With more than 81 percent of the HBA Global audience influencing the purchase of products and services for brand development of cosmetics, fragrances, personal care and skin care lines, the atmosphere at the event was all about business. More than 16,615 health and beauty professionals converged under one roof to source new suppliers, gain knowledge on industry trends, and develop new business relationships.

The recently concluded HBA Global took place from June 19-21 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.

All the major brands were in attendance including Avon, Coty, Estee Lauder, L’Oreal, Revlon, Procter & Gamble, LVMH and Unilever. In addition, HBA Global was an important forum for many emerging and niche brands in providing information and resources needed to get new products to market.

Attendees cited finding new suppliers a top objective at HBA Global, and the event had a wide range of business services related to product and packaging development. More than 15 countries were represented as international resources with the majority from the United States. 

“HBA Global is a great show for San-Mar Labs because it provides an excellent venue and a central meeting location to meet and greet current and new customers in a condensed couple of days — making it more than convenient to do business,” said Frank Penna, vice president, San-Mar Laboratories Inc. of Elmsford, NY.

Several new features were added to the HBA exhibit floor and were popular among attendees. Innovation Pavilions in Anti-Aging Skincare, Eco & Sustainability as well as Tubes attracted more than 70 percent of the HBA Global audience.

“The Tube Council decided to participate in HBA Global as a valuable venue to further our goal of positioning tubes as the packaging container of choice and communicate the new Innovations offerings from our members. The event met our expectations and provided a great forum for Tube Council members to interact with packaging decision-makers and product managers from a wide range of beauty and personal care companies,” said Ted Sojourner, regional vice president,
Essel Propack. 

The launch of the SPLASH Pavilion, featuring 30 emerging brands, added excitement and buzz to the exhibit floor. More than 40 beauty bloggers and press took part in a media tour and many attendees visited the area to discover and test new finished goods.

The educational component of HBA Global delivered a comprehensive learning experience for cosmetic, fragrance, personal care and skin care brand manufacturers. Covering the entire spectrum of product development, the conference had more than 60 sessions that included best practices and interactive classes on brand management, consumer engagement, skin care, naturals and organics, packaging and design, ingredients and other hot topic areas. 

Key sessions for HBA Global conference attendees this year were: Megatrends Driving Beauty Innovations; New Perspectives in Beauty Retailing; The Personal Touch: The Relationship Between Brand Transparency and Success; Product Development for Brand Managers: Understanding Technical Thinking;
Unlocking Creativity for Packaging Innovation; Social Influence in Skin Care and Beauty; Devices: The New Frontier for Skincare and Personal Care; and Anti Aging 2: Synergies, Peptides and Beyond: Turning Back the Clock.

The HBA VIP Program continued to draw buying teams from major brands and niche players with an onsite VIP Lounge conducive to doing business. An increase number of VIPs came from Amway, Avon, Bare Escentuals, Benefit Cosmetics, Bliss, Chanel, Clinique, Colgate Palmolive, Coty, Elizabeth Arden, Fresh, InterParfums, Johnson & Johnson, Kate Somerville, La Mer, Lord & Taylor, Maybelline, Nordstrom, Nu World Beauty, Shiseido, Unilever, Victoria Secret’s Beauty and Zotos International in addition to others.

In 2013, HBA Global Expo & Conference will take place June 18-20, again at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. For more information on HBA Global Expo Events, visit www.hbaexpo.com.