Aboutthis project

Welcome to Essentials for Daily Life, a glimpse behind the scenes of the cosmetics and personal care industry.

We all use cosmetics, every day. If you think about it, we couldn’t do without them.   Most of us like to bring a splash of colour and shine to our lives. But there is more to cosmetics than meets the eye. Cosmetics and personal care products help us feel better and more self-confident, but also stay clean and germ-free. This is why cosmetics, from decorative to perfumes, to skin care, hair care, sun care and body care, really are essential.

I bet you can name many cosmetic and personal care products, and all your favourite brands.  But not so many of us understand the science behind the products, how we make sure they are safe, or how we source our ingredients.

I am also sure that because you use cosmetic products, you would like some assurance that our industry is doing its part to make sure we protect our planet.

Finally, products need people. Without the people whose lives they enhance, cosmetics have no use. Without people who invest their knowledge and skill in creating them, they cannot evolve to meet consumer needs.

These are the three themes of our series: People, Planet, Products.  

The films presented here are the result of a unique collaboration between Cosmetics Europe, cosmetics manufacturers and associations, and BBC StoryWorks. Our films explore the People, Planet, Products themes from an array of different angles, from all over the world. The aim is to show you sides to our industry that you do not normally see. To take you on a journey into our industry you would not normally take. Hopefully, to help you understand that we have many positive stories to tell.

So please take some time to explore and learn a little of what lies behind our industry and those essentials in your daily life.

John Chave, Director General, Cosmetics Europe

About Cosmetics Europe

Find out a little bit more on what we do at Cosmetics Europe in this short animation.