European Correspondent, Jane Evison attended the Cosmetic Victories awards ceremony, which took place the day before the start of the in-cosmetics Global trade show in Paris in the beautiful and historic surroundings of the Maison des Polytechniciens. The theme for this year's competition, organized by the trade association from France, Cosmetic Valley, was 'Scientific progress powering sustainability in the cosmetics sector.'
The Cosmetic Victories competition aims to support innovative projects led by researchers, start-ups, and entrepreneurs in the perfume and cosmetics sector. It also seeks to promote excellence in cosmetic research on a global scale and to help innovations successfully reach the market. It is highly international in terms of judges, applications, and finalists, and the winners came from Portugal and Japan, with Portugal winning in both categories.
"The winning projects—each led by a woman—reflect the vitality of cosmetics research", said the organizers. "They confirm the central role of female talent in innovation and in the transformation of a sector built on science and progress, where diversity is becoming an essential driver of performance and creativity".
For the first time in the competition, the jury chose joint winners in the Academic Research category, highlighting the excellence of two major scientific breakthroughs. "The 2026 winners show that the sector can address environmental challenges, anticipate regulatory change and remain innovative in a demanding international context."
Attendees of the networking cocktail and ceremony heard pitches from the six finalists and testimonies from previous winners, before the awards were announced:
ACADEMIC RESEARCH AWARD - Joint winners
- EmuLig: A multifunctional lignin-based emulsifier for sustainable cosmetic formulations, Ms Giovana Colucci, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Portugal
- Cosmetics controlled by primary cilia to regulate immune memory and drive sustainable innovation, Ms Manami Toriyama, Laboratory of Advanced Cosmetic Science – University of Osaka, Japan
Industrial Innovation Award
Sustainable multifunctional biosurfactants from circular bio-resources for cosmetic formulations, Ms Joana ALMEIDA, Surfactinnov, Portugal
