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Biomim’Index—A New Method Supporting Eco-Design of Cosmetic Products Through Biomimicry

Author

Listed:
  • Anneline Letard

    (Ceebios—Centre d’Expertise en Biomimétisme, 60300 Senlis, France)

  • Mylène Potrel

    (L’Oréal Research and Innovation, 93600 Aulnay-sous-Bois, France)

  • Eliot Graeff

    (Ceebios—Centre d’Expertise en Biomimétisme, 60300 Senlis, France)

  • Luce-Marie Petit

    (Ceebios—Centre d’Expertise en Biomimétisme, 60300 Senlis, France)

  • Adrien Saint-Sardos

    (Ceebios—Centre d’Expertise en Biomimétisme, 60300 Senlis, France)

  • Marie-Jocelyne Pygmalion

    (L’Oréal Research and Innovation, 93600 Aulnay-sous-Bois, France)

  • Jacques L’Haridon

    (L’Oréal Research and Innovation, 93600 Aulnay-sous-Bois, France)

  • Geoffroy Remaut

    (L’Oreal Research and Innovation, 94550 Chevilly-Larue, France)

  • Delphine Bouvier

    (L’Oréal Research and Innovation, 93600 Aulnay-sous-Bois, France)

Abstract

In the context of climate change, it becomes of utmost importance to limit the negative impact of industrial activities on carbon emissions, water stress, biodiversity loss, and natural resources depletion. Whether we consider the situation from a product-centered perspective (life cycle, R&D&I process, tools, methods, design, production, etc.) or from a human-centered perspective (habits, practices, fixation, strategic orientations, emotional sensitivity, etc.), coming years will represent a formidable upheaval for companies. To support this transition, various tools assessing products’ impact have been developed over the past decade. They aim at guiding decision makers, integrating new criteria to assess project success, and promoting the development and industrialization of solutions answering pressing environmental issues. If assessment is a key factor of success, it has become clear that processes and practices also need to evolve for practitioners to properly integrate sustainable requirements from the initial stages of their project. In that context, biomimicry, the approach aimed at taking nature as a model to support the design of more sustainable solutions, has been the center of growing interest. However, no integrated methods exist in the cosmetics sector to assess if a product is properly developed through biomimicry. This missing framework led to difficulties for cosmetic companies to support eco-design through biomimicry. In this article, we present a method called Biomim’Index developed by L’Oréal research and innovation sustainable development team to address three objectives: (i) to characterize cosmetic technologies according to whether they are based on bioinspiration, biomimetics or biomimicry; (ii) to guide the project’s leaders to identify key steps to improve existing cosmetic technologies through biomimicry; and (iii) to support the integration of biomimicry as an operational approach towards the development of new sustainable cosmetic technologies. This method, focusing on the problem-driven biomimetic approach is based on a combination of procedural requirements from the biomimetics TC288 18458:2015 ISO norm and environmental design requirements from L’Oréal for the Future (L4TF) commitments. Results present a proof of concept to outline the method’s efficiency and limits to support innovative eco-designed projects and value cosmetic technologies designed through biomimicry.

Suggested Citation

  • Anneline Letard & Mylène Potrel & Eliot Graeff & Luce-Marie Petit & Adrien Saint-Sardos & Marie-Jocelyne Pygmalion & Jacques L’Haridon & Geoffroy Remaut & Delphine Bouvier, 2025. "Biomim’Index—A New Method Supporting Eco-Design of Cosmetic Products Through Biomimicry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:6124-:d:1694441
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Simona Fortunati & Laura Martiniello & Donato Morea, 2020. "The Strategic Role of the Corporate Social Responsibility and Circular Economy in the Cosmetic Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-28, June.
    2. Jacky Chin & Bernard C. Jiang & Ilma Mufidah & Satria Fadil Persada & Bustanul Arifin Noer, 2018. "The Investigation of Consumers’ Behavior Intention in Using Green Skincare Products: A Pro-Environmental Behavior Model Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Nora Amberg & Csaba Fogarassy, 2019. "Green Consumer Behavior in the Cosmetics Market," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-19, July.
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