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IBA nominated for Best Digital Event for Cosmetics Convergence Symposium

Marketing, Best Digital Event: Recognizes the concept and execution of a digital event or event series as an extension of a brand or business.

The IBA Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2024-2025 IBA Board of Directors.

Serving on the IBA Board is a rewarding experience with opportunities to address the practical and meaningful needs of member companies as well as help shape the direction and future of IBA and the indie beauty industry.

Self-nominations are encouraged, nominations on behalf of a colleague are welcome with the colleague's consent. While non-member nominations will be accepted, all Board Members must maintain an active membership while serving on the Board.

Learn more about serving on the IBA Board.

Nominate Now

The Independent Beauty Association (IBA), formerly ICMAD, is pleased to share an an exciting development regarding our corporate headquarters. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve our services and accommodate our growing association needs, we are excited to announce that we will be moving to a new office location.

Hampton, Virginia, July 12, 2023 – Registrar Corp , the leading compliance services, training, and software firm, is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Independent Beauty Association (IBA) , a nonprofit trade organization that represents independent beauty brands and companies.

This strategic partnership brings together Registrar Corp's expertise in regulatory compliance with IBA's commitment to supporting independent beauty entrepreneurs and contributing to the industry’s success.

Together, Registrar Corp and IBA will provide educational resources to help companies navigate the complex world of cosmetics compliance, specifically in preparation for the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA) .

Advancing MoCRA Awareness and Compliance

MoCRA was signed into U.S. law in December 2022, expanding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) regulatory authority over the cosmetics industry. The act requires FDA to establish extensive new regulations for companies manufacturing and distributing cosmetics in the U.S.

Compliance with MoCRA could prove challenging for companies that are not as educated in FDA regulations nor have systems in place for Product Listings and Good Manufacturing Practices compliance. 

The Registrar Corp-IBA partnership comes at a critical time with some of MoCRA’s requirements expected to go into effect by the end of 2023.

Registrar Corp’s tech-enabled service offerings include assistance with cosmetic facility FDA registration, FDA Product Listings, U.S. Agent Service for foreign manufacturers, and regulatory guidance from industry specialists[KR1]  . Cosmetri, Registrar Corp’s software solution for cosmetic product development and compliance, streamlines activities such as GMP adherence and documentation management.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Independent Beauty Association," said David Lennarz, CEO of Registrar Corp. "We share a common goal of supporting the growth and success of cosmetic companies, and we believe that compliance is a crucial part of achieving that success. By combining our resources and expertise, we can provide IBA members with the tools they need to maintain compliance and operate with integrity."

“Registrar Corp is a valued partner whose experience in FDA registration in OTC drugs, food and beverage, medical devices, and dietary supplements means they are bringing a wealth of expertise to this new realm of cosmetic registrations,” said Don Frey, President and CEO of the Independent Beauty Association. “We know that many of our members have limited staff, so having Registrar Corp as an option to help them efficiently register their products will be a tremendous help. Additionally, the discount Registrar Corp is providing to IBA member companies shows their commitment to IBA’s mission of helping smaller companies succeed and prosper as entrepreneurs.”

Additional Registrar Corp Compliance Services

Registrar Corp provides a variety of compliance services for FDA-regulated industries, including those in the cosmetic, food and beverage, medical device, and drug sectors.  Services include:

• FDA facility registration (and renewal)
• U.S. Agent for FDA communications service (for non-U.S. companies)
• FDA Detention assistance

About Registrar Corp
Since 2003, Registrar Corp has been a leading resource for FDA compliance, offering tech-enabled services, fully online compliance training, software product solutions, and proprietary data. Headquartered in Hampton, Virginia, Registrar Corp has 19 worldwide offices and assists over 30,000 companies each year with FDA compliance.

If you have questions about FDA requirements or Registrar Corp’s solutions for cosmetic companies, contact Registrar Corp at info@registrarcorp.com or call +1-757-224-0177 (option 5).

The deadline to apply is Friday, December 9, 2022.

3 Reasons to Volunteer

• Develop your leadership skills
• Broaden your professional network
• Effect change in the industry

What's involved? Committee Membership is generally a year-long posting and requires several hours or more of your time each month, including attending monthly committee meetings. Committee members are expected to share their expertise, time, and connections to help advance IBA's mission. 

Not ready to join a Committee? We need volunteers to assist at IBA events and more. Indicate your interest in the volunteer application. 

All committee member positions are remote.

Advisory Committees Accepting Applications
Learn more about these committees here.

•  Government & Public Relations Committee
• Technical Regulatory Committee
• Sponsor and Revenue Growth Committee
• Membership Committee
• Supply Chain & Sustainability Committee
  
  

Click Here to Apply!

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View 2022 forum agenda here

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Erica Scala: 10/7/2021

This month the Independent Beauty Association honors National Hispanic Heritage Month by spotlighting the stories and personal histories of its Hispanic and Latina community. From seasoned executives to category creators, inspired product developers, and digital influencers, these four women represent the dynamic contributions of Latina entrepreneurs and business leaders on today’s beauty industry.

After 20 years managing national sales teams for global powerhouses like Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Avon where her team won WWD’s highly coveted “Best Executed Brand Launch” award in 2014, Sonia Summers decided it was time to be her own boss. She launched Beauty Barrage in 2015, an independent sales management agency that has since partnered with some of the most successful beauty brands and retailers in the business in tackling their most pressing retail challenges.

In just six short years, Sonia and her team have taken home a bevy of awards. In 2020 alone, Beauty Barrage made the Inc Magazine 500 list for “Fastest-Growing Private Company,” the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Service Provider of the Year Award, and the American Business Awards Bronze Stevie for Minority-Owned Business, amongst others. Sonia currently sits on the IBA’s Board of Directors.

IBA: What does your heritage mean to you personally?

Sonia: My heritage means everything to me. I love to cook. I love music and dancing. I’m a warm caretaker, but I’m also very competitive, super driven, and love to win. Even when I feel I haven’t won, I always focus on what I learned along the way. I learned this all from my parents, who worked tirelessly so that their children could achieve great success.

IBA: Has your heritage played a role in building the business leader you are today? If so, how?

Sonia: My heritage has played a huge role in who I am today. I saw my parents struggle to ensure that my sisters and I had the values we’d need to enrich our future. They pushed us to excel and to never believe that we couldn’t do anything. They told us that we could build our own American dreams. I recall way back when I would run home with a “A” grade just to make my parents proud. That encouragement and support is my drive.

As a businesswoman, I think of them often and believe they are smiling down on all my accomplishments, including my beautiful family.

IBA: What do you want the IBA to know about the Hispanic business community?

Sonia: What I would like for our community of members to know, is that my culture is all about achieving greatness, from family to business. We have an incredible amount of passion, and we are resilient. We add insurmountable value to any organization.

Gabriela Hernandez is known by many titles: photographer, art director, artist, designer, author, makeup historian, and brand founder. Born in Buenos Aires, she emigrated to the US when she was 12 years old. She received her bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and Photography from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. During her 30-year career, she’s worked in art direction, creative direction, and photography for several Fortune 500 companies like McDonald’s, Disney, Marvel, and CBS/Viacom, as well as the Marilyn Monroe Estate.

In 2004, Gabriela launched the prestige vintage-inspired cosmetics brand Besame Cosmetics with a single red lipstick. She is at home breaking down the amazing colors of a 100-year-old lipstick or creating inspirational drawings for her design team. This reverence for history and design brings a unique, never-before-seen perspective to the cosmetics industry.

IBA: What does your heritage mean to you personally?

Gabriela: Personally, I think it means honoring the past, learning from it, and passing it down for others to learn and make better choices. It also involves a sense of pride in the ways our ancestors contributed to society and the ideas we have today.

IBA: Has your heritage played a role in building the business leader you are today? If so, how?

Gabriela: I think as an immigrant, resilience is something that comes from being displaced from the things you know so well. It makes you a fighter, and it makes you very resourceful in solving problems in unconventional ways. All these traits are valuable in business today.

IBA: What do you want the IBA to know about the Hispanic beauty business community?

Gabriela: I think the best thing about our community is the fact that we care about people. We care about the customers and our employees. We are ethical and moral people, and we want to do the right things. We also have a deep appreciation for keeping history alive. We want to bring joy and beauty into the world. We are artists and creators; this is the work that makes us happy. Preserving traditions and family is very important. It informs the next generation of where we have been and where we are going.

Rea Ann Silva’s experience spans a nearly 30-year journey as one of the most sought-after Hollywood makeup artists in the industry. As the creative force behind Beautyblender, she single-handedly changed the beauty game. The Beautyblender concept came to Rea Ann while she was the department head of one of the first TV shows shot in hi-definition. She handled the constant touch-ups with her hand-cut, edgeless sponges to mimic the seamless look of airbrushing. Soon, every celebrity that sat in her chair wanted their own hand-cut sponge, thus creating the original edgeless sponge. Today, the category-creator holds countless beauty awards and is beloved by both makeup aficionados and newbies as the go-to tool for achieving a perfectly blended complexion.

In November 2020, Rea Ann was honored at the Smithsonian American Museum of Natural History in the “Only One in The Room” exhibit, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage.

As profiled by Bluemercury

Why is it important to you to highlight your culture? 

Rea Ann: Making it in the beauty industry as a Latina had its challenges. The one question throughout my life and even today has always been “What are you?” Not being able to identify myself as either white or black provided certain advantages and at the same time presented unique challenges. I never saw any women that looked like me in a position of power that could mentor me in business, so I learned a lot of things the hard way. Being a Latina gave me license to see and live with skin tone vibrancy. As a make-up artist, it helped me perfect my artistry in cosmetic complexion application and this experience helped me to create the Beautyblender.

Being Latina to me means that I am a part of a colorful, passionate, and beautiful culture. I want to highlight that and continue to inspire and mentor other Latinas around the world.

Christen Dominique is a digital entrepreneur known for her hugely successful YouTube channel, and her passion for encouraging others to be comfortable in their own skin by using makeup as a tool for expression. Her reliability, honesty, and creativity has made her a YouTube favorite and one of the industry’s fastest-growing and most recognized personalities. Christen has been named a top influencer by Forbes and featured on Entrepreneur and Business Insider.

After more than a decade of success online, having amassed over 7 million+ followers across various social media platforms, Christen launched Dominique Cosmetics to serve her loyal community with aspirational yet relatable beauty products. Now three years old, her namesake brand is carried at Sephora and Nordstorm stores across the nation. She is currently focused on further developing her beauty empire to touch the souls of her audience in a meaningful way, both online and offline.

IBA: What does your heritage mean to you personally?

Christen: My Latin heritage represents who I am: it’s the way I listen to music, the foods I eat, how I speak to my Mexican family members, and the reason I’m so passionate about the people, topics, and things I love.

IBA: Has your heritage played a role in building the business leader you are today? If so, how?

Christen: I know that being a Latina business owner is rare. Being that I am one, that makes me so proud. I’m able to inspire others and let them know that what may seem impossible is possible. As long as you’re fully committed to it, have a strong drive and a “never give up” attitude, your dream will become your reality.

IBA: What do you want the IBA to know about the Hispanic beauty business community?

Christen: The Hispanic beauty business community is supportive of one another, and they are all proud of each other!

Erica La Sala is a beauty writer and reporter who specializes in covering the business behind beauty. Her work has been featured in several digital publications and newsletters serving both the professional and consumer communities, including Beauty Independent, Glossy, CEW Beauty News, BeautyMatter, and Allure Magazine. She graduated from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business with an MBA in Management Systems.

The Independent Beauty Association (IBA) welcomes Dr. Akemi Ooka to the staff as Head of Global Supply Chain Resources. Dr. Ooka's addition to the association marks the development of a new class of offerings tailored to meet the fast-changing needs of the indie beauty supply chain. This branch of supply chain-focused programming complements the association's existing work in global technical and regulatory issues.

Dr. Ooka is a former VP of Product for the J.R. Watkins company. With over 20 years of CPG experience, from Fortune 500 companies to small startups, Dr. Ooka's broad experience ranges from product development to sourcing and supply chain.

While at Clorox, Dr. Ooka worked in product development on key brands like Armor All, Soft Scrub, and Clorox. She then moved into innovation sourcing, pioneering open innovation, then moving to product supply, where she led the chemical procurement group.

Dr. Ooka then moved to The Method Company, where design and cutting-edge sustainability transformed the cleaning industry. She started up the company's procurement function and then transitioned back to the product, leading formula/fragrance development.

As VP of Product at J.R. Watkins, Dr. Ooka drove product innovation in hand care, personal care, home care, and OTC remedies. Dr. Ooka has a B.A. in Chemistry from Douglass College, Rutgers University, and a UCLA Ph.D. in chemistry.

The Independent Beauty Association supports its more than 600 member companies in navigating an ever-changing industry. For over 47 years, IBA has been the expert in Technical Regulatory education and resources for indie beauty companies. In response to the growing needs of its members, the association is adding global supply chain expertise to its knowledge base.

The expansion of programming comes at a critical time where heightened sustainability efforts affect supply chain practices. The impact that our products and ingredients have on the environment requires more scrutiny than ever. IBA is preparing to support its members in maneuvering the business impacts of building a sustainable supply chain.

"We are fortunate to have Dr. Akemi Ooka joining our team. She has a tremendous background in supply chain and sustainability issues, and we are looking forward to adding her expertise to help inform and advise our members," said Dr. Ken Marenus, President of IBA.

About IBA

Established in 1974, The Independent Beauty Association (IBA) is a non-profit trade association for the cosmetics and personal care industry. With over 600 member companies, our mission is to foster the success of entrepreneurial companies in our industry. IBA promotes and maintains the highest standards oflegal and regulatory compliance, environmental sustainability, and ethical business practices to help our members produce cosmetic products that are as safe and effective for all consumers.

Contact
Arnyae Neal
Director of Marketing and Membership Development (972) 833-2659
media@independentbeauty.org

On Tuesday, August 31, 2021, IBA's Board of Directors and members voted to confirm Elizabeth Corrigan as 2021 – 2022 Board Chair.

Elizabeth Corrigan, the founder of both The Complete Package and Prestige Testing, is an entrepreneur who made her mark in the beauty industry over 25 years ago. Having to lead some of the largest and most respected global giants like L'Oreal, LVMH, and Blissworld, Elizabeth has undoubtedly made a lasting impact on those brands. Elizabeth is a recipient of the SmartCEO Brava Award in 2016, Top 25 NJ Leading Women Entrepreneurs in 2013, YWCA Tribute to Women and Industry Award, and was named a 2012 Thought Leader in Beauty Colgate-Palmolive.

Elizabeth takes on the IBA Board of Directors Chairmanship at a unique time in the association's history, only one year following a complete rebranding from ICMAD (Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors).

"Over the past several years, we have worked very hard to ensure that the Board of IBA is representative of the industry we serve," said Chris Hobson, CEO of Rare Beauty Brands, and outgoing Chair of IBA. "Elizabeth's appointment as Chair of IBA celebrates an important milestone in that journey. Elizabeth brings incredible talent, experience, and perspective to help the Board and the organization grow and thrive in the years ahead", said Chris.

"Our industry is facing many challenges on many fronts. I can't think of anyone better to lead IBA in supporting our members", said Dr. Ken Marenus, IBA President and CEO.

During Elizabeth's time as Vice-Chair, she started developing long-term strategies to advance the Association in some existing and new areas. IBA's members can expect some updates and new programs and initiatives that are needed in our industry.

About IBA

Established in 1974, The Independent Beauty Association (IBA) is a non-profit trade association for the cosmetics and personal care industry. With over 600 member companies, our mission is to foster the success of entrepreneurial companies in our industry. IBA promotes and maintains the highest standards of legal and regulatory compliance, environmental sustainability, and ethical business practices to help our members produce cosmetic products that are as safe and effective for all consumers.

Contact
Arnyae Neal
Director of Marketing and Membership Development
(972)833-2659
media@independentbeauty.org

Once the new community is live, you will receive an email on how to login and navigate through your new member profile. Your username will remain the same, but you will now have the option to login through your LinkedIn credentials.

To give you an idea of what you can expect: The new portal/community includes enhanced features:

• Online Directories
• Career Center
• Newsfeed
• Online Export Certificate Applications
• New Online Community to share information and connect with members

At the Independent Beauty Association, we support the idea that it is unnecessary to conduct animal testing to establish the safety of cosmetic and personal care products.
We are committed to the following:

1. The highest priority for our industry is the creation of products that are safe for the consumer.
2. We applaud and support the 50 years of scientific investigation into alternative methods that has resulted in modern validated methodology eliminating the need to use animals to establish a cosmetic’s safety.
3. We pledge to continue to work with our industry and regulators, nationwide and abroad, to finally make animal testing a thing of the past.