Celebrating innovation at in-cosmetics Global 2026

Celebrating innovation, in-cosmetics Global reveals 2026 award winners shaping the future of cosmetic science. 

The in-cosmetics Global 2026 Awards commemorate the most innovative breakthroughs in cosmetic science, sustainability, and sensory beauty. The judges narrowed down standout entries competing for awards across nine categories.

Innovation Zone Best Ingredient Awards

In the Functional Ingredients category, ViscoPure® by PolymerExpert was awarded Gold. PolymerExpert is part of the Solabia Group. ViscoPure® is a 100% biobased thickener for water-based systems and creates a strong, resistant and yet sensorial gelled system 

Solagum™ X+ by SEPPIC was awarded Silver,and the Bronze award was presented to RHEANCE® Soft GO by Evonik. 

Awarded with Gold for the Innovation Zone Best Ingredient in the Active Ingredients category was RAHN AG for CALNEURIN® SENSE. 

At the ceremony, Barbara Obermayer, Head of RAHN-Cosmetic Actives, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the team behind this achievement. They’ve put a huge amount of thought and expertise into developing what we believe is a truly pioneering active. This recognition is a testament to their commitment to pushing boundaries and delivering innovation that makes a real difference.” 

Raw materials manufacturer, NAEMOS took the Silver Award for SHISOME. Chemyunion achieved Bronze for Peptid4® Light MB and dsm-firmenich was also presented with Bronze for its EXOVIVE™ LIFT. 

Taste Bar & Scent Bar Awards

New for 2026, the Taste Bar Award and Scent Bar Award were judged live on site. These awards celebrate creativity and sensory excellence within fragrance and beauty from within. Fragrance house, Parfex, was awarded the Scent Bar Award for its Matcha Delight. 

The Taste Bar Award, presented in partnership with The Good Pill, celebrates the best tasting inner beauty formulations. These real, ready-to-try concepts are featured at the show as the industry expands into this exciting sector. The winner of Best Tasting Nutricosmetics Beverage was SYMRISE AG for AceRoselle. The winner of the Best Tasting Nutricosmetics Food was Lubrizol for Curcushine™ gummies. 

Rising Star Award 

The Rising Star Award celebrates first-year exhibitors, highlighting their advanced products and ingredients while acknowledging their solution-driven approaches. This year saw Anatarka awarded for its impressive presence at the show. Antarka is a biotechnology company developing patented, Antarctic-derived technologies for advanced skin repair and longevity. Developing and engineering extremophile enzymes into high-performance cosmetic actives. 

Green Ingredient Award 

This award, presented in partnership with Ecovia Intelligence, recognises ingredients that deliver a meaningful environmental or social impact. Taking Gold this year was dsm-Firmenich for ALPAFLOR® NEUROSOOTH, a neurocosmetic active developed to address primary skin stressors linked to climate change. This sustainable innovation is made from Scutellaria alpina, an adaptogenic plant, organically cultivated on alpine moraines. 

Also recognised in this year’s Green Ingredient Award was Givaudan Active Beauty, which won Silver for PrimalHyal™ NeuroYouth. Ashland took home the Bronze Award for eternight™ biofunctional. 

Make-Up Bar and Sensory Bar Award 

The Sensory Bar Award and the Make-up Bar Award winners were also both decided live. These accolades spotlight the next generation of colour cosmetics, innovative technologies and developments in sensory, texture and fragrance. 

In the Make-up Bar Award, Solabia Group took the top title for its OleoVeil ®Care – Natural and Flawless wear. Lubrizol took Silver for Oilkemia™ 7S polymer for Makeup Formulations, whilst JRS – J.Rettenmaier & Söhne took Bronze for its Flower Blush. 

In the Sensory Bar Award category, ALPOL Cosmetique was awarded Gold for its innovative Next-Gen Suncare: soft touch, perfect skin. H&A Pharmachem Co., Ltd took Silver for Magic capsule Gel, Magic capsule Serum. Bronze was awarded to Alchemy Ingredients for Natural & Minimalistic Baby Care (for Mum too). 

Kenvue Trusted Science Award 

The Kenvue Trusted Science Award recognises innovative and effective modern ingredients that consumers can rely on for their daily care. Lucas Meyer Cosmetics by Clariant took the title for Melicica™ (Honey). The award-winning ingredient harnesses Australian Jelly Bush honey to offer a holistic approach to optimise the skin’s natural repair process. 

Celebrating the winners

Andy Mather, Event Director of in-cosmetics Global, said: “This year’s entries showcase remarkable innovation and a clear vision of where our industry is heading. We’re proud to celebrate our winners and acknowledge their achievements across every category. The introduction of the new Scent Bar Award brings a dynamic addition to the programme, honouring creativity, sensory excellence and standout execution in fragrance. 

“Meanwhile, the Taste Bar Award – a highlight of our brand-new Inner Beauty Zone – underscores the growing influence of nutricosmetics and the exciting future they represent. Together, these new awards reflect how beauty and wellness continue to evolve toward more holistic, multi-sensory experiences. 

“We extend our gratitude to this year’s judges for their insight and dedication, and to all entrants for the outstanding standard of submissions. Congratulations to our 2026 winners. We look forward to seeing how your innovations continue to shape the industry’s future.” 

To see the full list of winners, please visit the in-cosmetics Global show website: Awards and After Party | in-cosmetics Global