This year’s congress adopted the theme ‘The Future is Science’—a reflection of the rapid pace of scientific advancement and the increasing demand from beauty consumers for proven efficacy.
CosmeticsDesign-Europe had a front-row seat at the event. Here, we round up the key takeaways to help you decode the future of cosmetic science…
1. Industry Cross-Fertilisation Drives Innovation, Inspiration & Creativity
Many of this year’s IFSCC keynote speakers were deliberately chosen from industries outside cosmetics.
“I really wanted something different,” explained Isabelle Castiel, President of IFSCC and Head of Scientific Communications at L’Oréal.
“I wanted inspirational people who could encourage the audience to think differently. I sought speakers who would bring fresh insights and inspire creativity and innovation.”
Keynotes were designed to be 40 minutes long and to challenge conventional thinking. Innovation, Castiel noted, is both incremental and fuelled by cross-fertilisation.
For example, Professor Paul Matts, former R&D VP at Procter & Gamble, discussed the essential role of cosmetics in skin health, particularly in resource-poor settings. He shared case studies from Ethiopia and Tanzania, where untreated skin diseases can escalate into more serious health issues.
Other keynote topics included ocean science, artificial intelligence, and space testing—demonstrating the breadth of expertise that can enrich the cosmetics sector.
To address suncare formulation, organisers invited dermatologist Dr Thierry [surname], who shared his perspective on the need for greater diversity in products for different skin tones. “It gives another angle; another view,” said Castiel.
2. In-Industry Co-Development and Collaboration Are Gaining Momentum
“People attend this congress to improve how they innovate and to generate new ideas in the lab,” said Castiel.
“Cosmetics shouldn’t operate in silos. Sometimes we use techniques that are too narrow, but true innovation comes from cross-fertilisation. Increasingly, scientific advances are the result of co-development,” she added, as evidenced by the many collaborative presentations.
Castiel described how, at L’Oréal, her team often collaborates with other businesses to develop new ingredients. For example, one company may have a promising ingredient but lack the expertise to assess its safety and efficacy. A notable example is a UV filter co-developed by L’Oréal R&I and BASF, which took 15 years to bring to market.
3. Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming R&D
AI is playing an ever-greater role in the R&D process, with numerous examples of ingredient suppliers using AI to discover new actives.
Belgium-based biotech start-up Kokuma, for instance, unveiled its new skin tone ingredient, Tonasulike-D, developed using advanced AI techniques.
4. Longevity science is key, with a focus on senescent cells
Chinese longevity professor Jing Qu delivered a keynote speech on ageing and senescence, revealing that her research suggests all organs in the body—including the skin—are interconnected.
She also shared that studies are underway exploring how to reverse ageing, and that scientific progress in this area is accelerating rapidly.
5. Microbiome science is rapidly advancing
Microbiologist Marc-André Selosse gave a keynote on the microbiome, highlighting how microbes are often perceived negatively, despite being a constant source of support in our lives. He noted that most research focuses on the intestinal microbiota, while the skin microbiota—equally protective for our health—is often overlooked.
Selosse described the skin microbiota as a “natural fur” that we fail to protect adequately, warning that excessive washing, bactericides, and aggressive physical treatments (such as peeling) can damage it.
“As Marc-André said, half of our cells are not human – we are walking colonies. We’re more like a planet, really,” said Castiel.
“There are many characterisation studies in microbiome science, but you don’t know what’s the chicken and what’s the egg,” Castiel added. “We need more direct relationship studies—asking, for example, ‘If I change this, what happens?’ But it’s so complex, it will take time. That said, we’ve seen a lot of new technology in the past year—omics tools that allow us to move faster.”
Castiel also highlighted the microbiome as a source of new ingredients. For instance, a plant can produce a specific bacterium that is sustainable and requires only water and sugar to grow.
“Some companies are already working on solvents—previously derived from petroleum—made from bacteria that only need water and CO₂ from the plant to produce a sustainable alternative.”
6. Space offers a new testing environment
A roundtable discussion explored the emerging reality of testing cosmetics in space—once the stuff of science fiction.
“We wanted to offer a new world people didn’t know about,” said Castiel. “It’s not Star Trek—it’s real, sustainable, and realistically priced. You can send machines equipped with devices that conduct automatic searches and gather insights you simply can’t obtain on Earth.”
Castiel explained that in space, physical and biological ageing occurs 20 times faster than on Earth—and it’s reversible. This accelerated ageing affects all organs, including the skin.
“We wanted to make sure people knew this option existed,” she said.
7. The ocean is a treasure trove for cosmetics innovation and sustainability
The ocean holds vast, untapped resources that could yield new, more sustainable ingredients.
One keynote speaker on this topic was Gilles Boeuf, a French biologist who formerly served as President of the National Museum of Natural History and was a professor at Pierre and Marie Curie University.
His presentation explored the ocean’s immense, unique, and threatened biodiversity, emphasising its interconnectedness, stability, and salinity. He also discussed the ocean’s vital role in climate regulation and the impact of rapid changes driven by human activity. The concept of One Health—the interdependence of human, animal, and ecosystem health—was also highlighted.
“I wanted to raise awareness about the ocean and its potential to drive innovation,” said Castiel. “There are so many species—90% of which we don’t yet understand—including yeasts, algae, and bacteria.”
“It’s a tremendous source of new ingredients, but studying the ocean also helps us understand life itself.”
Boeuf elaborated on how natural life once operated in synergy, governed by the laws of energy, and inherently sustainable.
“It was a way to show people that there are alternative approaches—perhaps more synergistic ones—that could help us develop more sustainably,” said Castiel. “The ocean is a major provider of insights—and let’s not forget, life begins with water. He said: study the ocean better, study evolution better.”
8. Insights from cosmetics companies can be just as valuable as scientific research
Anke Hadasch, Global VP of Colour Science at L’Oréal, presented an overview of global multicultural beauty studies on the face, lips, and hair—research that enables inclusive colour creation by design.
She also discussed cognitive colour studies that explore the emotional impact of lip colours, explaining how this research is enhancing lip colour formulation and personalisation.
“Colour is a major topic in the cosmetics industry, but it’s rarely addressed at conferences like this, where we tend to seek research from someone with a PhD,” said Castiel. “But I realised that the real expertise in this area lies within cosmetics companies, where specialists are working on formulations, emotions, perceptions, devices, and more. It’s a topic that hasn’t been explored before.”