time, online shopping behaviour is changing quickly. Consumers can search for information, compare product features, check test results, watch livestreams and make a purchase within minutes.
As a result, research and development teams are no longer responsible only for creating formulas. They must now be able to translate complex scientific information into language that is simple, creative and credible enough for consumers to understand.
That shift is forcing brand owners to do more homework on ingredients, formulation and innovation to meet increasingly specific market demand, Chiratchaya added.
