“Innovation is one of the main growth drivers in the beauty market. But innovation is not just about creating new products! My conviction is that innovation must be fully consistent with consumers’ expectations. This is actually what guides the proposals that Essentia Beauty submits to its customers,” explains Katia de Martino, founder and CEO, of the Monza-headquartered company.
A mindset that seems promising for Essentia, which is experiencing a strong acceleration in the second half of the year!
The company, which has already won over significant players in the United States, aims to strengthen its local presence and showcase its innovative capabilities. Essentia will participate in the MakeUp in New York exhibition, on September 18 and 19, 2024, at the Javits Center.
Essentia also announces the creation of a Business Unit (BU) dedicated to luxury brands. Initially, this new entity will focus on packaging decorations through exclusive know-how and technologies, a strategic entry point that meets the current needs of brands for premiumization and differentiation.
As part of an exclusive partnership, Essentia Beauty aims to bring the expertise of the Italian company MAD, known for fashion accessory decoration, into beauty packaging. “This innovative offering of material effects and three-dimensional textures has been named Metamorphosis, expressing its incredible potential to transform packaging into a desirable object,” emphasizes Katia de Martino. Metamorphosis will be showcased at the Places d’Or exhibition in Paris from November 12 to 14.
Aesthetics and functionality serving sustainable beauty
Essentia is heavily investing in research and development to offer differentiated concepts and deliver creative added value. The company aims to set itself apart through an innovation approach focused on analyzing consumer needs and expectations. “Our strategy is to listen to consumers, put ourselves in their shoes, and identify the ‘pain points’ that can be solved through product innovation. To validate our intuitions, we don’t hesitate to call on social media specialists who analyze consumer comments and reactions,” explains Katia de Martino.
“Today’s consumer wants to prioritize more environmentally friendly purchases, but in reality, most are not willing to sacrifice functionality or aesthetics. Being aware of that, we need to provide solutions that offer added value while being more eco-friendly,” stresses the CEO.
With this mindset, Essentia has developed a refillable makeup palette to solve the problem of half-used palettes, which generate frustration and waste. Shortlisted for awards at MakeUp in New York and the BeautyMatter contest, the Smart Palette features a user-friendly refillable dual pan and a patented removable cover with various decorative options. The company will also present other refillable packaging solutions at the exhibition, including the Smart Compact, which meets the need for on-the-go makeup touch-ups.
Another key area of investment and innovation concerns personalization, which is an integral part of sustainable beauty policies.
“We are in a paradoxical situation: the abundance of choices makes it difficult for consumers to decide, leading to a stressful shopping experience and, in many cases, inappropriate purchases,” continues Katia de Martino. An Ipsos study conducted in France reveals that 40% of women admit to having thrown away barely used cosmetics because they were not suitable. Meanwhile, a study by McKinsey reports that 70% of respondents find it difficult to choose a product that suits them.
This awareness led to the development of Matrix Revolution, a development method based on specific needs by consumer profile. This differentiating approach was used for the brand Ozmee, dedicated to eye care, which involved significant investment and three years of R&D. Particularly complex was the development of a web app enabling real-time online lash diagnostics, a world-first innovation that allows for the recommendation of the most suitable mascara for each individual.
Essentia Beauty employs a team of 15 people and has a commercial presence in Europe, China, and the United States. The company achieved a turnover of 8.5 million euros on FY 2024.
