Recently, the Independent Beauty Association (IBA) hosted its first-ever Cosmetics Convergence, a two-day digital event featuring educational sessions and a wide range of industry topics, including regulatory issues such as environmental laws and how these issues can impact small businesses. As Ever Bodmer, IBA’s vice president of marketing and communications, explained, additional topical subjects included everything “from regulatory compliance to sustainability to safety risks to the future of AI in beauty.”
CosmeticsDesign attended IBA’s Spring Cosmetics Convergence and spoke with Bodmer, as well as Dr. Akemi Ooka, IBA’s head of global supply chain resources, Meredith Petillo, IBA’s vice president of technical and regulatory affairs, and Don Frey, IBA’s president and CEO, to get their thoughts on key takeaways from the event.
IBA Spring Cosmetic Convergence: Day 1
The first day of the digital conference focused on pressing issues for the cosmetics and personal care products industry: MoCRA and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). As Petillo explained, the MoCRA session featured “guidance on MoCRA registration and listing challenges, as well as insights on how retailers can navigate and meet the requirements in an evolving regulatory environment.”
In contrast, the EPR session emphasized “guidance to brands and manufacturers on the complex and rapidly evolving legislative and regulatory approaches to addressing the U.S. recycling infrastructure,” Dr. Ooka noted. As a result, “dialogue on sustainability-related compliance and requirements for retailers has uncovered new obligations and a variety of strategies to address them.”
IBA Spring Cosmetic Convergence: Day 2
The second day of the symposium continued the momentum of the first day, “diving deeper into important topics such as the precedent that the EU’s microplastics regulations may set in the U.S., new safety risks created by the new regulations, and potential legal and regulatory pitfalls for AI in the beauty industry,” said Dr. Ooka.
Discussions in these sessions were led by experts on topics such as “microplastics regulation, grey market challenges, teens and pre-teens in the beauty industry, and the role of AI and why all companies in the beauty industry need an AI policy,” Dr. Ooka added.
IBA Spring Cosmetics Convergence: Overall Takeaways
“Throughout the two days, attendees were able to learn directly from industry leaders and gain actionable insights that they can implement in their own businesses,” Bodmer said. The symposium also featured sponsored breaks “where attendees had the opportunity to network with leading service provider companies and learn about cutting-edge solutions and services that can help companies navigate topic areas,” she added.
Insights from “high-quality speakers from organizations such as Circular Action Alliance, The Honest Company and Amazon” provided much-needed clarity and information for attendees, Dr. Ooka added. This is essential, Petillo said, because “compliance information and education on best practices in technology and regulatory issues needs to be available to all companies in the industry, regardless of size.”
Looking ahead, “we want to build on this momentum and continue to provide a platform for collaboration, innovation, and growth within our industry,” Frey concluded. “Together, we will overcome the challenges, seize the opportunities ahead, and build a brighter future for all.”
For those unable to attend this year’s event, you can purchase your copy on the IBA website Following the spring symposium, IBA will host the fall edition of Cosmetics Convergence on September 25th and 26th this year.
