The in-cosmetics story begins in 1990 with the launch of the first exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, England. That year, 80 exhibitors and 900 visitors met to discuss and discover personal care ingredients, laying the foundations for everything that has happened since.
For 35 years, in-cosmetics’ flagship event has united the global beauty industry, drawing an ever-growing international audience and shaping the future of innovation.
Education was first introduced at in-cosmetics in 1995 with the launch of the Technical Seminars. Originally called ‘Exhibitor Seminars’ and then ‘Innovation Seminars’, these have proved hugely popular. The first Marketing Trends presentations were launched at the start of the new millennium when the show took place in Barcelona.
This was followed quickly by what is now the most popular area of any in-cosmetics shows, the Innovation Zone. Designed with time-poor and inquisitive visitors in mind, this area helps visitors find all the latest products in one place. Today, the zone attracts up to 75% of visitors to discover brand new, innovative personal care ingredients.
in-cosmetics Global continues to support every stage of product development with key areas like the Formulation Lab, where visitors explore trend-driven formulations using the latest techniques. The Sustainability Zone Theatre and Forum focus on reducing environmental impact and improving ingredient transparency, while the Testing and Regulatory Forum ensures safe, compliant products with substantiated claims.
Since 2015 the in-cosmetics Group has grown significantly, in both location and services, to reflect the needs of our audience.
in-cosmetics Korea was launched in 2015, filling a gap in the market as it brings together the world of K-beauty and international exhibitors.
After a challenging year for everyone in 2020, we all had to take responsibility for looking at new ways to connect, and innovation came to the forefront. Connect was born in mid 2020, an online resource library with a variety of articles, podcasts, webinars and more to keep you up to date with the ever-evolving industry.
After a successful launch in April 2021, in-cosmetics Discover (now renamed Covalo x in-cosmetics) was relaunched in October 2022. This search engine is designed to support formulators struggling the find the right ingredients and it was introduced to in-cosmetics Asia visitors and exhibitors in the run-up and at the Bangkok show in 2022.
After a successful series of restarts in 2022, the in-cosmetics brand has continued to thrive—uniting the global personal care community through innovation, education, and collaboration. With vibrant 2024 shows in Seoul, São Paulo, and Bangkok, and the journey continuing in Amsterdam in 2025, we remain committed to celebrating the science behind beauty.
Our ability to adapt and anticipate change ensures that in-cosmetics delivers unrivalled access to the latest innovations and learning opportunities—empowering a global audience to achieve their ambitions. We’re proud to be part of this ongoing journey with all of you.
Interested in attending one of the events in the in-cosmetics portfolio?
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Find out about in-cosmetics Connect, the group’s online resource for the industry.