With just a few weeks to go before the highly anticipated trade show, soon-to-be attendees are eagerly looking forward to an event full of insight, innovation, and inspiration. Ahead of Suppliers’ Day 2025, we sat down with this year’s NYSCC Chair, John Carola, for a deep dive into the educational events, networking opportunities, and interactive exhibits he is most excited to see on June 3 and 4.
CDU: What can attendees expect from NYSCC Suppliers’ Day 2025 – are there any new features, themes, or expanded programming planned for this year’s show?
John Carola (JC): Suppliers’ Day 2025 is truly where “The Nexus of Science and Beauty” comes to life. This year’s event is our most ambitious yet, bringing together global experts, breakthrough technologies, and real-time innovation across a 200,000+ square foot show floor.
New features include the Formulators’ Tour: The Wellbeing of Water – a curated walkthrough exploring waterless innovation and aquatic-sourced ingredients – and the return of the INDIE 360° Pavilion. Now larger than ever, nearly 20 brands will participate in the pavilion, covering diverse industry segments including fragrance, skin care, and sunscreen.
This year also introduces two exciting additions: a Latina Beauty Capsule and the Beauty Founder Lab Prize.
We also have dedicated spaces like the Inspiration Hive curated by BEAUTYSTREAMS, featuring select exhibitors’ standout innovations in beauty movements such as reasonology, gentle care, and preemptivism. Every corner of the event is designed to showcase where science, creativity, and consumer needs intersect.
CDU: With the industry rapidly evolving, how is Suppliers’ Day 2025 addressing some of the most pressing topics in cosmetics and personal care, like sustainability, biotech innovations, and regulatory changes?
JC: We have embedded these priorities throughout our programming. Sustainability takes center stage, with sessions on Advancing Sustainability in Cosmetics and Household, presented in partnership with ACI and EFfCI, spotlighting next-generation practices and formulation standards.
On the Main Stage, Discover Sustainability will delve into upcycling, multifunctional ingredients, carbon footprint reduction, and more.
Biotech beauty is also a major theme. Our technical programming includes Biotechnology in Beauty, a session focused on how biotech continues to reshape active ingredients and formulation strategies.
On the regulatory front, we’re bringing global depth with sessions from PCPC, IBA, IKW, and other associations, ensuring attendees understand updates from MoCRA, evolving EU guidelines, and emerging APAC policies. This comprehensive approach ensures Suppliers’ Day is both future-focused and grounded in the current regulatory landscape.
CDU: Last year’s event saw strong participation and attendance – can you share any projections for 2025 in terms of exhibitor numbers, attendee demographics, or international presence?
JC: This will be the largest Suppliers’ Day ever, featuring 600+ exhibitors from around the world and occupying our biggest show floor to date. The event has moved to the third level of the Javits Center—the Crystal Palace—home to the venue’s most prominent events.
We are seeing robust international participation, with delegations from Europe, Asia, and South America, as well as growing engagement from indie innovators and multinational R&D teams.
We also anticipate a surge in early-career professionals and students, thanks to expanded initiatives such as the Future Chemists Workshop, mentorship mixers, and enhanced career development programming. The diversity of attendees—across generations, disciplines, and geographies—reflects Suppliers’ Day’s continued evolution as the global crossroads of cosmetic science.
CDU: Education is always a key pillar of Suppliers’ Day. Can you highlight some of the technical sessions, workshops, or special programming that formulators and R&D professionals won’t want to miss?
JC: We have developed a comprehensive educational slate curated by the NYSCC Scientific Committee. Highlights include:
- Brains + Beauty = Neuroaesthetics, exploring how the brain interprets beauty
- Dermabeauty, where dermatology meets cosmetic science
- Microbiome: Inside-Out Beauty, examining full-body skin health from scalp to gut
- Hair & Scalp Innovation, pushing the boundaries of trichology
- Fragrance: The Invisible Art, a sensory-focused lunch-and-learn
- China Skincare Trends & Innovations, presented by NYSCC and CACPA
Hands-on formulation opportunities abound, including SCC CEP pre-event courses on makeup and sensory testing. Hot Topics sessions will spotlight contract manufacturing, Latina beauty founders, shifting consumer ingredient preferences, and the evolving definition of “truth in beauty.”
The Formulation Forum will feature sessions on universal shade creation, pet care product development, and sensory personalization. The World of Chemistry will bring global experts to the stage, highlighting international trends and scientific perspectives.
Two major Main Stage presentations not to miss: a Fireside Chat with Stacey House, Senior Vice President at AGILE Beauty – COTY, on “Change is Constant – Agility is Key,” and a conversation with L’Oréal experts Ying Chen (Advanced Research) and Dominic Akerlee (Augmented Beauty), discussing how cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing the beauty industry.
With more than 100 hours of immersive educational programming, Suppliers’ Day offers something for everyone.
CDU: Why do you believe Suppliers’ Day continues to be a must-attend event for the beauty and personal care supply chain, and what makes 2025 a particularly exciting year to participate?
JC: Suppliers’ Day is unmatched in its ability to convene science, innovation, and global collaboration under one roof. This is where the next generation of beauty is being formulated—live, in real time.
What makes 2025 especially exciting is the pace of transformation in our industry: from AI-driven product development to microbiome breakthroughs to the rise of water-conscious innovation, this year’s show equips attendees with not just insights, but actionable tools.
As the Nexus of Science and Beauty, Suppliers’ Day 2025 is more than an event—it is a global hub for innovation, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. It’s where bold ideas take shape, relationships are forged, and the future of beauty is imagined and built.