CARE Studio APAC opens its doors in Penang
14. September 2026
CARE Studio APAC opens its doors in Penang
A new space for ideas, formulation and collaboration: On September 4, 2026, more than 60 guests from across Asia joined us at the IOI Esterchem manufacturing site in Penang, Malaysia, to celebrate the official opening of CARE Studio APAC.
Following the opening ceremony, guests joined members of IOI Oleo’s Personal Care team, including Head of Business Development Aurélien Tahon and Business Director Julien Janson, on a journey from emerging consumer needs and beauty trends to formulation and production.
“The opening of our second CARE Studio marks an important milestone for our Personal Care business and further strengthens the collaboration between our teams in Germany and Malaysia.”
Thomas Kummer, CEO, IOI Oleo GmbH
Bringing CARE Studio expertise closer to APAC
With the opening in Penang, the CARE Studio concept now has a second home alongside Hamburg, where IOI Oleo has been operating a cosmetic application center since 2018.
Building on the success of the first CARE Studio, the new center brings our formulation expertise closer to customers across APAC.
From consumer insight to formulation
Yet where does a successful formulation begin? What will tomorrow’s consumers expect from personal care products? And how can emerging trends be translated into formulations that deliver not only performance, but also a distinctive sensory experience?
During the inauguration, guests explored developments currently shaping the beauty market. One key takeaway: consumers increasingly expect products to combine long-term benefits with an immediate feel-good experience. Texture, touch and after-feel therefore become an integral part of the product experience.
Kane Zhong, Sales Manager Personal Care East Asia, and JouWen Lee, Sales Manager Personal Care Asia Pacific, brought this idea to life with a hands-on training session. Using selected IOI Oleo emollients, guests learned how the CARE Studio Sensory Method translates subjective sensations into objective criteria such as diffusion and gliding, thus providing a systematic way to describe and compare how formulations feel on the skin.
At CARE Studio APAC, these insights can be taken one step further – into the lab.
Hands on: creating the Blooming Oil Cleanser
One of the highlights of the day was a hands-on session in the new application laboratory. Together with Pei Feng Chue, Formulator Personal Care at CARE Studio APAC, guests created the Blooming Oil Cleanser and experienced how ingredients, formulation know-how and sensory properties come together.
Want to take a closer look? Explore the Blooming Oil Cleanser, including the full formulation, in our Formulation Finder.
From the lab to production
But the journey did not stop at formulation. During a tour of the IOI Esterchem facility, guests gained a behind-the-scenes look at manufacturing capabilities, operational excellence and quality – completing the path from consumer trends and product concepts to production.
A new place to create together
The inauguration marked the beginning of a new chapter for CARE Studios by IOI Oleo – and a new opportunity for collaboration.
It provides a space where our teams and customers can explore ideas, test concepts and translate emerging market needs into personal care solutions.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in Penang and helped make the opening of CARE Studio APAC such a special occasion – and to the entire team who turned the idea into reality. We look forward to welcoming many more customers and partners to our new CARE Studio APAC.
Perrine Allouche
Perrine Allouche is the Technical Marketing Manager Personal Care at IOI Oleo GmbH. She has been working around cosmetics for more than 10 years: as a beautician and sales advisor first, then as a formulator after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Cosmetic Chemistry (France). Before joining IOI Oleo, she was working as a R&D Project Manager in Canada where she has led the development of many personal care products (skin care, sun care, color care). She loves exploring her artistic creativity through painting, crocheting, digital drawing… and reading as many books as she can!
