The Centre Val de Loire region,
the leading territory for research
and innovation in cosmetics
The Centre Val de Loire region has placed research and innovation in cosmetics at the heart of its Regional Strategy for Innovation. The leader of the sector, the territory is home to more than 150 cosmetics companies, supported the creation of the Cosmetic Valley competitiveness cluster, is the leading network of manufacturers in the sector and backs, with Lombardy, the Go4Cosmetics European platform for digital and ecological transition.
In 2015, it launched the Cosmetosciences Research & Development Ambition programme backed by the University of Orléans in partnership with the University o Tours, the CNRS, Cosmetic Valley and Le Studium, which today brings together 12 laboratories et 23 research teams with recognised skills in the fields of plant and biotechnological sourcing, the development of eco-friendly extraction processes, the characterisation of plant extracts, the formulation and encapsulation of active ingredients, cutaneous biology and the use of new technologies to evaluate the activity and control the safety of active ingredients in cosmetics.
The programme aims to give impetus to a dynamic of research and innovation in cosmetics between academic laboratories and manufacturers to support the development of the cosmetics sector, with unique positioning at European level throughout the value chain, from the raw plant materials to the finished products. To date, 40 collaborative projects have been backed by the Centre-Val de Loire region’s laboratories in partnership with more than 30 manufacturers in the cosmetics sector.
A programme for research and innovation in cosmetics that is in line with the requirements of the sector and consumer expectations
The research activities developed in Cosmétosciences focus on the current cornerstones of the cosmetics industry to best meet consumer expectations: eco-friendly, effective, safe cosmetics that are ‘Made in France’. Indeed, the competitiveness of our industry requires that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should be incorporated into the values of the France label. Consumers expect (i) cosmetic products formulated from plant materials, at the level of both the active ingredients and the functional ingredients (preservatives, surfactants…) with an increasingly high naturalness indicator, (ii) effective products with measurable effects on the skin and (iii) complete safety in terms of toxicity and hormonal effects. Furthermore, the cosmetics industry wishes to be a good example in terms of reducing the environmental impact of products and is moving towards the use of renewable materials and bio-sourced eco-friendly solvents and giving priority to shorter supply chains to limit the carbon footprint, inputs and discharges.
Cosmetosciences, also includes laboratories that are working on materials technology and digital technology.
This is why the three main areas of focus for research, development and innovation in cosmetics are:
Cosmetosciences, a unique ecosystem in Europe
Cosmetosciences is a unique ecosystem that brings research laboratories committed to excellence, educational establishments and innovative companies in the region into contact with one another.
Cosmétosciences supports the development of cosmetics research projects by putting in place actions based on a partnership dynamic that encourages national and international meetings and collaborations between manufacturers and academic laboratories. Le programme also supports economic development, technology transfer and the creation of innovative start-ups in the Centre-Val de Loire region.
- Support with the setting up of collaborative projects
- Construction/development of national and international academic and industrial collaborations
- Enhancement of research results and technology transfer to the cosmetics sector
Objectives for the cosmetics sector
Reinforce research and innovation
in cosmetics through a collaborative research dynamic that is committed to excellence on a territory that supports the cosmetics sector
Promote
regional expertise
at national and international level so as to be identified as a cosmetics research cluster committed to excellence in relation to competitiveness clusters
Support
the
development of
ambitious, multi-disciplinary and innovative projects for products, services and processes that are more responsible and sustainable by putting in place a research and partnership strategy
Develop
an ecosystem
that is conducive to innovation opportunities, to enhancement and the transfer of research results on the subject of eco-friendly design of the cosmetic product, evaluation of its cutaneous activity and its safety.