Indonesia poised to lead in the Halal Beauty category

As the fastest growing market for beauty and personal care, the Southeast Asian region is demonstrating that any brand that combines science-driven production, transparent sourcing, and strong interest in Halal will capture the next shift in consumer loyalty dynamics, particularly in Indonesia. Suppliers and manufacturers who attended the ASEAN Personal Care Technology Summit in Park Hyatt Jakarta, from December 4-5 can attest to this fact.

Compared to the global beauty and personal care market which totals USD 580 billion and growing at 3% annually, Southeast Asia contributes USD 34.21 billion and is expanding a bit more quickly, at 3.3%. This according to Ms. Kusuma Ida Anjani, the Director at PT Mustika Ratu Tbk, and Head of Division III (Marketing Division) of the Indonesian Wellness Spa Association (ASPI) who was one of the speakers at the conference.  

Within the region, Indonesia is the focal point of opportunity in the personal care sector, which is why Ringier Events organized the two-day conference in Jakarta. The event attracted over 170 participants from across Indonesia and other countries. It was supported by the PPA KOSMETIKA Indonesia, representing the collective interests of cosmetics companies and related organizations; the Perhimpunan Pengusaha Spa Indonesia (ASPI Wellness & SPA), the organization of spa and wellness entrepreneurs across Indonesia; the Indonesia ISO Expert Association (IIEA) which promotes the value of high-quality service for consultation, training, certification, implementation, and other assurance services; the Indonesian Packaging Association, the non-profit, non-governmental organization of the packaging industry in Indonesia; as well as the Thai Cosmetic Cluster (TCOS), consisting of entrepreneurs, and which promotes innovation, research, standard development.

Ringier’s business partners further strengthened the success of this event: Guangzhou Barel Industrial Co., Ltd., Guangzhou Sanrong Material Packaging Co., Ltd, Guangzhou Huayang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Chasing Machine & Electronics Co., Ltd, SPEC-CHEM GROUP, Guangzhou Waaln Chemical Co., Limited, LEXCOS (Guangzhou) Bio-tech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou Shouyi Research New Materials Co., Ltd, Guangzhou Raise Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shandong Freda Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shanghai Li Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Shanghai Zhina Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Guangzhou Guanghe Biotechnology Co. Ltd,  Hengzhiqing Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Nuoxin (Guangzhou) International Trade Co., Ltd, Guangzhou Sungoing Plastic Co., Ltd., and Qingdao Taitong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

In his welcome note to participants, Mike Hay, Executive Director of Ringier Trade Media Ltd, said, “Within the region, Indonesia retains its key role with its personal care industry driven by domestic manufacturers who are keen to enhance their production of cosmetics, spa products, soaps, skincare, and other personal care products.”

Significant developments are truly expected from Indonesia as the mandatory Halal certification for consumer goods, including cosmetics comes into effect in October 2026. The Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) assumes that by the end 2025, about 7 million consumer products will already be Halal-certified. Since this certification reflects not only religious compliance, but also strict quality standards, it gives consumers greater confidence in their product choices.

Industry outlook and trends assessment

During her presentation, Ms. Anjani also discussed what lies ahead for the beauty and personal care industry, noting the five trends that will have the most impact, namely: skin health with minimal routines, sensitive skin, digital‑integrated personal care, sustainability and ethical manufacturing, and Halal. In terms of product categories, fragrances, dermocosmetics, deodorants, sun care and men’s grooming are seeing the fastest growth.

Ms. Kusuma Westri, Deputy Chair for Industry Affair, PPA Kosmetika Indonesia also gave a detailed presentation of the cosmetics industry, including the trends, the risks & opportunities, as well as the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, or the agreement among ASEAN countries to harmonize requirements of cosmetic products in order to reduce technical barriers to trade in the region.  In terms of consumer insights, she mentioned E-commerce and social commerce are the fastest routes to scale, encouraging companies to invest in localized digital marketing and micro-influencer strategies. She said Halal, clean/green claims, and sustainability credentials also increase market access and pricing power in specific segments. She said product personalization and hybrid products such as skincare + makeup, are growth areas.

Summarizing her talk, Ms Westri said that while the ASEAN’s cosmetics sector is poised for growth, harmonized regulation remains vital for product safety, consumer trust, and competitiveness. She said regulators and industry must work together through coordinated annex adoption, digital modernization, and strengthened market surveillance to build a future-ready cosmetic regulatory environment.

Anita Loeki, Director of Continental Cosmetics, a manufacturing company based in West Java, shared the latest developments in halal innovation and why it is important for cosmetic production to adhere to Islamic Law. Her topic also touched on the evolution of beauty which is now leaning toward three trends: Longevity; Metabolic Beauty & Holistic Wellness; and Clean Beauty & Tayyib (Halal Cosmetics).

Ms. Loeki also facilitated a workshop/demonstration on three of Continental’s products, namely Vegan Collagen Serum which features anti-aging effects; Free Allergen Extrait the Perfume – a free allergen fragrance, and Honey Butter Lip Balm which highlights the use of fermented honey.

Access to novel products

For hair and scalp health, Ms. Elza Ding, Sales Director, Spec-Chem Industry Inc. talked about the growing categories in this segment as well as trends in scalp care. Ms. Ding said that the hair care market has reached USD 106.91 billion in 2025, and is expected to grow to USD 213.47 by the year 2032. Factors driving the market are the rise in hair related issues and the more focused development on organic and natural products. Spec-Chem Industry Inc is a provider of high-quality cosmetic ingredients including halal and kosher, to leading multinational brands, will be presenting on hair care / health.

Mr. Andrew Peng, Regional Manager at Shandong Freda Biotechnology Co., Ltd. shared the benefits of the company’s cosmetic raw materials, particularly hyaluronic acid and other key functional ingredients during his presentation titled, Building on HA, Advancing with Actives: Freda's Scientific Depth and Value Chain Transformation. He also highlighted the company’s capability to develop and manufacture high-quality products for a variety of personal care.

In his presentation, Precise Delivery, Revitalize, Mr. Zhu Hongfei CEO of Hengzhiqing Biotechnology Co., Ltd, discussed the “dual dilemma of absorption and compliance”, referring to two hurdles that many companies face: the difficulty of ensuring active ingredients penetrate the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the epidermis), and the requirement of obtaining Halal certification to access the market. He explained that Hengzhiqing’s nano‑crystalline products comply with Halal requirements and are effective in enhancing the penetration of skincare ingredients.

Ms. Rachel Tian, Technical Development Manager at Shanghai Zhina Biotechnology Co., Ltd. introduced the company’s expertise in biotechnology hinged on Traditional Chinese Medicine. She spoke on sustainable skincare innovation, highlighting the application of natural active ingredients such as Oat Yeast Factor, a lyophilized powder that provides moisturization and improves damaged skin. Another product, Fibronectin plays a key role in wound healing.

Ms. Tina Gong, R&D Innovation Manager at PT Nayue Kosmetik Indonesia opened her presentation with the importance of UV protection and the technical shortcomings of existing sunscreens. She talked about the sun protective properties of algae, and ocean-friendly biogenic sunscreen ingredient combinations for sunscreen products.

Apt. Jeanetha Inees M, S. Farm., MBA, of PT Mandom Indonesia Tbk, presented the emerging trends in sensitive skincare, ranging from microbiome science to minimal-ingredient formulations. As Senior Section Head of Brand and Product Development for Skin Care Premium at Mandom, Ms. Inees brings deep expertise in this field, offering insights for companies seeking new solutions in gentle innovation that prioritize protection, repair, and care.

With SMEs in mind, founder and CEO of PT SanGreat Natural Indonesia, Fifin Nashirotun Nisya, SP, MSi, focused her presentation on how smaller companies can produce their own natural products even with limited resources. Ms. Nisya identified the obstacles in developing niche natural products in today’s highly competitive market, and presented the strategies to overcome these barriers to success. She also highlighted strategic sourcing which she describes as combining local diversity with globally validated actives.

Reiner Rogate Sinaga, Group Head of Commercial at PT Orson Indonesia, a manufacturer and trader of personal care products, also shared his expertise on bar soap manufacturing for private labels. Mr. Sinaga said that the bar soap market is moving away from basic, low-margin products, and moving into natural, functional, and premium formulas. A commercial strategist widely experienced in the personal care industry and a keen understanding of consumer behavior and new markets, he talked about the trending ingredients for soap formulas and packaging.

Mr. Toto Waluyadi of SGS Indonesia and Dr. Lily Jiang, PhD of SGS Global spoke on cosmetics regulations & claims substantiation, specifically the new BPOM regulation on cosmetics in Indonesia, the regulatory requirements for cosmetics in the global market, and presented case studies on claim substantiation. SGS’s message is that brands that integrate validated testing, robust documentation, and transparent claims substantiation into product development will not only reduce regulatory risk but also gain competitive advantage through consumer trust.

Mr. Waluyadi is Laboratory Manager of Cosmetics & Personal Care, SGS Indonesia. He also manages the Indonesia Food and Cosmetic Laboratory and is responsible for establishing quality standard performance and maintaining daily laboratory operation. Since 2023 he has been part of technical committees under BSN (Indonesia National Standardization Body) responsible for formulating and developing of Indonesia National Standard (SNI) of Cosmetics & Household Products.

Dr. Jiang is the Global Head of Cosmetics & Personal Care business unit at SGS. Since 2012 she has been involved in clinical research of cosmetics and dermatology field and her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at society and international conferences.

In addition to the content-rich expert presentations, the conference was capped off with a factory visit to PT Prioritas Wellness Indonesia/PT Prioritas Jaya Indonesia in Tangerang, offering select participants with knowledge about their products and manufacturing capability. PT Prioritas Wellness Indonesia specializes in cosmetic formula research and raw material trading; R&D and transformation of core technologies for functional cosmetics, and provides full-cycle R&D solutions from laboratory formulas to industrial applications.  PT Prioritas Jaya Indonesia is focused on the manufacture and distribution of cosmetics for domestic and international markets, and aims to modernize the local cosmetic industry through innovation and certification.

Ringier Events organizers reported positive feedback from delegates, from the quality of content to their experience in networking and engagements.