Sustainable innovations in cosmetics: from A for algae to Z for zero-waste

The cosmetics industry has always been an area of consistent and rapid innovation as consumers seek new products and improved formulations. However, more recently the industry has been pushed to deliver high-quality, high-performance products whilst also committing to sustainability. One initiative to have resulted from the push for sustainability is the formation of the TRaceability Alliance for Sustainable CosmEtics (TRASCE), a consortium of 15 of some of the best known cosmetics companies (Albéa, CHANEL, Clarins, Cosfibel powered by GPA Global, Dior, The Estée Lauder Companies, L’Occitane en Provence, L’Oréal Groupe, Merck, Neyret, Nuxe, Pochet Group, Sensient, Shiseido and Sisley) who came together with the aim of enhancing the traceability of key ingredients and packaging supply chains across the industry.

Collaboration can help ensure sustainable business practice across the industry, but consumer demand for ethical and eco-friendly solutions has also driven individual innovation with research into a range of areas including recyclable packaging (as previously discussed in this article from 2022), renewable materials, sustainable production and low-impact manufacturing processes. Balancing sustainability with the required properties of cosmetics products can be challenging but the drive to meet consumer demand is often the driving force behind innovation. Hence, such challenges drive innovation with brands encouraged to explore new technologies and processes as they seek to reduce their environmental impact.

One example of sustainable innovation is Elemis’ Opal Skin Algae Complex, a novel ingredient which harnesses the unique properties of specific algae strains that are capable of rapid growth with minimal resource demands. Algae—a renewable, increasingly popular skincare ingredient known for its clinical efficacy—requires significantly less land and water compared to conventional agricultural ingredients, making it a low-impact alternative that supports environmental stewardship. Elemis developed a traceable supply chain to ensure every step of the ingredient’s journey aligns with its sustainability goals, minimising disruption to natural ecosystems. The brand also prioritised innovative extraction methods to maximise bioactive yields while reducing water and energy consumption during processing. This approach demonstrates its commitment to reducing the ingredient’s overall ecological footprint.

Elemis has also switched to biodegradable sample sachets using Xampla’s plant-protein starch films to replace the plastic typically used in such products. Xampla has applied to protect its plant-protein starch films in WO 2023/079112 and WO 2023/079115, and other sustainable inventions that may be used in the cosmetics industry including plant-based emulsifiers (in WO 2023/170176) and plant-protein based micro-capsules (in WO 2022/053553). These plant-based products can replace products derived from fossil fuels, thereby supporting a switch to renewable resources.

Sample sachets are by their nature intended for single use and so generate a disproportionately large amount of packaging. Yet sample sachets are important products for cosmetics companies since they allow consumers to try something new before committing to purchasing a full-size product. Therefore, by switching to plant-protein starch films, Elemis is removing a significant source of single-use plastic from its products. However, Elemis is not only avoiding the use of plastic in its sample sachets, but is also using its own plant waste to produce Xampla’s films thereby upcycling unwanted by-products.

Geltor is another company focussing on sustainable innovation and developing products for use in the cosmetics industry. Collagen impressively accounts for around 30% of our body’s total protein content and is used in supplements, topical skincare products and topical haircare products. According to a report by Allied Market Search in 2024 (see here), the collagen market is expected to reach $14.4 billion globally by 2033. As the evidence grows in support of the benefits of dietary and topical collagen, this presents an exciting opportunity for companies to develop sustainable methods of obtaining collagen for use in such products.

Geltor has seized this opportunity and developed processes for producing animal-free collagen. Previously, collagen could only be acquired from animal byproducts but it may now be sourced via fermentation using yeast or bacteria. Obtaining collagen from such processes helps reduce environmental impact since it requires less resources and lower energy usage. Geltor has applied for patents for processes for producing vegan collagen including WO 2021/150959, WO 2023/009673 and WO 2019/068018.

The company Naturbeads was founded in 2018 as a spin-out from the University of Bath following the backlash against the plastic micro-beads used as an ingredient in cosmetics and toiletries ranging from body exfoliants to toothpastes. Plastic micro-beads were banned in the US in 2015, the UK in 2018 and throughout the EU in 2023, but at the time the bans were introduced few sustainable alternatives existed. Naturbeads helps brands wanting to use micro-beads in their products by providing biodegradable alternatives to plastic micro-beads that are suited for use in a wide range of products.

Naturbeads has sought patent protection for methods of making and functionalising biopolymer particles with multiple patent applications including WO 2021/198688, WO 2023/052744, WO 2023/187348 and WO 2024/062258. Naturbeads has been licensing its IP to customers who use its patented methods to make biodegradable micro-beads in different colours and sizes. However, in late 2024 Naturbeads secured sufficient funding to build a full-scale manufacturing plant, which will allow it to sell its product to a wider range of customers including cosmetics companies that do not have their own manufacturing facilities.

As consumers prioritise sustainability, personal care brands are adapting, proving that beauty can benefit both people and planet. Intellectual property plays a key role in driving and rewarding sustainable innovation. For cosmetics companies, patents and trade marks protect their investment in ingredients and processes associated with the formulation of skincare products. If you would like to know more about how best to use intellectual property to protect your innovation, please contact one of our team.