Innovation or temporary hype?

Innovation or temporary hype? The future of cosmetics between the green revolution and smart care. This was the topic of the SEPAWA CAT group's conference on 7/8 May 2025 at the Zeche Zollverein in Essen. The annual event is (rightly) becoming increasingly popular: almost 70 participants from the cosmetics industry came to Essen to network and expand their knowledge.

The location was spectacular: from the elevated hall in the buildings of the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, there was a magnificent panoramic view of the green Ruhr region. There was also the opportunity to explore the site on a guided tour and meet familiar and new faces over dinner at the “Der Löwe” brewery in Essen.

What distinguishes the CAT specialist group's programme is the diverse range of topics: They ranged from microbiome-friendly cosmetics to news from the EU Commission or neurocosmetics to sustainability as future -proofing, start-ups as innovation drivers in the industry or current beauty trends.

The presentation ‘How skinfluencers on Instagram and TikTok combine marketing and science’ by our market analyst and trend scout Julia Keith focussed on the new developments in the influencer and creator scene and their impact on the cosmetics industry.

One highlight was the keynote speech by Dr Dag Piper, who provided a touch of the future in his presentation and broadened our horizons by talking about the car show in Shanghai, new living concepts and gaming - all of these areas can and will influence the cosmetics industry.

We will definitely be back next year! Many thanks to the organisers of the CAT group.