Suppliers Day in New York: Meeting Old Friends and New Partners

Supplier’s Day was more than an exhibition, it was an opportunity to share knowledge, build relationships, and showcase how science can inspire curiosity while driving meaningful innovation in personal care.

By Dr Jessica Turner

Suppliers’ Day 2026 was held at the Javits Convention Center in New York City on May 19th and 20th. Hosted by the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists (NYSCC). Representing TRI and working the booth this year were Dr. Samuel Gourion-Arsiquaud, Dr. Jessica Cardenas Turner, Ayinoluwa Abegunde, Kaitlyn Hogate, Marquita Braxton, Jacqueline Francis, Katelyn Hodges, Dr. Alexa Wong, and our talented interns Racquel Scott, Srija Pinninti, and Alia Beseiso. Together, the team brought high energy, expertise, and enthusiasm to every interaction throughout the event.

One of the highlights at the TRI booth was our interactive “How’s Your Hair Health?” activity. Using our portable FT-IR system, participants had the opportunity to measure cysteic acid levels in their hair, a marker of oxidative damage. This experience gave visitors a firsthand look at their own hair's FT-IR spectrum, while learning how spectroscopy serves as a powerful tool for claims substantiation in both hair and skin personal care products. Participants then posted their cysteic acid-to-protein ratio on our interactive board, placing their results along a spectrum with range “no damage” to “damaged”, and comparing scores with fellow attendees.

What started as a scientific demonstration quickly evolved into a friendly competition. For most of the event, Bradley held the coveted lowest score, the score to beat! But in true Supplier’s Day fashion, the competition stayed lively until the very end, when Joshua claimed the lead just a few hours before the show concluded. It was fantastic to see groups of colleagues excited for who had the lowest value (i.e. their hair had the least oxidative damage) and snapping photos with their score on the board.

Beyond the activity itself, existing clients stopped by to connect and catch up with our scientists, while prospective clients visited with thoughtful questions and an interest in establishing new collaborations. In addition, we were pleased to see young scientists stop by who were eager to learn. Several students enquired about internship opportunities at TRI, showing a clear fascination in the science and innovation happening at TRI.

We’ll be back next year!