Biotechnology is a large term that encompasses many industries, but the cosmetics industry has leveraged the biggest impact. According to Grand View Research, the active cosmetics ingredient accounted for nearly 50% of the global biotech ingredients market in 20231. Research in biotechnology has unleashed new potential for anti-aging, anti-acne and skin-enhancing properties.
At its core, biotechnology is about using living organisms and harnessing their processes to create new ingredients. This can include precision fermentation, enzyme technology and other methods. The Midwest Bioprocessing Center describes this as a “farm to table” approach, except the farm in biotechnology is a bioreactor2.
Cosmetics & Toiletries tapped our supplier partners to learn about the implementation of biotechnology in the cosmetics industry:
- Giorgio Carelli, product manager, ROELMI HPC
- Anne-Laure Larriviere, marketing director, Naolys
- Dr. Paul Lawrence, executive director of bioscience research, discovery and scientific communications, Biocogent
- Alex Lorestani, founder, CEO, Geltor
- Patrícia Mendes, new business director, Apoena Biotech
- Chris Valencius, chief marketing officer, Evolved by Nature
What current trends are you seeing in the use of biotechnology in the beauty and personal care industry?
Anne-Laure Larriviere [ALL]: Biotechnology is moving beyond sustainable ingredient production and toward a deeper understanding of how biological systems communicate, adapt and age. We are seeing growing interest in plant cell culture technologies, cell-derived ingredients and extracellular vesicles, as well as longevity and epigenetic-inspired approaches. Combined with advances in omics and AI-assisted biological discovery, these technologies are enabling a new generation of ingredients designed to support skin resilience, cellular communication and long-term skin function.
Dr. Paul Lawrence [PL]: RNA-based solutions to skincare issues are going to herald a new era of powerful active ingredients. Instead of designing new substances to prevent and/or repair damage, RNA-based messages will trust skin cells to know how to better implement those changes. Additionally, microbiome-inspired beauty has moved beyond early hype to incorporate consensus terminologies, methodologies, and an expanding appreciation that the skin microbiome is greater than the bacteria-centric view with fungi, archaea and viruses.
Alex Lorestani [AL]: The industry is moving from sourcing ingredients to designing them. Collagen is a perfect example of how we have evolved from accepting what can be sourced from nature (i.e., bovine, marine) to biodesigning specific collagen types with biotech and precision fermentation. Now, we can do the same for peptides. Starting in the 1960’s, peptides were synthesized chemically, adding one amino acid at a time, a process that can be expensive and complex as the chain lengthens. Biotech offers a new and innovative path, building these molecules through precision fermentation, with higher purity, no solvents beyond water, none of the handedness errors chemistry can introduce, and more design flexibility.
What future directions might these trends take? Where is there potential?
Giorgio Carelli [GC]: The future of cosmetic biotechnology lies in the fusion of high-tech and circular biology.
- Nutricosmetics and Inside-Out Beauty: Creating cross-sector synergies between topical cosmetics and nutraceuticals, developing “dual-use” biotech ingredients capable of acting both internally and externally.
- Skin Re-education: Moving beyond the concept of “coverage” or “temporary correction” to ingredients capable of “re-educating” tissues to defend themselves from pollution, oxidative stress, and aging.
- Precision Targeting for Delicate Areas: Developing hyper-specific active ingredients to address complex and localized concerns, such as 360° rejuvenation of the periocular area.
[PL]: With fermentation, exploration of extremophile microorganisms from hydrothermal vents, polar regions, acid baths, and even outer space have evolved unique molecules to address environmental oxidative stress, dehydration, and UV exposure. These biological solutions map surprisingly well onto photoaging, barrier dysfunction, and scalp function.
Also, precision epigenetic modulation to restore and maintain skin health. Skin aging is not simply structural degradation over time, but involves altered cellular programming, including: microRNAs, chromatin remodeling, extracellular vesicles, and cellular senescence. The opportunity is enormous because precision epigenetic interventions could influence multiple aging mechanisms simultaneously.
Patrícia Mendes [PM]: The next phase will involve both the replacement of traditional petrochemical and extractive production routes with biotechnology-based manufacturing and the discovery of entirely new ingredients from biological systems. While fermentation will continue to expand, one of the greatest opportunities lies in microbial discovery platforms capable of identifying novel microorganisms, metabolites, and biological pathways. The convergence of biodiversity research, AI, genomics, and advanced screening technologies will accelerate innovation in skin longevity, microbiome modulation, barrier repair, and multifunctional ingredients.
Chris Valencius [CV]: The potential is in formula platforms, not trying to shoot off single-ingredient fireworks. So the next wave will be biotech-enabled systems where even the base is integral to the product story: structure, texture, rheology, skin feel and compatibility designed to support shorter formulas, better sensory profiles, fewer trade-offs and faster product development. The most interesting future is one where dermo-cosmetic actives are paired with innovative system builders to make complete formulas that feel elegant, work quickly and make efficacy easier for sensitive skin.
How are consumer trends and insights shaping these trends?
[ALL]: Consumer expectations are driving a transition from correction to prevention. Rather than simply reducing visible signs of aging, consumers increasingly seek solutions that help maintain skin quality, adaptability, and resilience over time. As a result, biotechnology is evolving toward approaches that support the skin's natural biological functions while providing the scientific transparency and sustainability that modern consumers expect.
[AL]: Consumers are far more sophisticated about ingredients than brands often assume, especially in the age of AI. They want to tap into their own biology and something that works. Biodesigned ingredients can meet recognized natural-product standards, so “high-tech” and “natural” aren’t in tension. HumaColl 21 (INCI: sh-polypeptide-121) reflects this: a biomimetic type 21 human collagen that can only be delivered through biotech. It is clinically backed and shown to improve the appearance of skin across anti-aging indicators and complexion improvements.
[CV]: Stats support the thesis that consumers are disappointed, irritated and demanding proof. Significant cohorts of U.S. consumers are switching products because of unmet results and skin sensitivity. And the vast majority are deep-divers when it comes to product vetting. It’s a clear signal; prove it works with clear science, make my skin healthier – not red and sensitized – and make the ingredient lists easy to understand.
What are the main challenges in this space? Where are there opportunities to innovate?
[ALL]: The challenge is no longer only creating new biotech ingredients. It is understanding how to leverage biology in a meaningful and measurable way. Future innovation will come from technologies capable of decoding and supporting the complex communication networks that regulate skin function, adaptation, and aging. This opens opportunities to move beyond symptom management toward approaches that help preserve skin performance and resilience over time.
[PM]: One challenge is translating complex biotechnology into meaningful consumer benefits. Another challenge is ensuring that biodiversity protection and benefit-sharing frameworks, including the Nagoya Protocol, achieve their intended goals without unintentionally creating barriers to scientific collaboration and innovation. In some cases, regulatory complexity and legal uncertainty can discourage investment in biodiversity-based research.. The industry must also address misconceptions surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which continue to limit adoption despite their potential to improve sustainability and manufacturing efficiency. Opportunities remain significant in microbial discovery, postbiotics and next-generation biomanufacturing.
[CV]: The main challenge is not to launder biotechnology through the beauty folklore machine. We’ve already seen the romanticization of exotic botanicals, rare provenance stories and miracle molecules. Doing the same thing with biotech would miss the point. The opportunity is to embrace the science and communicate it with unusual clarity – what it does, why it works, why it’s safe and how it improves the whole formula. Done well, biotech can create a flywheel around science, education, consumer understanding and future product development that addresses key skin functions and mechanisms.
References
- Grand View Research, Biotech Ingredients Market Report (2024-2030), https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/biotech-ingredients-market
- Midwest Bioprocessing Center, Biotech and the Future of Beauty, https://mwbioprocessing.com/blog/biotech-and-the-future-of-beauty/
