MS BEAUTiLAB: the advantages of Made in France and Made in Switzerland
2024 will be remembered as a good year for the MS BEAUTiLAB group. And the start of 2025 confirms the positive outlook, with the arrival of new customers, including several international brands as well as new, emerging brands with strong growth potential. The MS BEAUTiLAB Group is the result of a strategic alliance formed in 2015 between two companies with complementary expertise: MS Swiss Cosmetics, a specialist in the development and manufacture of high-end skincare products with real expertise in sourcing high-performance ingredients and creating unique and exclusive active complexes; Strand Cosmetics Europe, based in Lyon, is renowned for its know-how in the development and manufacture of ultra-sensory skincare and makeup products, with particular expertise in the complexion category (foundation, concealer, blush, highlighters, bronzers, primers, mists, etc.). We take stock with Karine Melloul, CEO.
So you are confirming the momentum gained in 2024 and the positive outlook for mid-2025!
Karine Melloul: Absolutely! This is thanks in particular to the commitment of our teams and a clear strategic vision led by a new management team. It is also thanks to the collective mobilization and strong involvement of our employees, with whom we have been able to meet the challenges of the market and exceed our targets. This performance is based in particular on the richness and diversity of our client portfolio. We have also had the privilege of supporting a wide variety of brands with different positioning and needs, which demonstrates our ability to adapt and offer tailor-made solutions. As for the start of 2025, the outlook is particularly promising. The arrival of new clients, including several internationally renowned brands as well as emerging brands with strong potential that will be the gems of tomorrow, confirms our position as a key player in cosmetic subcontracting. These new collaborations pave the way for exciting development opportunities. We are approaching 2025 with ambition, enthusiasm, and a constant desire to innovate, perform, and support our customers in the success of their projects.
It should be noted that this synergy between MS Swiss Cosmetics and Strand Cosmetics Europe allows us to benefit from two laboratories of excellence, with perfectly complementary expertise, capable of working in synergy on increasingly hybrid formulas, at the frontier between skincare and makeup. This cross-fertilization of know-how positions us as a leader in responding to the growing trend of Skinification, which is redefining consumer expectations. The integration of SPF protection is becoming essential in beauty routines. The development of SPF skincare and makeup formulas is also a key strategic focus for us, with a desire to combine protection, sensoriality, and effectiveness without compromising on texture or finish.
Are you also investing in manufacturing?
Karine Melloul: The group has also strengthened its position in recent years with a packaging site based in the Czech Republic, an exclusive partnership in China with a local ODM player, a sales office, and a partnership for the manufacture and packaging of OTC products for the US market. By bringing together all this expertise, we offer comprehensive, tailor-made solutions, from formulation to manufacturing, with a focus on quality, agility, performance, and innovation, in order to respond to major market trends in a relevant way on an international scale.
The United States, Europe, and Asia!
Karine Melloul: Europe remains our main market, with a long-standing presence and solid partnerships that continue to grow. It is a strategic foundation, but our growth is now accelerating in the United States and Asia. In the United States, our sales office is strengthening our rapidly growing presence and enabling us to work closely with our customers to better understand the specificities of this market. We entered this market by immediately collaborating with internationally renowned brands that have a strong social media presence. This strategic positioning immediately strengthened our credibility. Our dual expertise, Made in France and Made in Switzerland, is a considerable asset that is particularly appreciated in these demanding markets.
We also benefit from a long-standing presence in Asia, which continues to grow, thanks in particular to a solid partner who is undoubtedly one of the most promising and experienced players in the sector. This partner already works with the biggest Asian brands, enabling us to be part of a rapid and sustainable growth dynamic in this strategic region.
It’s not easy to manage the current global economic turmoil!
Karine Melloul: We are obviously monitoring developments in US customs duties very closely. Depending on the decisions that are taken, these measures could have a direct impact on our business. Aware of these challenges, we have already begun in-house discussions on the subject in order to anticipate the various possible scenarios as accurately as possible and be in a position to quickly propose concrete solutions tailored to our customers’ needs, if necessary, to ensure the continuity of their projects, regardless of developments in the international context. Nevertheless, we remain confident in the ability of European players to maintain their recognized expertise in formulation and innovation in Europe.
Are there many new products this year?
Karine Melloul: Our collections are inspired by current trends (Skinification, Wellness Beauty, Skintertainment) and are based on three pillars: innovation, sensory experience, and performance. This year, we are shaking up the rules with bold and innovative new products, ultra-sensory and unexpected textures (light and airy mousses, bouncy and ultra-fresh gels, marshmallow textures, bi-phase serums, double or even triple transformation formulas, etc.). Our formulas must offer a product experience that is as surprising as it is addictive. The hybridization of makeup and skincare is also at the heart of our vision. Our developments push the boundaries between these two worlds to create multifunctional products, from high-tech makeup enriched with powerful active ingredients to skincare products that deliver immediate visual results without ever compromising on effectiveness. Finally, we are strengthening our expertise in the dermocosmetics segment with formulas that have proven effectiveness while maintaining impeccable sensory qualities. Our R&D teams rely on unique ingredients, combined with the creation of tailor-made exclusive active complexes, to guarantee visible, long-lasting and effective results, both immediately and over time.
Environmental issues... obstacles or opportunities?
Karine Melloul: We are fully aware of the environmental challenges facing our sector, and this is an integral part of our strategic thinking. Several initiatives are already underway, driven by a strategic desire to make progress on this issue. The environment is a fundamental issue that we address every day. It is about laying solid and sustainable foundations that are in line with market realities, brand expectations and the imperatives of tomorrow. When it comes to formulation, we have a real head start. We began working very early on with skincare and makeup products with very high naturalness levels, which has given us solid expertise in this area. This expertise enables us to meet our customers’ growing demands for naturalness and performance. Our regulatory team plays a key role in this commitment. By constantly monitoring the market, we are able to anticipate future constraints, particularly in terms of formulation, and support our customers with precision, rigor, and responsiveness on the most complex issues.
