Teams from France were the winners of the 10th edition of The Cosmetic Victories awards, which were unveiled at a ceremony in Paris, France on Tuesday night.
Organized by French cosmetics cluster Cosmetic Valley, The Cosmetic Victories consist of two awards recognizing promising innovations in the fields of scientific research and industrial development in the perfumery and cosmetics sector globally. The Academic Research Award is for projects from young graduates, doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows, researchers and scientists, while the Industrial Innovation Award is for projects from industrialists, start-ups and SMEs.
The Academic Research Award went to the University of Bordeaux, in France (The Institute of Cellular Biochemistry and Genetics, a joint research unit of the CNRS and the University of Bordeaux) for its work in exploring new ways to measure the impact of the exposome on skin aging. The researchers aim to demonstrate that the spontaneous degradation of proteins could be used as an indicator for assessing the effects of the environment on the skin. The identification of specific proteins as new biomarkers of aging could lead to better prevention and adapted cosmetic solutions. The Award was accepted by Muriel Priault, who leads the research.
The Industrial Innovation Award went to French company Loretta for the creation of a nanometric digital skin twin using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and AI. Loretta’s project aims to create a Digital Skin Twin based on skin nanotexture, combining high-speed AFM and AI for precise analysis. It aims to link the nanometric characteristics of skin to its chemical composition, in a bid to revolutionize dermatological and cosmetic studies worldwide. The project is supported by a partnership between a company, university and international dermatologists. The award was accepted by Loretta Founder and CEO Arthur Dervillez.
This year’s competition received 94 entries from 21 countries. Six finalists were then selected.
On Tuesday, the finalists presented their projects to an international jury of representatives from major brands, research laboratories and international institutions in perfumery and cosmetics. This year’s jury included representatives from Cosmetic Valley, LVMH Recherche, L’Oréal, Hermès, Chanel, Puig, Shiseido, Estée Lauder, Sisley, Groupe Rocher and Caudalie.
The winners receive €10,000 each for the development of their projects as well as support from Cosmetic Valley.
Marc-Antoine Jamet, President of Cosmetic Valley and President of the Jury, said: “In a particularly competitive global context, it is more essential than ever to continue to focus on research and scientific daring to stay at the cutting edge. This year’s industrial category, made up entirely of French finalists, vividly illustrates the dynamism and capacity of our industry to offer cutting-edge solutions, combining performance, authenticity and made-in-France excellence.”
