The Federation Council discussed the beauty industry's place in the creative economy, as well as its role in promoting national identity and fostering innovation. Senator Elena Dyagileva from the Murmansk Region moderated the discussion.

According to the senator, the creative economy allows for export diversification and the revitalization of regions. Moreover, 80% of the sector is represented by small and medium-sized businesses, making it crucial to identify promising areas for further development.

"The picture is similar in the beauty industry. The overwhelming majority of those employed in the sector are small and medium-sized businesses. Moreover, if we consider the production of cosmetics and perfumes, we are talking not only about technological processes and the economic system, but also about the creative component. According to surveys, more than a third of consumers choose domestic brands based on the uniqueness of their formulas, and a quarter rely on the brand's history and visual identity," explained Elena Dyagileva.

The senator emphasized that this confirms the role of cosmetics and perfumes in shaping and exporting Russia's cultural identity in both domestic and international markets. She emphasized that the formulations, ingredients, and visual appearance of domestic products increasingly reflect the country's cultural, historical, and regional characteristics, making them a driver for promoting traditional values, identity, and territories, as well as a potential tool for enhancing the region's tourism appeal.

"I'll give the example of my native Murmansk Region, where the Northern Design Cluster is operating, and cosmetics production has been included in its focus areas since 2025. The region produces products containing seaweed, Arctic chaga, fireweed, blueberries, lingonberries, and other natural gifts from the Arctic. Employees from the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences are involved in formula development, and a local brand's own organic farm has even opened in Kandalaksha," Elena Dyagileva shared.

The senator emphasized the importance of continually improving programs to support entrepreneurs. According to her, the course taken by the Murmansk Region government team, led by Governor Andrei Chibis, is maintaining a favorable business climate in the region despite the challenges.

"In his recent speech to the Federation Council, Andrei Vladimirovich clearly outlined the role of small and medium-sized businesses in the sustainable development of the Arctic. The Far North is a region where all business processes are accompanied by objectively higher costs, but the comfort of residents directly depends on the quantity and quality of entrepreneurial initiatives," said Elena Dyagileva.

Addressing the discussion participants, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Inna Svyatenko also emphasized the importance of promoting national identity through the development of the domestic beauty industry. She recalled that at a meeting with members of the Council of Legislators in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of developing creative industries and the need to continue to establish a legal foundation for advanced technological leadership and integrated regional development.

"We need to support domestic producers. The stronger a domestic brand is, the more confident it feels both in the domestic market and beyond," the Deputy Speaker emphasized.
During the discussion, the roundtable participants raised the readiness of domestic manufacturers to embrace the innovative approaches of formulators and brand owners, the need for scientific research for industry development, the results of federal programs, and the need to improve the legislative framework regulating the production of cosmetics and perfumes.

The discussion was also attended by Denis Kravchenko, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, Russian senators, representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology, the Russian Export Center, and expert, scientific, and industry communities.

/Ministry of Information Policy of the Murmansk Region/

Photo: Federation Council Press Service