Fun!Ethic is an eco-friendly company that innovates to make cosmetics that are both healthier and better for the planet. Its formulations go far beyond official specifications, banning all controversial substances. The brand distinguishes itself with age-appropriate skincare products for teenagers, young women and women, as well as hygiene products. In 2013, it was one of the first 26 companies to be awarded the Slow Cosmétique label, an international guarantee of quality that in just a few years has become synonymous with excellence in the beauty sector.
With its human scale, ultra-local roots and natural, eco-designed range using noble ingredients, Fun!Ethic embodies the sensible cosmetics promoted by the Slow Cosmetics label. Its ecological formulas and its DNA make it one of the most committed alternatives on the beauty market.
The Slow Cosmétique label highlights manufacturers who value their terroir, in particular, in a family, artisanal and ecological way. Preserving ancestral know-how while creating jobs and innovating for truly clean cosmetics is the aim of the 302 brands that have been awarded the label to date, all of which are family-run, human-scale structures.
"The Slow Cosmetics label has been beneficial for our brand, and we wear it with pride. It represents strong support for greater transparency and the promotion of ethical marketing. We were the first to bring the Slow Cosmétique label to supermarkets and claim its benefits.say Martine Schmitt and Olaf Maurice, founders of Fun!Ethic.
With some thirty years' experience in the chemicals sector, Eric Moussu joined the Berkem Group last September as Sales Director for the Group and its 4 subsidiaries (Berkem, Adkalis, Eurolyo and Lixol). This new department, strategic for the group, which will go public at the end of 2021, has a staff of 40.
" I'm proud to be joining the Berkem Group at a strategic moment in its development. The creation of a new Group Sales Department reflects the challenges of the plant-based chemistry market. Our ambitions include deploying biosourced solutions and consolidating the Berkem Group's position as a key player in plant-based chemistry serving industrial companies. " says Éric Moussu, Sales Director of the Berkem Group.
His background
After studying chemistry, Éric Moussu joined the DRT group (specialized in pine resin derivatives) in 1989 as Applications & Development Manager. In 1996, he became Key Account Sales Manager, before joining the Management Committee in 2006 as Sales & Marketing Director and Regulatory Affairs Director.
Almost a century has passed since its creation. Today, thanks to Cécilia Mergui, Maison Bienaimé is back in the limelight. An opportunity to plunge into its dreamlike, poetic universe, where past and present combine to offer you an immersion in the heart of eternal beauty.
1935 , Robert Bienaimé, a daring avant-garde perfumer, created his eponymous brand, a perfume and cosmetics house combining the creativity of an artist with the prowess of an outstanding technician.
1960 , the brand was mothballed following the death of its founder.
2021 , Cécilia Mergui breathes new life into this sleeping beauty while respecting the heritage of its creator. Through the rebirth of the Bienaimé brand, the idea is to perpetuate the wonder of these timelessly charming treasures, and create a sensory experience that evokes the emotion of sweet nostalgia.
The Bienaimé perfume: a celebration of French savoir-faire, its bottle is made in Normandy by a factory of excellence, classified as a "living heritage company". Hand-crafted, each piece is unique and designed with refinement to elegantly dress your home.
The solid soap: Bienaimé soap benefits from an elegant fluted shape favoring, according to the brand, a gentle massage of the palm of the hand. It comes in three iconic Bienaimé fragrances.
Liquid soap: made the old-fashioned way, known as "de Marseille", Bienaimé liquid soap has "A fine, creamy texture which "Melts deliciously into the skin, leaving a soft, fresh trail after each use."
Refills: fully recyclable refill bottles fill the 200ml liquid soap bottle and the 75ml perfume bottle. They come with a funnel.
Dream balm: a combination of two oils, the balm transforms on application into a dry oil that is quickly absorbed.
On January 19, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Costa, Eastman's Chairman and CEO, announced Eastman's intention to invest up to $1 billion in a plant for the molecular recycling of polyesters from household packaging and textile waste. This facility will use Eastman's polyester renewal technology to recycle up to 160,000 tonnes a year of hard-to-recycle plastic waste that is currently incinerated.
This investment would make it possible to recycle enough plastic waste each year - materials that are generally incinerated because they cannot be recycled mechanically or have to be downgraded using existing technology - to fill the Stade de France 2.5 times over.
According to Eastman, polyester renewal technology makes it possible to exploit the potentially infinite value of materials by keeping them in production, life cycle after life cycle. Thanks to the yields inherent in the technology and the renewable energy sources available in France, materials can be produced with greenhouse gas emissions up to 80 % lower than with traditional methods.
This year, Eastman is the biggest investor in the "Choose France" event, which aims to attract foreign investment to France.
This multi-phase project includes units that would prepare mixed plastic waste for processing, a methanolysis unit to depolymerize the waste, and polymer lines to create a variety of premium materials for specialty, packaging and textile applications. Eastman, a global producer of specialty materials, also plans to create an innovation center for molecular recycling that would enable France to maintain a leading role in the circular economy. This innovation center would advance alternative recycling methods and applications to limit the incineration of plastic waste and leave fossil raw materials in the ground. The plant and innovation center should be operational by 2025, creating 350 jobs and generating a further 1,500 indirect jobs in recycling, energy and infrastructure.
Eastman's project has also received the support of global brands who share his commitment to solving the problem of plastic waste and see molecular recycling as an essential tool for achieving a circular economy. LVMH Beauty, The Estée Lauder Companies, Clarins, Procter & Gamble, L'Oréal and Danone have led the way by signing letters of intent for multi-year supply agreements from the facility.
"France (...) is giving itself the means to achieve its ambitious plastics recycling targets set for 2025. We are very excited to welcome a company with a 100-year history of global innovation and over 30 years' experience in molecular recycling".said Barbara Pompili, French Minister for Ecological Transition.
"Eastman's world-scale project will position France as a European leader in new technologies for recycling and recovering plastic waste. This investment is the result of the ambitious approach to industrial reconquest led by the government since 2017, which has enabled France to become Europe's most attractive country for industrial projects as of 2018added Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Industry. With this project, which represents an important step for our sovereignty, we are giving ourselves the means to achieve our ambitions in terms of ecological transition while creating sustainable jobs in the manufacturing, infrastructure and energy sectors. We look forward to developing this relationship with Eastman."
"The project to build the world's largest plastics recycling facility in France is an important part of our overall circular economy strategy."said Mark Costa.
The Quadpack Foundation is working with an academy to support the development of solutions to tackle plastic pollution.
Quadpack Foundation, the charitable arm of international cosmetics and perfumery packaging manufacturer and supplier Quadpack, has teamed up with UAB Research Park, the non-profit organization co-created by the Autonomous University of Barcelona, to support scientific research into microplastics and their effects on people and the environment. The foundation sponsored the 12th edition of Generació d'Idees (Generation of Ideas), an initiative aimed at fostering an entrepreneurial spirit and a culture of innovation among researchers and doctoral students by putting them in touch with current industry challenges.
Between September and December 2021, multidisciplinary research groups took part in co-creation sessions and received entrepreneurship training, mentoring and prototyping support. Next, the program organized a competition in which participants presented their projects to a panel of judges made up of academics, industry experts and members of the general public.
The prize for the best innovative idea went to MP Food Watching, a solution that uses hyperspectral imaging technology to detect and better visualize the presence of microplastics in food. Presented as a cost-effective and fast solution for the food chain, the project won €1,000 to launch a crowdfunding campaign, mentoring coaching, support for social networking and six months' incubation at UAB Open Labs, the university's open innovation network.
Qu4tre, a group of researchers involving Quadpack engineers Roger Oller and Mariola Rodríguez, won the People's Choice Award with the Omnibox project, a reusable container for municipal markets, including a logistics plan for distribution, take-back and cleaning to offer a zero-waste solution. The group received a six-month incubation period and support for dissemination on social networks.
"We are aware of the responsibility we bear as an industry and want to be part of the solution. By connecting with researchers and sharing the challenges we face, we can move forward together towards a healthier world and have a positive impact on future generations", explains Marta Gil, Quadpack Foundation Manager.
Microplastics are fragments less than 5 mm in size that come from the breakage of larger plastic parts, or are manufactured in microspheres for hygiene and cleaning products. The many applications of plastics in industry, combined with poor waste management, have caused microplastic pollution to grow exponentially. This is currently considered a major environmental problem, affecting ocean life, terrestrial fauna and human health.
Photo: from left to right, Quadpack CFO Bardo Bevelander, Quadpack engineers Mariola Rodríguez and Roger Oller, and Quadpack Foundation Manager Marta Gil.
The Cosmet'Agora formulation competition jury awarded PolymerExpert second prize for its "happy event" product formulated with EstoGel Green, the new Cosmos-approved biobased 100 % oil phase rheology modifier.
The theme was "happy cosmetics". PolymerExpert chose to formulate a toning body serum called "Un heureux événement", which accompanies expectant mothers from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy through to the first months post-delivery. This evolving treatment is divided into three phases, each containing just the right amount of active ingredients to match the body's changing needs.
Second trimester of pregnancy: The body begins to round out, and the skin needs to gain in elasticity and hydration. The transparent phase prepares the skin for the first changes. Third trimester of pregnancy: The first stretch marks begin to appear. The skin needs reinforced hydration and suppleness. The orange phase is enriched with restructuring active ingredients. First trimester post-pregnancy: Skin becomes slack and lacks tone, and needs to be firmed. The scintillating phase restores firmness to the body.
The idea: combine three miscible oil phases that don't mix in a single product.
This serum has been formulated with natural oils with nourishing properties. Its formula combines macadamia oil, renowned for improving skin elasticity, and rose hip oil, which helps prevent stretch marks. This complex of plant oils is completed by a skin-firming extract of Brède Mafane.
This minimalist formula meets today's formulation codes, with 99.5 % of ingredients of natural origin and no preservatives. What's more, in an eco-responsible approach, only one packaging is needed for three products. The sensoriality of the three phases has been designed to be equivalent throughout the treatment. Only the quantities of active ingredients vary.
Thanks to the use of innovative oil-gelling polymers of natural origin, PolymerExpert was able to form three transparent gels with suspensive and rheofluidifying properties.
In today's complex environment, many consumers are feeling the need for an emotional reboot by taking more time for themselves and reconnecting with their sensations. Cosmetics play a part in this well-being! Thanks to their sensoriality and textures, they provide pleasure and moments of relaxation, bringing immediate well-being and awakening positive emotions for long-term well-being.
At Cosmet' Agora, Seppic sought to meet these expectations by creating formulas dedicated to happiness and well-being.
Cosmos Skin Bliss transformation formula offers a rich texture, releasing an aqueous film after application. Its rapid absorption leaves a refreshing, bare-skin effect. This multifunctional product adapts to every need. The formula uses patented Geltrap technology, an emulsion with an extra-water-rich gelled aqueous inner phase, appreciated worldwide. On the anti-aging front, Aspar'Age boosts self-esteem, helping consumers to feel younger (confirmed by personal, instrumental and observer evaluations). It's a dose of good humor in a tube!
Always on the lookout for immediate well-being, consumers are looking for skin care products tailored to their needs and desires. The refreshing Fresh Water Drop provides immediate pleasure thanks to the quick-break effect of the Sepinov WEO polymer. What's more, Antileukine 6, an oily active ingredient nicknamed "golden algae", present in this formula, soothes and protects skin after sun exposure. A dose of freshness and well-being that gives you a boost!
For consumers interested in a holistic approach to body and mind, the Happy Skin kit is ideal. It contains a "pro-aging" cosmetic care product that stimulates hearing, smell and sight, with the appearance of pink foam and a soft, comfortable touch thanks to the combination of Emogreen, Montanov 202 and Sepimax Zen for a unique multi-sensory experience. For the taste, it is accompanied by nutritive gums containing Ceramosides, an anti-aging active derived from Seppic's nutrition expertise. The treatment contains Ceramosides HP cosmetic grade. This "inside & out" beauty routine is all-encompassing.
At a time when consumers are looking for a sensory and emotional experience in cosmetics, Seppic innovates by inspiring its customers through its "Happy Cosmetics" collection, and invites them to rediscover its "boosting" ingredients for positive emotions. Three other formulas combining cosmetics and emotion are also available in our kit for additional beauty experiences.
Start-up Beautigloo recently revealed its latest Beauty Tech innovation at the world's largest trade fair for technological innovation: a device for cooling cosmetics and beauty tools in record time.
At CES 2022, Beautigloo previewed an instant cooler. Thanks to interchangeable modules, it can cool massage tools and cosmetics such as face masks in less than five minutes, for ultimate freshness during application. Designed with the support of renowned experts, this patented product will be available by the end of the year.
Cooling expertise at the service of beauty
Since 2017, Beautigloo has been designing, developing and manufacturing innovative beauty appliances and tools at its Paris premises, with the ambition of preserving the beauty of every individual. A specialist in electro-beauty, the French company is already known for its refrigerated beauty case designed to enhance the effectiveness of cosmetics while being environmentally friendly.
Selected by Business France to join the delegation of the most promising French start-ups, Beautigloo was able to raise its profile in the American market.
"We already had a presence in the United States, and this key innovation show enabled us to meet new customers and develop our business.nts and distributors "says Clara Lizier, co-founder of Beautigloo.
L'Oréal, world leader in beauty, and Verily, an Alphabet subsidiary specializing in precision healthcare, have announced an exclusive partnership in the beauty world, designed to advance skin health. This first partnership of its kind in the cosmetics industry is expected to give rise to two programs designed to better understand and decipher the mechanisms of hair and skin aging, and to underpin L'Oréal's strategy and product development in new precision technologies for beauty.
The first is a strategic research collaboration designed to establish a longitudinal biological, clinical and environmental vision of skin health. It combines L'Oréal's in-depth scientific knowledge of skin with Verily's comprehensive expertise in clinical research, in order to decode and discover the links between the exposome, skin ageing and the deep biology of the skin.
The second is a partnership between Verily's R&D team and L'Oréal's Active Cosmetics division, aimed at exploring the development of new technologies and telediagnostic solutions such as sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms applied to dermatology and skin care, on the basis of which new services can be deployed.
" We are delighted to collaborate with Verily, a world leader in precision healthcare technologies. L'Oréal's age-old commitment to spearheading innovation stems from our deep belief in the intersection of science, formulations and our unique advanced research capabilities, to decode the most revolutionary scientific discoveries and create the beauty of tomorrow.says Nicolas Hieronimus, General Manager of the L'Oréal group. Thanks to this partnership, we intend to usher in a new era in skin health, through technology and science, to enable every person, all over the world, to benefit from the most inclusive, personalized, high-performance and precise programs for their skin, at every stage of their lives."
"Verily and L'Oréal believe in the transformative power of technology to bring precision beauty and health to life, said Stephen Gillett, President and COO of Verily. We are delighted to partner with a world leader in cosmetic science to better understand and promote skin health."
"We see skin health as an essential need for our overall well-being, as its impact on everyday life is not just physical, but more holistic. Our joint approach should enable us to identify the right intervention, based on data from Verily's technology and clinical research capabilities, while benefiting from the expertise and links with the world of dermatology of L'Oréal, number one in the beauty industry." said Brian Otis, member and co-founder of Verily.
"This new partnership between L'Oréal and Verily promises innovation for dermatologists and consumers alike. We look forward to making new discoveries about skin through this strategic research collaboration and hope that the new tools and algorithms will improve consumers' access to personalized data enabling them to care for their skin more effectively."commented Dr Amanda Oakley, President of the International Society of Teledermatology.
Laboratoires Boiron, world specialists in homeopathy, announce their acquisition of a majority stake in Abbi, a start-up specializing in individualized cosmetic care using artificial intelligence.
Because every skin is unique, every person can benefit from an individualized daily skin care range. This is precisely what Abbi founders Joanna and Frédéric Ifergan have developed after more than three years of research and development.
The entire manufacturing process of the Lyon-based start-up, founded in 2017, is patented. According to its directors, Abbi is thus the only company in France to produce customized cosmetic skincare, thanks to artificial intelligence and selfies.
A simple photo is all it takes for a person to obtain, in just a few seconds, an individualized skin diagnosis and the formula that's right for them, with the active ingredients best suited to their needs.
Over 40,000 combinations
Abbi develops its formulas from six bases and 26 active ingredients. There are over 40,000 possible combinations to suit every skin type. Within 48 hours, customers receive their customized cream in a bottle engraved with their first name, a serum of their choice (collagen or hyaluronic) and an essential mist in a fabric pouch, delivered to their home today and soon to pharmacies and parapharmacies.
The company has also developed a range of 10 active ingredient boosters, which meet a specific need of the skin at a given moment.
Shared values with Laboratoires Boiron
Abbi (for A-authenticity, well-being, beauty and individuality), makes cosmetics composed of over 95 % of natural ingredients, with no polemical components and delivered in an eco-responsible manner. These individualized cosmetics can be used for all skin types and colors, young or mature, feminine or masculine, and will take care of problems such as wrinkles, sensitivity, shine, spots, pimples and radiance.
For the founders, "The skin is the largest organ in the human body, so taking care of your skin is like taking care of your health.. A principle shared by Laboratoires Boiron. The world leader in homeopathy is thus opening the doors of pharmacies and parapharmacies to Abbi, and will also contribute to its international reputation thanks to Boiron's worldwide presence.
With this acquisition of a majority shareholding, Laboratoires Boiron has returned to one of its traditional activities, producing a tailor-made product by hand, in keeping with its philosophy of "treating with the greatest respect".
Valérie Lorentz-Poinsot, General Manager of Laboratoires Boiron: "We're delighted to welcome a company like Abbi to our group. I was quickly impressed by the technology and the accuracy and speed of the diagnosis. As with homeopathy, Abbi understands that each person is unique and requires tailor-made care that is as eco-responsible and natural as possible. The links between our two companies are obvious. With the custom manufacturing capacity of our preparatory products, our sales force and our worldwide presence, we'll be able to bring Abbi closer to each and every one of our customers.
Joanna and Frédéric Ifergan, founders of Abbi : "The interest shown in us by Laboratoires Boiron, the world leader in homeopathy, is proof of the relevance of our project, and we're delighted. Joining Laboratoires Boiron is an immense opportunity to develop and share our dream of adapted, respectful cosmetics for as many people as possible. The shared values that animate our two companies give us confidence in the success of this partnership.
