To meet its own 2030 sustainability targets, the firm has adopted a foundation model to remix, remake/remodel its global operations

According to environmentalists and researchers, the cosmetics industry has long been associated with environmental concerns, including plastic waste, pollution, and resource consumption.

Recent analyses have highlighted the industry’s significant contribution to environmental degradation.  For instance, a study found that beauty packaging alone amounts to 120bn units each year, contributing to waste, water pollution, and marine life endangerment.

To uncover new insights in cosmetic formulation data, one manufacturer has been turning to AI to reduce the environmental impact of its products. It has developed a custom “AI foundation model” engineered to significantly increase its ability to reach extra performance and consumer satisfaction in every cosmetic category and every region of the world.

Foundation of the non-cosmetic kind
Unlike cosmetic foundations, foundation models are a type of AI model trained on a broad set of unlabeled data, capable of performing various tasks and applying information from one situation to another. These models have significantly advanced the field of natural language processing technology over the past several years. In the case of L’Oréal, its formulation foundation model is believed to be a first-of-its-kind in the industry, redefining AI innovation at the intersection of beauty, chemistry and technology.

Announced on 16 Jan 2025, the foundation model “can inform or help prioritize solutions that are both ecologically responsible and innovative” and help meet the firm’s target to source most of its product formulas based on bio-sourced materials and/or the circular economy by 2030.

Said the firm’s Head of Innovation Métiers & Product Development, Stéphane Ortiz: “As part of our Digital Transformation Program, this partnership will extend the speed and scale of our innovation and reformulation pipeline, with products always reaching higher standards of inclusivity, sustainability, and personalization.”

Ortiz was referring to several features of the digitalization:

  • The foundation model will use a large number of formulations and component data points to accelerate multiple tasks, including the formulation of new products, reformulation of existing cosmetics, and optimization for scale-up production.
  • The long-term goal is to facilitate a rethink and redesign of the formulation discovery process: understanding the characteristics of renewable ingredients in cosmetic formulas will help the firm build out more-sustainable product lines with greater inclusivity and personalization for consumers around the world.

According to Alessandro Curioni, spokesperson for IBM, the firm supporting L’Oréal’s project: “This collaboration is a truly impactful application of generative AI, leveraging the power of technology and expertise for the good of the planet.”