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Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Before MakeUp in NewYork 2026: 6 exhibitors take the floor

AccessoriesContract Manufacturing (OEM/ODM)IngredientsPackagingTurnkey solutions
Before MakeUp in NewYork 2026: 6 exhibitors take the floor

Motivations, strategy, vision : exhibitors speak before you meet them on September 16 & 17


Just a few weeks before the opening of MakeUp in NewYork 2026 at the Javits Center, we are once again giving the floor to those who make this event what it is: our exhibitors. Newcomers joining the adventure for the first time, Performers setting the standards, and Loyal participants who have been part of the story for years, each answered three questions. The result is a direct and sincere exchange about what drives them, how they prepare for the event, and what they expect from this edition. Discover their voices before meeting them in person.

✦Newcomers


For the first time at MakeUp in NewYork.

One exhibitor is joining the show for the very first time this year. They walk us through the problem they set out to solve, the shift that made their innovation possible, and the kind of brand they do their best work with.
Qiupai

QIUPAI (China)

Accessories


The puff, reinvented from the inside

Interview with Hannah Du, Sales Manager

Q1- What problem were you trying to solve?
One of the biggest challenges we were addressing was the growing demand for high-performance beauty products that deliver a premium sensory experience while also meeting increasingly stringent sustainability expectations. Formulators often had to compromise between efficacy, texture, naturality, and environmental impact. Our goal was to develop solutions that could provide excellent stability, appealing sensorial profiles, and proven performance while supporting cleaner formulations and more responsible sourcing practices. The challenge was not simply creating another ingredient or formula, but enabling brands to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously without sacrificing consumer experience.

Q2- What changed in the last 18 months that made this possible?
The market has evolved significantly over the past 18 months. Consumers are now much more informed and expect transparency, sustainability, and performance in the same product. At the same time, advances in ingredient technology, biotechnology, and formulation science have opened opportunities that were not commercially viable just a few years ago. Improved access to sustainable raw materials, stronger data supporting ingredient efficacy, and increasing regulatory and retailer focus on environmental impact created the ideal conditions to develop solutions that meet both consumer and industry expectations.

Q3- What kind of brand do you do your best work with?
The most rewarding projects are those where there is a clear consumer insight, a willingness to challenge conventional formulation approaches, and a desire to create meaningful product experiences. I particularly enjoy collaborating with teams that are looking to combine technical performance, compelling storytelling, and sustainability into a cohesive product concept. These partnerships create the opportunity to transform scientific innovation into products that genuinely resonate with consumers and stand out in the market.

✦Loyal


They keep coming back. And they tell us why.

These exhibitors have been building MakeUp in NewYork with us, edition after edition. They open up about the problem they set out to solve, what has changed in their market over the last months, and the partners who bring out their best work.
Symrise

Symrise (USA)

Ingredients


Performance and sustainability, without compromise


Interview with Catherine Slish, Innovation Marketing Manager

Q1- What problem were you trying to solve?
One of the biggest challenges we were addressing was the growing demand for high-performance beauty products that deliver a premium sensory experience while also meeting increasingly stringent sustainability expectations. Formulators often had to compromise between efficacy, texture, naturality, and environmental impact. Our goal was to develop solutions that could provide excellent stability, appealing sensorial profiles, and proven performance while supporting cleaner formulations and more responsible sourcing practices. The challenge was not simply creating another ingredient or formula, but enabling brands to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously without sacrificing consumer experience.

Q2- What changed in the last 18 months that made this possible?
The market has evolved significantly over the past 18 months. Consumers are now much more informed and expect transparency, sustainability, and performance in the same product. At the same time, advances in ingredient technology, biotechnology, and formulation science have opened opportunities that were not commercially viable just a few years ago. Improved access to sustainable raw materials, stronger data supporting ingredient efficacy, and increasing regulatory and retailer focus on environmental impact created the ideal conditions to develop solutions that meet both consumer and industry expectations.

Q3- What kind of brand do you do your best work with?
The most rewarding projects are those where there is a clear consumer insight, a willingness to challenge conventional formulation approaches, and a desire to create meaningful product experiences. I particularly enjoy collaborating with teams that are looking to combine technical performance, compelling storytelling, and sustainability into a cohesive product concept. These partnerships create the opportunity to transform scientific innovation into products that genuinely resonate with consumers and stand out in the market.
ITIT

ITIT Cosmetics (Italy)

Contract Manufacturing


Innovation that breaks the mold


Interview with Ambra Resmini, KAM and Sales Coordinator

Q1- What problem were you trying to solve?
Most of our customers have greatly appreciated our WetPowderClay Technology:“It is a groundbreaking innovation that transforms the way beauty feels. By mixing poured and powder technologies, we’ve created a revolutionary cream-to-powder concept that delivers a sensory experience like no other.”However, they also asked us to overcome some of the limitations associated with airtight packaging, particularly the more limited range of packaging options and the higher development costs involved.

Q2- What changed in the last 18 months that made this possible?
Because in an increasingly saturated market, our customers were demanding solutions that were more competitive while still preserving the innovative nature of the formula. All of this is taking place in a context of rapid market evolution and continuous improvement, where agility and innovation are essential.

Q3- What kind of brand do you do your best work with?
There is no specific type of brand with which we are better able to express our value and expertise. What truly makes the difference is the quality of the relationship and the strength of the partnership. These are the key ingredients for growth, continuous improvement, and long-term success.Our strength lies not only in our visionary approach, but also in the professionalism and flexibility that set us apart.

✦Performers


They set the standards. Here's how they approach the show.

These exhibitors are raising the bar for what visitors can expect. They share the challenge that drives their innovation, the shift that made it possible, and the kind of brand they create the most value with.
CTK

CTK (Korea)

Contract Manufacturing


Asking the questions the industry forgot


Interview with Hailey Yang, Team Lead, Strategic Marketing Team.

Q1- What problem were you trying to solve?
At CTK, we don't start by asking, "What product should we make next?"
We start by asking questions the beauty industry has stopped asking.
Why should bioactive ingredients and dermal science exist only in skincare?
Why can't makeup care for the skin as intelligently as skincare does?
If consumers spend just as much time wearing makeup as they do applying skincare, shouldn't makeup evolve too?
That question became the beginning of our Dermal Makeup philosophy.
Then we asked another question.
Why should packaging exist only to protect what's inside?
Why should its story end the moment the formula is finished?
We believe packaging deserves a second life.
• A compact can become a collectible.
• A lipstick can become a key charm.
• A palette can become a bag charm.
• A package can become something people proudly carry, display, photograph, and even talk about.
To us, the purchase is never the finish line.
It is the beginning of the consumer's relationship with the brand.
That's why we design products that don't simply perform well.
We design products that people want to show, share, recommend, and remember.
Internally, we often say we're trying to create a "Happy Virus."
• Not a marketing campaign.
• Not a social media trend.
A genuinely joyful experience that naturally spreads from one consumer to another.
Because the most powerful marketing has never been advertising.
It's someone smiling and saying,
"You have to try this."

Q2- What changed in the last 18 months that made this possible?
Consumers have changed dramatically.
They no longer separate skincare from makeup.
They no longer separate efficacy from beauty.
And increasingly, they no longer separate products from experiences.
Today's consumers expect every product to do more.
They expect makeup with clinically inspired performance.
Skincare with beautiful textures.
Packaging that feels personal.
Products that deserve a place on their vanity long after they're empty.
At the same time, biotechnology, bioactive ingredients, hybrid formulation systems, and intelligent packaging have advanced significantly.
These innovations have made it possible to rethink not only what beauty products do, but what they mean.
At CTK, we saw these changes not as trends to follow, but as opportunities to redefine the rules.

Q3- What kind of brand do you do your best work with?
The most rewarding projects are those where there is a clear consumer insight, a willingness to challenge conventional formulation approaches, and a desire to create meaningful product experiences. I particularly enjoy collaborating with teams that are looking to combine technical performance, compelling storytelling, and sustainability into a cohesive product concept. These partnerships create the opportunity to transform scientific innovation into products that genuinely resonate with consumers and stand out in the market.
HNB Corporation

HNB (Korea)

Accessories 


Tools born from real-life problems


Interview with Olivia Oh, R&D Director

Q1- What problem were you trying to solve?
The first issue we wanted to address was simple: many makeup tools look new, but far fewer genuinely address the practical issues people experience in daily use. Small details—how an item sits in the hand, distributes pressure, or needs to be stored—can make a noticeable difference to both application and finish.
At HNB, development begins with observing where beauty teams and consumers encounter difficulty. Our Dual Puff creates two different complexion finishes with one applicator. The Finger-Fit™ Puff offers a more secure, intuitive grip, while the GrooveLift™   Lash Curler helps align lashes and spread pressure more evenly.
We also pay close attention to aesthetic expectations. Today, beauty accessories are no longer objects to hide in a drawer. They can become part of a vanity or living space and reflect personal taste. Our leaf-shaped Verde Brush and the award-winning Vase Brush show how function can be combined with a more refined aesthetic.
For us, true innovation must be immediately understandable, commercially manufacturable, and developed with greater consideration for people and the environment.

Q2- What changed in the last 18 months that made this possible?
The market has evolved significantly over the past 18 months. Consumers are now much more informed and expect transparency, sustainability, and performance in the same product. At the same time, advances in ingredient technology, biotechnology, and formulation science have opened opportunities that were not commercially viable just a few years ago. Improved access to sustainable raw materials, stronger data supporting ingredient efficacy, and increasing regulatory and retailer focus on environmental impact created the ideal conditions to develop solutions that meet both consumer and industry expectations.

Q3- What kind of brand do you do your best work with?
The most rewarding projects are those where there is a clear consumer insight, a willingness to challenge conventional formulation approaches, and a desire to create meaningful product experiences. I particularly enjoy collaborating with teams that are looking to combine technical performance, compelling storytelling, and sustainability into a cohesive product concept. These partnerships create the opportunity to transform scientific innovation into products that genuinely resonate with consumers and stand out in the market.
Capsum

Capsum (France)

Contract Manufacturing


Invent, dare, exceed


Interview with Isabelle RICART, Marketing & Training Director

Q1- What problem were you trying to solve?
At CAPSUM, the workload and development pace is a challenge by itself ! Our motto is INVENT – DARE – EXCEED so we love going where any other supplier won’t go, leveraging our unique formulation know-how, driven by our expertise in Microfluidics, which is a unique, multi-patented way to design surfactant-free emulsions, protecting the actives while offering a unique transforming sensory (as oil and water are not mixed together until the moment of application). As a contract manufacturer, working on Skincare, Makeup, Hair Care, Body Care and Fragrance, we are creating  “capsules” every month (10 capsules a year), featuring a range of prototypes, loaded with actives, designed for our customers and prospects in order to inspire them and spark creativity to design their own, customized winning products, always having in mind naturalness of the formula (we are a B-Corp company), performance (no compromise on this!) and sensory experience.

Q2- What changed in the last 18 months that made this possible?
What changed for us is actually very new as CAPSUM has just acquired a month ago KKT Labs in the US, making a major step in CAPSUM’s ambition to accelerate its growth in North America. This partnership celebrates a best-in-class formulator and a best-in-class manufacturer coming together to expand our capabilities, footprint and access to the US market.

Q3- What kind of brand do you do your best work with?
We are working with a very wide scope of customers, from indie brands to the most reputed Beauty groups around the world (not only in the US but also in Europe). Take a look at our Website if you want to have more info on the brands we partnered with :) Or come see us in September in New York :)
From our perspective, looking ahead to 2026, the brands that will succeed are those that apply Science in ways that are relevant, scalable and commercially sustainable. This is what we do at CAPSUM : Science-backed processes, proven formula performance and sustainable manufacturing.

Now, it's your turn to meet them.


These 6 exhibitors are just a glimpse of what MakeUp in NewYork 2026 has in store. With 150+ exhibitors present at the Javits Center on September 16 & 17, this edition promises to be one of the most strategic rendez-vous of the year for the global beauty industry.

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