Key takeaways
- Biotech and waterless technologies are driving innovation in sustainable makeup.
- Brands are replacing traditional pigments with bio-based and upcycled alternatives.
- Demand for ethical colour cosmetics is rising, driven by consumer awareness and regulation.
- Ingredient suppliers are developing biodegradable, high-performance solutions.
- Formulators face new challenges in balancing sustainability with texture and efficacy.
Biotech-powered ingredients are revolutionising makeup formulations by replacing traditional extraction methods with microbial synthesis. Waterless makeup products – such as powder foundations, solid blushes, and balm-based concealers – are gaining traction for their reduced environmental footprint, longer shelf life, and concentrated efficacy.
Makeup brands are increasingly using repurposed materials such as coffee grounds, fruit peels, juicing waste, and byproducts from the food and agriculture industries. This supports circular beauty and reduces reliance on virgin resources.
Biotech and waterless formulations reshape makeup innovation
The colour cosmetics industry, traditionally reliant on pigments and dyes to infuse products with colour, is now seeking alternatives due to the polluting nature of commercialised colourants. Brands and ingredient companies have been developing bio-based pigments as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional colourants. Common sources include beetroot extract for red tones, plant extracts from red, blue, and purple vegetables and flowers, and iron oxides used in mineral-based makeup.
Carmine, the bright pigment traditionally derived from crushed cochineal beetles, has also been the subject of sustainable innovation this year. In March, following four years of research and development, US-based biotech firm Debut launched a biotech version of carmine.
According to Debut’s founder Joshua Britton, this marks a significant scientific breakthrough in the animal-free biomanufacturing of carmine, involving the discovery of a new class of enzyme and the ability to scale production to pilot level. “Our bio-manufactured carmine is also devoid of a specific protein found in beetle-derived carmine that is known to cause skin irritation,” he explained.
Formulation challenges and sustainable breakthroughs
Monika Ruiz Golcher, senior technical specialist for beauty and personal care at Ingredients + Specialties, Univar Solutions, noted that demand for sustainable ingredients in colour cosmetics is higher than ever.
“We’ve seen a significant rise in demand for sustainable ingredients in colour cosmetics, largely driven by increasingly environmentally aware consumers,” she said. “Today’s beauty consumer is not only health-conscious but also environmentally engaged—actively educating themselves through podcasts, social media, apps, influencer platforms, and other digital channels.”
Indeed, data from Mintel’s Global New Products Database (January 2020–December 2024) shows that the percentage of colour cosmetics launches featuring ethical and environmental claims has surged from 26% in 2020 to 48% in 2024.
“This clearly reflects a strong industry shift towards sustainability in both product development and marketing,” Golcher said.
“Cosmetic raw material suppliers are rising to the challenge by offering solutions that prioritise environmental responsibility without sacrificing performance or sensorial quality,” she continued. “Today’s innovative, versatile, high-performing sustainable ingredients empower formulators to transition from synthetic to natural ingredients more seamlessly than ever before.”
Challenges of formulating sustainable makeup
Univar Solutions recently launched the Luxurious Second Skin Foundation as part of its Luxury Redefined kit, featuring a naturality level of 89.18%.
“One of the main formulation challenges with this innovation was stabilising a pigment-rich inverse emulsion while maintaining a weightless texture,” Golcher said.
“This was achieved through the combination of Olivem 2090 (Hallstar Beauty), a COSMOS-approved, high-performance W/O emulsifier and dispersing agent, and Olivem 900 (Hallstar Beauty), used as the W/O co-emulsifier. For the silky, luxurious sensory experience, we incorporated versatile COSMOS-approved emollients and pigment dispersants such as CocoaDesign L (Cargill Beauty), Sensolene Light ET (Hallstar Beauty), and Biochemica® Aloe Butter (Hallstar Beauty).”
Stringent EU cosmetics regulations
As regulations become increasingly stringent—particularly in the EU—more ingredient manufacturers are innovating in the sustainable space to deliver breakthrough solutions.
For example, chemical manufacturer and speciality materials company Eastman recently launched Esmeri CC1N10, a high-performance, readily biodegradable, and non-microplastic cellulose ester micropowder for colour cosmetics. The ingredient is sourced from sustainably managed forests and meets the stringent EU regulations on microplastics (Regulation EU 2023/2055).
According to Lauren Leonard, market development manager at Eastman Cosmetics, the growing demand is driven not only by consumer expectations but also by increasing regulatory pressure on the industry to develop safer, fully biodegradable cosmetic ingredients.
The company launched Esmeri CC1N10 to meet these evolving standards. The sustainable, biodegradable solution delivers a soft-focus optical effect, improved colour intensity and payoff, and uniform coverage and sensorial experience in products such as lipsticks, foundations, and pressed powders. The ingredient is highly compatible with lipophilic cosmetic formulations, making it a sustainable alternative to traditional microparticles.
Leonard said Eastman’s own consumer research confirms the need for more effective sustainable solutions. As part of this research, the company surveyed 4,000 women aged 16–70 across the US, United Kingdom, Brazil, France, and Germany to better understand consumer preferences for colour cosmetics.
“Fewer than half of those surveyed were satisfied with the long wear of today’s products, and many struggle with poor coverage and difficulty finding the right foundation colour,” she said. “Formulators are under pressure to create high-quality products that reduce the use of microplastics without compromising performance. Esmeri CC1N10 delivers on all fronts.”
While essential to the future of the industry, this kind of sustainable innovation is not straightforward. Eastman’s technology director Marty Boykin said the process to develop and bring Esmeri CC1N10 to market spanned three years and leveraged Eastman’s century-long expertise in cellulose ester technology.
The ingredient is sustainably sourced from 63% wood pulp and complies with the European Commission’s regulation on synthetic polymer microparticles and the European Union’s Zero Pollution Action Plan, which aims to reduce microplastics released into the environment by 30% by 2030. For Eastman, the biggest challenge was ensuring the product met both regulatory and performance demands.
“Our goal was to create non-microplastic micropowder ingredients for colour cosmetics that are readily biodegradable in freshwater—breaking down in as little as 28 days, a challenging target to meet—while still delivering the high performance consumers expect,” said Boykin.
“After extensive testing and development, we achieved both: Esmeri delivers soft-focus optical effects, enhanced colour intensity, uniform coverage and stability in colour cosmetic formulations, all while meeting stringent environmental standards.”