FEATURING PROFESSIONAL INDIE BEAUTY BRANDS

Las Vegas, NV (March 26, 2013) – The professional distribution channel focusing on the salon sector is once again showing signs of growth. According to PBA, the professional haircare industry shipments in 2012 grew by 2.2% (through June 2012). Opportunities are ripe for innovative brands to develop distribution and make a dent in the marketplace. This panel will feature key decision makers from independent professional salon brands who will share insights on how they were able to build their distribution platforms and how they compete in the marketplace with large multi-national brands with large advertising and promotional arsenals. How will the professional market place compete and ultimately survive?

The PBA CEO Round Table will be held at Cosmoprof North America on Sunday, July 14th from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Moderated by John Heffner, President and General Manager of OPI Cosmetics, Heffner brings his expertise and insight as the former President and CEO of Creative Nail Design and 2010 CPNA round table panelist.

John Maly | Mirabella Beauty | Founder – After graduating from Indiana University, John Maly worked for Deloitte Touche in Chicago. He then started his own consulting business for salons before his family asked him to go West to run its newly acquired distributorship. John was the President of Maly's - West, building this distributorship from $2 MM to $200 MM until 2007 when they sold to L'Oreal. Since that time, John has been running Mirabella - Mineral Makeup with Personality, currently distributed in more than 1500 doors (salons) throughout the US and 8 countries.

Steve Goddard | Pravana International | Founder – Steve Goddard is a 30-year veteran of the beauty industry. He's held executive positions with Redken, Wella, Sebastian, Rusk, and Revlon. With an impressive resume, he's returned to his creative marketing roots to launch Pravana, a company dedicated to the development of Naturceutical hair care and color products for professional salons and spas, currently distributed in more than 30,000 salons across the U.S. and 16 countries.

Jeff Orrell | Neuma Beauty | Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing - For over 25 years, Jeffery Orrell has established a proven record of success within the professional beauty industry. After beginning his career in 1988, Orrell quickly developed a reputation for improving the retail business of the salons he serviced. Throughout his years of professional experience, Orrell worked as a Distributor Account Executive for AVEDA before co-founding and being named Vice President of Pureology until its sale to L'Oreal. Now he helms Neuma Beauty, a high performing and professional lifestyle hair care line currently distributed in 2000 salons and spas across the country.

For images of conference presenters, please contact Blaire Ritter at britter@ypublicrelations.com.

Cosmoprof North America will take place July 14 - 16, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Stay tuned for regular CPNA show updates, and for more information, visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com and Facebook.com/cosmoprofnorthamerica.

Organizer: Cosmoprof North America is organized by North American BeautyEvents LLC a joint-venture company between BolognaFiere Group and the Professional Beauty Association

BolognaFiere Group, the world's leading trade show organizer in the cosmetics, fashion, architecture, building, art and culture sectors, features in its portfolio more than 80 exhibitions, both domestic and international. SoGeCos Sp.A., a company of BolognaFiere Group, is the organizer of Cosmoprof, an international platform, with events in Bologna (established 1967), Hong Kong (established 1996) and Las Vegas (established 2003).

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) advances the professional beauty industry by providing our members with education, charitable outreach, government advocacy, events and more. PBA is the largest organization of industry professionals with members representing salons and spas, distributors, manufacturers and beauty professionals/NCA. Visit probeauty.org or call 800.468.2274 (480.281.0424) to learn more.

SPA PROFESSIONALS STRESS IMPORTANCE OF SYNERGY AND DISTRIBUTION

Las Vegas, NV (March 22, 2013) – The spa market continues to experience sluggish growth, but with over 19,000 spas in the U.S., there is potential for companies to create a presence in this important segment. In an effort to help companies create their presence, Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) is proud to present the Spa Sector – How to Build Synergies & Grow Spa Distribution session as part of this year's educational panel lineup. This panel will focus on how various players in the spa marketplace can work together to build a significant presence in this channel. Spa and skin care experts will discuss ways they have successfully helped one another and other small companies grow to relevant volume. The panelists will represent a large spa chain, the leading distributor to spas, and one of the leading spa and salon product brands.

The Spa Sector – How to Build Synergies & Grow Spa Distribution session will be held on Monday, July 15th from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and will be moderated by Ada Polla, President and CEO of Alchimie Forever. Polla will be joined by Ryan Crabbe, Senior Director of Spa Operations and Development of Hilton Worldwide; Teddy Lester, Vice President of Sales of Universal Companies; and Tracey Sameyah, General Manager of Dermalogica.

SPEAKERS:
Ryan Crabbe | Senior Director of Spa Operations and Development | Hilton Worldwide – Ryan has been an active leader in the luxury hospitality and spa industry since he attended college at the University of Virginia, in 1997. Prior to joining Hilton in September 2009, he founded the consulting firm Interim Spa Solutions to offer transitional management services to luxury hotels. He has also opened and directed numerous spas for both Wynn Resorts and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He currently launches and oversees the performance of spas for Waldorf-Astoria, Conrad, Hilton, Hilton Grand Vacations and Embassy Suites brands in the Americas.

Teddy Lester | Vice President of Sales | Universal Companies – After earning degrees in Environmental Studies and Geography from Emory and Henry College in Virginia, Lester worked for six years as a pharmaceutical sales specialist and trainer. In 2006, he joined Universal Companies as an outside sales representative for the School Partnership Program. As the current VP of Sales, Lester focuses on building long lasting relationships with clients and is dedicated to helping his sales team provide excellent sales and customer service. He is also committed to working with Universal Companies' education team to develop a best in class educational outreach program for customers.

Tracey Sameyah | General Manager | Dermalogica – After earning her cosmetology license in the UK and U.S., Sameyah moved to Los Angles in the early 1990s and specialized in professional skin care and the potential growth of the skin care market as both service and retail segments. Over the next twenty years, she held senior management positions with the prestigious YonKa and Murad skin care brands. In 2012, Sameyah joined the Dermalogica team as with the goal of continuing to expand Dermalogica's #1 leading skin care brand.

MODERATOR:
Ada Polla | President, CEO | Alchimie Forever – In 2004, Ada Polla launched her family's skincare line in the U.S. Today, the brand boasts global visibility and distribution while yielding double-digit annual growth. Polla is also involved in several ventures such as the Washington Spa Alliance and Fashion Group International, where she serves on the board as founding member and treasurer, respectively. In addition, she operates on the editorial board of GCI Magazine. Polla holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and art history from Harvard University and an MBA from Georgetown University.

The session is open to PBA and non-PBA members. PBA members can register for $30 prior to June 14, 2013 ($40 after this date), while non-members can register for $40, and respectively $50.

For images of conference presenters, please contact Blaire Ritter at britter@ypublicrelations.com.

Cosmoprof North America will take place July 14 - 16, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Stay tuned for regular CPNA show updates, and for more information, visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com and Facebook.com/cosmoprofnorthamerica.

Organizer: Cosmoprof North America is organized by North American BeautyEvents LLC a joint-venture company between BolognaFiere Group and the Professional Beauty Association

BolognaFiere Group, the world's leading trade show organizer in the cosmetics, fashion, architecture, building, art and culture sectors, features in its portfolio more than 80 exhibitions, both domestic and international. SoGeCos Sp.A., a company of BolognaFiere Group, is the organizer of Cosmoprof, an international platform, with events in Bologna (established 1967), Hong Kong (established 1996) and Las Vegas (established 2003).

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) advances the professional beauty industry by providing our members with education, charitable outreach, government advocacy, events and more. PBA is the largest organization of industry professionals with members representing salons and spas, distributors, manufacturers and beauty professionals/NCA. Visit probeauty.org or call 800.468.2274 (480.281.0424) to learn more.

COSMOPROF NORTH AMERICA HOSTS ANOTHER EDUCATION TOUR

Las Vegas, NV (March 19, 2013) – To use a simple analogy, fitting into a company's corporate culture is like buying a new pair of shoes. Shoes should provide comfort, match personal style, and last long enough to get a person where he wants to go. Zappos is known internationally for their corporate culture, which is now being adopted by many large companies who realize the importance of incorporating this dynamic setting. Many industry executives, including beauty CEOs, take the tour in Las Vegas to see what makes this winning formula of redefining the traditional work-place atmosphere so successful. Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) presents the Zappos Corporate Culture Tour - Tuesday, July 16th from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Take a walk in a Zapponian's footsteps and see the culture first-hand. You will be guided on a 60-minute tour of the Zappos Headquarters and be introduced to many different departments, including their call center.

After the tour, Noelle Raezer, Senior Director of Merchandising at Folica.com (online retailer specializing in the hair category), will host a 15-minute Q & A session about their corporate culture. What can you do to make your business environment more appealing and productive? These and many more topics will be covered as part of a Q&A session after the tour.

Zappos Corporate Culture Tour
Date: Tuesday, July 16th
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Cost: PBA members - $125 / Non-members $150
(Bus transportation will be provided, located at the Mandalay Bay Tour & Travel Lobby at lower level)

Organizer: Cosmoprof North America is organized by North American BeautyEvents LLC a joint-venture company between BolognaFiere Group and the Professional Beauty Association

BolognaFiere Group, the world's leading trade show organizer in the cosmetics, fashion, architecture, building, art and culture sectors, features in its portfolio more than 80 exhibitions, both domestic and international. SoGeCos Sp.A., a company of BolognaFiere Group, is the organizer of Cosmoprof, an international platform, with events in Bologna (established 1967), Hong Kong (established 1996) and Las Vegas (established 2003).

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) advances the professional beauty industry by providing our members with education, charitable outreach, government advocacy, events and more. PBA is the largest organization of industry professionals with members representing salons and spas, distributors, manufacturers and beauty professionals/NCA. Visit probeauty.org or call 800.468.2274 (480.281.0424) to learn more.

NEW ONSITE SAMPLING CONCEPT SHOWCASES FEATURED EXHIBITORS

Las Vegas, NV (March 12, 2013) – Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) announces BEAUTIQUE, an exciting new sampling concept that will be unveiled at the show this July. Curated boxes featuring sample-sized beauty products delivered monthly to subscribers is one of today's hottest trends with many online retailers offering variations on this concept. Cosmoprof North America is the first trade exhibition to bring customized sampling to show attendees.

All attendees are invited to visit the one-stop beauty shop, BEAUTIQUE, for deluxe-sized samples, including the latest in up-and-coming cosmetics, skin care, nails, hair...and some classic beauty favorites. Attendees will be able to hand-pick seven deluxe samples from 20 featured exhibiting brands for a nominal fee of $10. All proceeds collected will benefit CITY OF HOPE, a leading research, treatment and education center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

The beauty sampling shop will be located on the main show floor and will be open throughout the entire show. Exhibitors participating in this program will benefit from enhanced visibility on the show floor as well as the opportunity to get their products in the hands of many buyers who they may not necessarily get the opportunity to meet with otherwise.

The list of participating brands will be announced in May. HCT Packaging, the official sponsor of BEAUTIQUE, will produce the exclusively customized box to hold all the beauty products.

Cosmoprof North America will take place July 14 - 16, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Stay tuned for regular CPNA show updates, and for more information, visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com and Facebook.com/cosmoprofnorthamerica.

Organizer: Cosmoprof North America is organized by North American BeautyEvents LLC a joint-venture company between BolognaFiere Group and the Professional Beauty Association

BolognaFiere Group, the world's leading trade show organizer in the cosmetics, fashion, architecture, building, art and culture sectors, features in its portfolio more than 80 exhibitions, both domestic and international. SoGeCos Sp.A., a company of BolognaFiere Group, is the organizer of Cosmoprof, an international platform, with events in Bologna (established 1967), Hong Kong (established 1996) and Las Vegas (established 2003).

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) advances the professional beauty industry by providing our members with education, charitable outreach, government advocacy, events and more. PBA is the largest organization of industry professionals with members representing salons and spas, distributors, manufacturers and beauty professionals/NCA. Visit probeauty.org or call 800.468.2274 (480.281.0424) to learn more.

ANNOUNCING THE INITIAL LINEUP FOR THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM

Las Vegas, NV (March 5, 2013) – The Discover Beauty program, an exclusive initiative of Cosmoprof North America (CPNA), returns for its seventh successful year of matching leading retailers with emerging beauty brands in 2013. Companies from all over the world must be approved to participate in Discover Beauty, ensuring an exclusive array of unique, cutting-edge brands that are sure to be the "next big thing." For these brands, CPNA show organizers arrange pre-scheduled sales meetings and events with important retailers, however, the area is open to all attendees throughout the 3-day event. CPNA is proud to announce the initial Discover Beauty line-up for 2013: African Botanics, Greenland, Jenetiqa, Manuka Doctor, Marilou Bio, MDSolarSciences, Million Dollar Hair, Mirabella, Skin&Co Roma and VitaMan.

The Discover Beauty program is a high-end, curated section centrally located on the show floor combining the best of both worlds: a one-on-one customized buyer program complete with pre-arranged face-to-face meetings to take place in private meeting room spaces as well as a traditional exhibition presentation. This allows the brands to enjoy the exposure to all attendees at the show, but it also guarantees the face-to-face time with select specialty retail buyers to secure placement into key accounts.

All Discover Beauty brands are automatically enrolled for the 2013 Discover Beauty Award. This award is given to one brand, which is recognized for its creativity in concept, packaging and overall ability to succeed in this competitive retail market. The winner is selected by industry leaders, beauty editors and participating retailers. The Discover Beauty Award winner will be announced on the evening of Sunday, July 14, 2013, as part of a private reception.

Below is the initial list of the 2013 Discover Beauty exhibiting companies:

AFRICAN BOTANICS – SOUTH AFRICA
African Botanics is a luxury beauty brand; the first to offer a curated collection of pure, powerful indigenous South African botanicals merged with fair trade and wild-harvested Marula oil. Their Marula collection is a modern day skin care miracle with potent anti-antioxidants, omegas, nutrients and the brilliant benefits of therapeutic essential oils that are perfectly hand crafted to transfuse the true essence of Africa's nature. africanbotanics.com

GREENLAND – NETHERLANDS
Greenland, a natural and organic bath and body brand, uses the utmost care when developing its products. The fruit extracts, essential oils, milkies and natural butters in combination with the stunning packaging and design make greenland products not only great for your skin, but also for your senses. Greenland treats your senses, naturally. greenland.nl

JENETIQA – CANADA
Jenetiqa invites you to discover their scientifically innovative luxury skin care line based on the science of Ubiquinol. Ubiquinol is a recently discovered, patented and highly bio-available antioxidant that fights free radicals at the source and greatly enhances cellular energy and cellular turnover. jenetiqa.com

MANUKA DOCTOR – NEW ZEALAND
Manuka Doctor is an independent brand from New Zealand that has developed a range of groundbreaking formulations based on two key ingredients; Certified Manuka Honey, known for healing & moisturizing & the brands' own patented Purified Bee Venom: refined, concentrated and 100% bee-friendly, that nurtures cell regeneration and encourages collagen production. The brand has earned cult status in the UK anti blemish and anti-aging skincare category, earning the title 'nature's answer to botox'. manukadr.com

MARILOU BIO – FRANCE
MARILOU BIO believes in making certified organic cosmetics affordable to all women who want to pamper themselves while being ecofriendly. Their goal is to introduce their customers to ecological and cleaner products that benefit the environment. mariloubio.com

MDSOLARSCIENCES – U.S.
Everyone knows the sun is the skin's number-one enemy, but most of us still skip sunscreen, finding what's available to be heavy, pore clogging, and filled with irritants. Faced with this knowledge, dermatologic oncologist Dr. Robert J. Friedman, a Clinical Professor at the NYU School of Medicine, with a commitment to advance the science of photo (sun)-protection and skin cancer prevention, founded and created MDSolarSciences™. mdsolarsciences.com

MILLION DOLLAR HAIR – NORWAY
Million Dollar Hair belives that it is important to use natural ingredients in their products because research has proven that natural ingredients provide the best results for hair and skin care. Million Dollar Hair products have healing properties that will help your hair in a natural way. Without harsh man-made chemicals. milliondollarhair.com

MIRABELLA BEAUTY – U.S.
Mirabella is makeup with personality. Clean cosmetics in fashion-forward colors which create beautiful looks for whatever your day may bring. Vitamin-enriched long-lasting formulas moisturize and condition, while providing antioxidant protection and anti-aging properties.These mineral-based products are Paraben-free, Talc-free, Lead-free, Gluten-free, FD&C/D&C Dye-free. mirabellabeauty.com

SKIN&CO ROMA - ITALY
In 1953, Giuseppina Balestra got the idea of bringing botanical oils based on her old traditional recipes into her skincare line. Science has now shown that the fresh ingredients in these oils, such as Truffle and Argan contain extremely beneficial compounds in their natural form and are now scientifically proven to have great anti-aging benefits. skinandcoroma.com

VITAMAN NATURAL GROOMING FOR MEN – AUSTRALIA
Born from the harshness of the Australian environment, nature is at the very core of the VitaMan Brand. The first skincare company to introduce the therapeutic properties of unique native Australian botanicals, VitaMan has created a natural, high performance line that is results driven, free of harmful synthetic chemicals, artificial fragrances and colours. vitaman.com.au

Cosmoprof North America will take place July 14 - 16, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Stay tuned for regular CPNA show updates, and for more information, visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com and Facebook.com/cosmoprofnorthamerica.

Organizer: Cosmoprof North America is organized by North American BeautyEvents LLC a joint-venture company between BolognaFiere Group and the Professional Beauty Association

BolognaFiere Group, the world's leading trade show organizer in the cosmetics, fashion, architecture, building, art and culture sectors, features in its portfolio more than 80 exhibitions, both domestic and international. SoGeCos Sp.A., a company of BolognaFiere Group, is the organizer of Cosmoprof, an international platform, with events in Bologna (established 1967), Hong Kong (established 1996) and Las Vegas (established 2003).

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) advances the professional beauty industry by providing our members with education, charitable outreach, government advocacy, events and more. PBA is the largest organization of industry professionals with members representing salons and spas, distributors, manufacturers and beauty professionals/NCA. Visit probeauty.org or call 800.468.2274 (480.281.0424) to learn more.

REINVENTING PAST BEAUTY HITS INTO TOMORROW'S NEW TRENDS

Las Vegas, NV (February 12, 2013) – The beauty and fashion industry is forever changing and forever reinventing itself. We all have said at one point or another when seeing a new product, "Oh, I remember I used to have a product like this a few years ago!" Predicting trends may not be easy, but it is important to look back at the past to see what inspires reinvention of older concepts or ingredients, for example today's bb creams, mineral makeup and the nail art craze. While reinvention is based on updating beloved product concepts, one factor to consider when developing new beauty products (or a new brand) is the shift in the cultural and economic climate. What will the face of the future consumer look like, and what are their expectations in terms of beauty product performance and presentation?

Moderated by Jeff Falk, Editor-In-Chief of GCI Magazine, the "The Business of Change: Reinventing Past Beauty Hits Into Tomorrow's Trends" session will be held at Cosmoprof North America on Sunday, July 14, 2013 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Ben Bennett | HATCHBEAUTY | Founder and Creative Director – Ben Bennett is recognized throughout the beauty industry for his ability to anticipate and set trends. Bennett will present part of his 2013-2014 highly sought after trend report focusing on the influence of technology on today's younger consumers. The reinvention of classic product concepts, forgotten delivery mechanisms and iconic brands in the health and beauty space has been heavily influenced by social media and new technology, introducing the "old" to a new generation.

Ron Robinson | BeautyStat.com | Founder – Ron Robinson is the founder and CEO of BeautyStat.com, an online beauty community and social media agency that reaches more than 20 million consumers. He is a veteran product development executive who has worked for such leading beauty companies such as Estée Lauder, Clinique, L'Oreal, Avon and Revlon. At BeautyStat.com, Robinson works with beauty brands and agencies to help them reach influential beauty consumers. Using his insights and experience he will present new product development trends from an ingredient, delivery and claims perspective.

Jonathan Ford | Pearlfisher | Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer - Twenty years ago, Jonathan Ford co-founded Pearlfisher, one of today's world class brand design agencies with studios in New York and London. Pearlfisher creates award winning and agenda setting design for iconic brands like Starbucks, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Absolut, as well as creating some of the most exciting challenger brands of the future, including nude skincare, Help Remedies and Green & Black's. Ford will present "The Future of the Beauty Consumer" discussing macro-trends on how the beauty consumer is evolving and what the definition of beauty will be in the future. He will also explore how these shifts will impact product categories and consumption patterns.

For images of conference presenters, please contact Blaire Ritter at britter@ypublicrelations.com.

Cosmoprof North America will take place July 14 - 16, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Stay tuned for regular CPNA show updates, and for more information, visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com and Facebook.com/cosmoprofnorthamerica.

Organizer: Cosmoprof North America is organized by North American BeautyEvents LLC a joint-venture company between BolognaFiere Group and the Professional Beauty Association

BolognaFiere Group, the world's leading trade show organizer in the cosmetics, fashion, architecture, building, art and culture sectors, features in its portfolio more than 80 exhibitions, both domestic and international. SoGeCos Sp.A., a company of BolognaFiere Group, is the organizer of Cosmoprof, an international platform, with events in Bologna (established 1967), Hong Kong (established 1996) and Las Vegas (established 2003).

The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) advances the professional beauty industry by providing our members with education, charitable outreach, government advocacy, events and more. PBA is the largest organization of industry professionals with members representing salons and spas, distributors, manufacturers and beauty professionals/NCA. Visit probeauty.org or call 800.468.2274 (480.281.0424) to learn more.

Las Vegas, NV (November 6, 2012) – Trade Show News Network (TSNN) celebrated excellence in the trade show industry this weekend November 2 – 4, 2012, in Louisville, Kentucky. The third annual event awarded success in many categories, including Fastest-Growing Show and Fastest-Growing Attendance, as well as the "Best of Show" Award. Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) was named one of top 25 Fastest-Growing Trade Shows in Net Square Footage Growth in the U.S.

"It is an honor to be recognized for our team's combined hard work and dedication further distinguishing our event as one of the best trade shows within the beauty industry," says Daniela Ciocan, Director of Marketing for Cosmoprof North America who accepted the award on behalf of the team. "It was such an honor to stand amongst peers from the trade show business all recognized for their excellence and achievements. "This award motivates us to take our show to a higher level and continue to bring novelties and new ideas to fascinate and engage our audience made up of beauty professionals."

The awards were created to celebrate the excellence, innovation and achievement that exist in trade show industry. Day after day, show organizers work to promote their events, launch new ones, and better serve their attendees and exhibitors by creating amazing marketplaces for commerce. Other prominent U.S. trade shows across many industries were also honored making this awards event the perfect venue where the best and the brightest in the business gathered to network, celebrate and communicate openly in the spirit of cooperation.

Cosmoprof North America will take place July 14 -16, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Stay tuned for regular CPNA show updates, and for more information, visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com and Facebook.com/cosmoprofnorthamerica.

Las Vegas, NV (July 25, 2012) – Celebrating 10 years in Las Vegas, Cosmoprof North America continues to exemplify the energy and creativity that drive the beauty industry. This year's show boasted the highest attendance and participation, which proves that the beauty industry is resilient and poised for expansion in the upcoming year. Cosmoprof North America prides itself on uniting attendees and exhibitors, acting as the ultimate platform for networking, sharing new and upcoming products and cultivating new business relationships. Encompassing all sectors of the industry under one venue, Cosmoprof North America remains the single most important forum for the beauty industry in the United States.

The event, which was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from July 22 – 24, featured 856 exhibiting companies to a sold out show floor along with over 25,000 attendees representing a 9% increase to the year before that included importers, distributors, manufactures, and global beauty leaders all under one roof. As in past years, CPNA attracted many new and innovative brands in addition to industry leaders such as AHAVA, CONAIR, CND, Essie / L'Oreal Professional, Moroccan Oil, OPI Nail, Orly, RUSK, Schwarzkopf, and Zotos International.

The International Buyer Program, sponsored by UNIPRO, the Italian Association of Cosmetic Industries, once again united buyers and sellers around the world with the resources, contacts, and data to build business partnerships. Beauty and cosmetic companies showcased their products and were offered the opportunity to have pre-scheduled appointments with a group of selected importers and distributors. Overall 300 meetings were held between international buyers involving more than 150 exhibiting companies and 88 qualified international buyers. The international buyers were invited from Argentina, Canada, Chili, Honduras and Mexico; the US Commercial Service was also present at the event with buyers from Bulgaria, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Canada, Ecuador and New Zealand.

Through strong collaborations with countries seeking to expand their beauty trade presence, CPNA dedicated special sections on the show floor to distinct International Country Pavilions. Country Pavilions allow small and medium-sized companies from within select markets to participate in CPNA with the objective of obtaining direct "face time" with distributors and retailers to secure distribution in the U.S. Featured countries and regions at the 2012 show included Brazil, China, Columbia, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Discover Beauty, an exclusive initiative of CPNA, assists emerging brands in finding the appropriate retail market, while highlighting new trends. The one-on-one meetings with prominent retailers like BeautySage.com, C.O. Bigelow, Duane Reade, Henri Bendel, HSN, Nordstrom, Skins 6|2 and Zappos aim to give Discover Beauty brands critiques and feedback. The program returned this year with 15 brands competing for the prestigious Discover Beauty Award. With voting done by specialty retailers and editors from top beauty sites, these brands were judged on creativity, innovation and market readiness. The 2012 Discover Beauty Award winner is Layla Cosmetics from Italy, which was announced at the Discover Beauty party at MIX in THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. Fusing together the latest technology and Italian fashion influence, Layla Cosmetics has been creating trend setting and cutting edge nail products from Milan for over 70 years.

Earlier this year, CPNA unveiled its first-ever Discover Beauty partnership with BeautySage.com, the new e-commerce site founded by Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen. BeautySage.com will host an exclusive Discover Beauty pop-up store that will feature three Discover Beauty brands from this year's lineup. These brands, which were announced also announced at the Discover Beauty party include, Marula – The Leakey Collection, Recipe for men and Fairiche.

CPNA also introduced another new initiative this year as a part of the Discover Beauty program called, SPOTLIGHTS. This new exhibit space offered smaller companies that excel on creativity, but seek economic solutions, the opportunity to showcase their products at CPNA. With 19 brands in the program, SPOTLIGHTS featured small artisan labels that are a prime fit for high-end retail stores, boutiques, salons and spas, and was all abuzz with activity throughout the three days of the show.

Top trade publications from across the globe joined leading beauty industry professionals at the show to seek out the newest emerging trends. CPNA also saw a higher presence of online media with over 100 bloggers reporting live from the show. In addition, Beaut-E Zone, which featured editors from Bellasugar.com, DailyMakeover.com, TotalBeauty.com and YouBeauty.com / BeautySage.com was a huge success. These leading online beauty editors were able to meet with exhibitors in Discover Beauty and report trends they discovered and show happenings on their respective sites; combined they have a total reach of over 30+ million readers.

Prior to the show, CPNA announced that five talented students from the Penrose Academy in Scottsdale, AZ would participate in CPNA's second annual Trendscout program. While given unrestricted access to the show floor, the CPNA Trendscouts met with exhibitors to find new product launches and discover the latest trends. They reported their findings via Twitter and Facebook posts, which were displayed in real-time at the main entrance of the show floor, helping attendees identify the current trends at the show. CPNA will issue a Trend Report, which will be based on the scouts findings later this month.

Staying connected during the show was easier than ever this year. Attendees and exhibitors could "check in" via Foursquare and view show specials as well as download the new CPNA Smartphone App, which helped attendees find their favorite exhibitors and other companies. Guests could also scan the new CPNA QR Code that featured exclusive show promotions and tips from CPNA show organizers.

Every year CPNA brings industry leaders to the forefront to share innovative ideas and experiences that will help the beauty industry better understand the dynamics and market trends, current and future. Special education seminars were filled to capacity with more than 500 attendees in total. Business and industry leaders from multiple sectors of the industry participated in round-table discussions and panels to share their knowledge and insights.

CPNA Hosts PBA Beauty Week
In addition to all that CPNA offers, the event also hosts PBA Beauty Week from the Professional Beauty Association. PBA Beauty Week features the North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA), PBA Symposium, and BEACON. All three events featured a record number of attendees.

The NAHAs in particular, which are the professional hair care industry's single most important awards event of the year, were hosted by famed entertainment journalist and star of E! Network's E! News and Fashion Police, Giuliana Rancic. In addition to hosting the show, Rancic also received the Professional Beauty Association's Beautiful Humanitarian Award for her work with the charities Dress for Success, Bright Pink, Operation Smile, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls in Chicago, and the Children's Miracle Networks. This year's show was attended by a record number of more than 3,000 guests and was also seen worldwide via live online steaming broadcast by an additional 40,000. Dimitrios Tsioumas of the Mizu Salon in New York City took home NAHA's top prize, Hairstylist of the Year, as well as the Contemporary Classic honor. To see the winners, visit probeauty.org/naha.

Cosmoprof North America 2013 will take place July 14 – 16 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more information on exhibiting or attending, please visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com or call 800-557-3356.