On December 4th, L’Oréal announced its acquisition of Lactobio, a leading probiotic and microbiome research company based in Copenhagen, Denmark. L’Oréal stated that this acquisition marks the opening of new scientific opportunities, leveraging Lactobio’s microbiome expertise and significant intellectual property portfolio to develop safe and effective novel cosmetic solutions using live bacteria. With L’Oréal and other beauty giants increasingly venturing into this field, will microbiome skincare emerge as the next significant trend in the beauty industry?
“Accelerate our microbiome research dedicated to beauty”
Lactobio, headquartered in Copenhagen, is a leading probiotic and microbiome research company. According to L’Oréal, this strategic acquisition builds upon the advanced research in the field of microbiome science that L’Oréal has conducted over the past 20 years. It deepens the understanding of skin surface microbiota and solidifies the group’s leadership position in this domain. Additionally, this acquisition opens up new scientific opportunities, leveraging Lactobio’s microbiome expertise and significant intellectual property portfolio to develop safe and effective novel cosmetic solutions using live bacteria.
Dr. Søren Kjærulff founded Lactobio in 2017. As stated on its official website, Lactobio’s primary products encompass microbial ingredients that include unique probiotics and prebiotic solutions. Lactobio emphasizes that the microbiome constitutes an ecosystem of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.) living within and on our bodies. A balanced and diverse microbiome is crucial for our health and appearance. Lactobio’s prebiotics are functional bioactive products that promote a balanced and healthy skin microbiome, serving as bioactive ingredients in cosmetics.
Lactobio’s main cosmetic ingredient products include Postbiotic LB244R®, Postbiotic LB606R®, and Postbiotic LB244R®. These three types of postbiotic products are primarily used for skin conditioning, moisturizing agents, stimulating collagen production, soothing irritated skin and scalp (including diaper rash and dandruff), as well as alleviating rashes, irritation, and itching on the skin.
In addition, Lactobio’s main products include active probiotic strains sourced from healthy human bodies and plants, possessing targeted health-promoting characteristics. Its strain bank contains over 1,500 novel non-genetically modified strains, which continues to expand. These products can improve acne-prone skin, strengthen barrier function, soothe atopic skin, increase skin elasticity, firmness, and smoothness, enhance hydration, and reduce transepidermal water loss. Simultaneously, they strengthen the skin barrier against irritation and redness, boosting the immune system.
Anne Colonna, Global Head of Advanced Research of L’Oréal Groupe said, “The integration of Lactobio into our Advanced Research is highly complementary: L’Oréal’s strong scientific knowledge and technological advancements coupled with Lactobio’s best-in-class formulations using living organisms will significantly strengthen and accelerate our microbiome research dedicated to beauty.”
Søren Kjærulff, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Lactobio said, “I am incredibly proud of what our team has achieved and excited for what the future holds as part of L’Oréal Groupe, where together, we can apply microbiome research to new fields of beauty innovation for people all over the world.”
“The future of cosmetics is playing out in the microbiome”
L’Oréal had already begun its foray into microbiome skincare. In 2019, L’Oréal unveiled its research progress on “skin microbiota” in China, officially announcing that ‘skin microbiota’ would be a key focus for the group’s future development. Several brands under its umbrella, including Lancôme, Vichy, and La Roche-Posay, started incorporating probiotics, prebiotics, and other ingredients aimed at maintaining microbial balance in their products. L’Oréal also collaborated with uBiome, a leading technology incubator in microbial genomics, in 2019 to further research the skin’s bacterial ecosystem.
In 2020, L’Oréal entered a breakthrough licensing agreement with Micreos, a Dutch biotechnology company, to expand its expertise in the skin microbiome field. This agreement granted L’Oréal access to Micreos’ endolysin active protein, enabling the development of high-performance skincare products.
Through the use of this protein, L’Oréal would be able to selectively target unwanted bacteria in the skin microbiome while preserving beneficial ones in its products.
“The agreement with Micreos opens up a very promising field in high-tech cosmetics,” says Laurent Attal, Executive Vice-President Research & Innovation of L’Oréal.
Over the past decade, L’Oréal’s research and innovation team has been exploring the skin’s microbiome, publishing approximately 50 papers on the subject since 2006. The group’s research findings encompass the connections between the microbiome, skin barrier function, immune responses, and the evolution of the microbiome on aging skin.
In late June of this year, L’Oréal signed a collaborative agreement with the Korean company Cosmax to jointly research the skin microbiome and develop innovative beauty solutions based on green science and microbiome technology. Under this agreement, both parties will collaborate on developing cosmetic ingredients derived from new strains of skin microbiota and jointly research their application in actual products. Additionally, they will leverage key expertise in microbiome engineering to develop environmentally friendly cosmetic formulas.
The article published on L’Oréal’s official website titled The Future of Cosmetics is Playing out in the Microbiome states that while everyone is familiar with the role of gut flora and billions of microbes in digestion and immunity, few realize that skin health also relies on a living ecosystem: the skin microbiome. Rich in trillions of bacteria and various microorganisms, it not only defends against external factors like UV rays and pollution but also forms a true ecosystem for the skin.
However, this skin ecosystem is delicate; an imbalance due to the overgrowth of certain microbes or the infiltration of harmful bacteria can easily disrupt its equilibrium. If unbalanced, skin damage such as micro-inflammation, dandruff, eczema, or acne can occur. L’Oréal states that L’Oréal’s research is dedicated to developing skincare products aimed at protecting or rebalancing the skin’s microbial ecosystem. Research on the microbiome aims to assist in reshaping cosmetics by offering better-personalized products.
L’Oréal prioritizes the development of new products alongside its research efforts. Brands within its Dermatological Beauty division are at the forefront of leveraging these latest advancements. For instance, Vichy has successfully crafted anti-dandruff shampoos by restoring balance to the scalp’s bacterial ecosystem. La Roche-Posay has expanded its Lipikar, Tolériane, and Effaclar ranges using a postbiotic derived from protective bacteria. Lancôme’s Advanced Génifique, launched in 2019, features 7 prebiotic and probiotic elements that restore the skin’s microbiome, resulting in faster recovery, increased resilience, and a visibly youthful appearance.
“The microbiome is a key player in the health of our skin, so it is essential to take care of it,” said Luc Aguilar, director of clinical and biological research for L’Oréal R&I.
The next skin care trend?
In recent years, microbiome skincare has become a focal point for several beauty industry giants.
In 2020, Johnson & Johnson invested in Series A funding for the probiotics personal care brand, Dermala. Dermala is a dermatology company dedicated to developing novel, personalized, microbiome-based solutions for acne and other skin conditions.
In 2019, DERMALA launched the #FOBO® Kit, a microbiome-based acne solution. This solution comprises topical acne treatments and oral supplements, paired with the DERMALA Acne Tracker app, allowing customers to monitor their skin health.
In 2022, there has been a surge in major players investing in microbiome skincare.
In February 2022, Procter & Gamble acquired Tula Skincare, a probiotic-based skincare brand founded by a gastroenterologist. Tula is known for its skincare line rooted in probiotics and superfoods, co-founded by gastroenterologist Roshini Raj, Bobbi Brown co-founder Ken Landis, and tech entrepreneur Dan Reich, with investments from L Catterton, a fund under LVMH.
On February 28, 2022, Shiseido announced the acquisition of the UK-based prebiotic skincare brand, Gallinée. Founded in 2014 by microbiome expert Marie Drago, Gallinée focuses on regulating the skin microbiome, stabilizing the skin barrier, nurturing beneficial bacteria in the microbiome, and restoring healthy skin. Gallinée, headquartered in London, was founded by French pharmacist Marie Drago in 2016 and had received investment from Unilever.
Gallinée’s skincare products contain a patented complex of prebiotics, probiotics, and lactic acid, promoting the growth of “good” bacteria on the skin. Currently offering 17 products for facial, body, hair, and oral care, the brand predominantly sells in France and the UK.
Shiseido Group intends to accelerate microbial research at its European innovation center, enhancing its position in the high-end skincare market by delving into the skincare microbiome niche.
On December 16, Beiersdorf announced the acquisition of a majority stake in S-Biomedic, a Belgian biotech company. S-Biomedic focuses on studying the delicate balance of skin microbiomes and developing live skin bacteria as cosmetic ingredients. Currently, S-Biomedic is developing new natural live probiotics and postbiotics for the skin, launching the micro-ecological skincare brand, Sencyr.
Beyond beauty giants, ingredients suppliers have also begun focusing on the development of microbiome-related ingredients.
