“In time and with water, everything changes.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
“I have been watching and paying careful attention to all things water in our industry for years. Waterless Beauty is and will continue to be important. But Water as Beauty is now equally significant. Whatever approach you take to water, it’s about intentionality. As with all trends and movements, how you engage with water will depend greatly on the values of the company that you work for and the values of the consumer you serve.”
Author’s Note:
This year for the first time, North America’s leading cosmetic ingredient and formulation tradeshow, NYSCC Suppliers’ Day, offered attendees the opportunity to participate in a guided tour. I am very grateful to have had the privilege of developing and hosting the 2025 Formulators’ Tour.
And now, I’m going to take you along for the text version of this year’s Formulators’ Tour. Each day during the NYSCC Suppliers’ Day event, the tour started with a short presentation on a theme with both immediate and lasting relevance: The Wellbeing of Water.
Introduction
Today, brands and suppliers are working with (and without) water in endlessly creative ways to support the wellbeing of consumers and the wellbeing of our planet. From what I have observed in our industry, water is an ingredient; water is a product format; water is on its own a finished product; water is a story, a concept, a language, a mood, a sensibility; water is a scent; it is a texture; it is a delivery mechanism and a carrier; it is a color, and a viscosity, and so much more.
Water-Forward Beauty Brand Innovations
To start making sense of all that’s going on with water, I want to share some brand innovations with you. I have already mentioned two of the most obvious ways brands are approaching water: Waterless Beauty and Water As Beauty.
One of the more interesting brands that I have seen lately using Water As Beauty is called Iamares. This Italy-based brand formulates skincare with sea water sourced off the coast of the island of Sardinia. The brand’s product portfolio comprises a toner, a cleanser, a serum, and moisturizer that are made with 40%-99% sea water.
I spoke with the brand founder Giulia Doria de Zuliani at Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna earlier this year; and she talks about the sea water as being rich in bioavailable minerals such as “calcium, magnesium, and potassium [that] promote skin functions.” And promotional materials she shared with me emphasize that, “The crystal clear waters of Sardinia provide a natural resource that purifies, hydrates, and deeply regenerates the skin.”
Another notable brand that has foregrounding water is Japan-based Toyama Quality Water. This brand formulates with water sourced from radically different altitudes within a small geographic area. Their product lines are based on the source altitude: Depth 1000 is their deep sea line and includes products such as scented bath essences, bath salts, and a body scrub. Marketing materials noted that “inside mum’s belly was an ocean…very similar to that of deep sea water.” The brand also makes an Altitude 3000 product line with snowmelt from the Northern Japanese Alps, formulating hydrating mists and gels.
Like Iamares and Toyama Quality Water, there are many, many brands sourcing distinctive waters that are ‘water’ on the INCI list.
A Korea-based brand called Round Lab has a product line called 1025 Dokdo. Made with “clean deep-sea water” sourced off the coast of Ulleung-do, an island east of mainland South Korea. Marketing highlights include:
- Low Temperature Freshness – water stays at 2°C year-round.
- Clean Water Intake Conditions – Ulleungdo is isolated and safe.
- Balance Maintenance – deep sea water contains magnesium, calcium, and 90+ minerals.
- Cleanliness – extracted from 5,000 feet below sea level; free from contaminants and bacteria.
The 1025 Dokdo Cleanser promises benefits like ultra fine dust cleansing and uses the hashtag #FineBubbles.
Another approach to water in cosmetic formulations is ionized water. The US-based brand Magic Molecule sells one product: the Daily Skin Spray (99.918% ionized water).
If you read the Beauty Insights newsletter, you know that in May OPTASE (owned by Ireland-based Scope Health) launched a Sensitive Eye Daily Renewal Cream formulated with patented ionized water.
Waterless Beauty and products with less water often make use of alternative waters:
Aluram uses coconut water, calling it “nature’s most perfect water.”
Brands are also using licorice root water, Hinoki cypress water, birch tree water, cactus water, witch hazel water, tea tree leaf water, calendula flower water, rice water, fruit waters (e.g. Chinese Kiwi Fruit Water) and more.
Water can also be a product format:
- Hair Waters (e.g. Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water by L’Oréal Paris)
- Water-to-gel cleansers
- Water creams
- Water jelly lip tints
Consumers are thinking about water quality in their care routines, buying filters, DIY water treatments, and single-dose powder products that need high-quality water.
Water-Related Ingredients, Manufacturing, and Prototypes
Hydrosome Labs (US) developed Hydrosome H2O — ultra-pure water with ultra-fine bubbles that improve bioavailability and fermentation processes. Bob Jacobs, President Consumer Products Division at Hydrosome Labs, explains: “We use force and pressure to impart small chemical and physical changes to the water enabled by a stable concentration of ultra-fine bubbles.”
JRX Biotech (US) makes HydrO18 Activated Water® — a skin bio-compatible water clinically proven to hydrate and moisturize. Used in products like the Hydro-Lock Sleep Mask Royal Peptide Treatment from hydropeptide.
CNP Life Sciences (China) creates Structured Water / Micro-clustered Water to produce Micro-clustered Plant Cellsap (e.g. rose, coffee, pink lotus).
Tagra Biotechnologies (encapsulation for water solubility),
RAHN Active Cosmetics (MYRAMAZE®-PURE for scalp moisture),
Cambrium (Germany – NovaColl HC collagen for hair hydration),
Pennelli Faro (Italy – brushes for water-rich makeup),
Chromavis Fareva (Carte Blanche water-activated powders),
ROELMI HPC (CytoFruit® Waters – upcycled fruit waters from Italy).
Macro Oceans (California, US) makes Big Kelp Hydration™ – 80% skin hydration increase, 26% barrier improvement.
ChemyUnion (Brazil) developed Polluout Detox for hair ion removal and deep cleansing.
Cosmo International Fragrances (Florida, US) created AcquaElixir™ – water-based, alcohol-free fragrance tech.
Industry & Events
Mintel’s 2025 Trends Report calls water the new luxury.
John Carola, Chair of NYSCC, said after Suppliers’ Day 2025:
“The tremendous turnout and overwhelmingly positive feedback reinforce our mission to be the nexus of science and beauty—where innovation, education, and business intersect.”
Inolex (Pennsylvania, US) presented LexFilm™ Sun Natural MB – biodegradable sun-care film formers.
Zellulin (Singapore/Hong Kong) showcased nature-coded peptides from fish cell culture.
The Formulators’ Tour 2025 had 6 exhibitor stops and will return May 19–20, 2026 in New York City. Visit nyscc.org/suppliers-day for info.
