L’Oréal’s research and innovation teams offer excellence in formulation, one of the Group’s long-established areas of expertise.
Formulation is an important stage in determining the effectiveness of active ingredients and their perceived performance by consumers. It is one of the historic areas of L’Oréal’s research and innovation expertise, which has never been afraid to break the established rules to deliver breakthrough innovations, such as the oil delivery system used to bleach hair. This “oil-in-water” emulsion is a step towards a more pleasant and odorless hair coloring experience by eliminating ammonia. Another example: lipstick inspired by a technology transfer launched by Yves Saint Laurent, which achieved a previously impossible balance between color, hold, shine and comfort. These major discoveries gave rise to a veritable platform of technologies that then worked in different categories of products
NIOSOMES − 1986
The first step is to discover the active ingredients that will solve the main skin and hair problems. But the basic work remains to be done: delivering sufficient amounts of these active ingredients to the skin cells. For a long time, the cosmetics industry dissolved them in one of the emulsion phases (aqueous or oil phase), sometimes at the cost of deterioration of certain active ingredients. In the 1970s, L’Oréal researchers made a decisive breakthrough: they developed synthetic liposomes, called niosomes. These nanocapsules, whose structure resembles that of cell walls and the intercellular gel of the skin’s stratum corneum, proved to be ideal carriers for transporting active ingredients such as retinol or vitamin E (anti-free radicals).
Serum – 2007
Inspired by Asia and highly concentrated with active ingredients, this serum launched by L’Oréal in 2007 introduced a real medical revolution and a new category of skin care in the cosmetics sector. Initially used in intensive treatments over several weeks, they can now be used daily on their own or as a booster to daily facial treatments. They trigger a biological process similar to that of creams. However, they offer an extraordinary sensory experience and higher efficacy than classic creams. They are even more effective when used in synergy with creams: by “preparing the ground”, as they multiply the effect of the cream.
Oil Delivery System – 2009
How can I eliminate unpleasant aspects of the bleaching process, such as the smell of ammonia? Can hair coloring be done differently? To give women a new level of comfort and the best respect for their hair, L’Oréal researchers have revisited the science of emulsions. They succeeded in developing a process called Oil Delivery System (ODS) which, by changing the relationship between the oil and water phases, makes it possible to replace ammonia with a milder, odorless alkaline agent without losing any of the normal qualities of coloring and actually enhancing them. Inoa by L’Oréal Professional was the first hair color to benefit from this technological driver in 2009. Due to the success of the formulation, the technology was launched by Garnier in 2012 under the name OLIA.
