2005 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT

❯ Nanotechnology: L’Oréal’s use of nanotechnology
is relatively limited; in its research,
nanoscience is approached from three different
angles:
■ the development of techniques used for the
detailed study of the skin and hair (microscopes
used to observe at the nanometric
level for example),
■ the use of nano-emulsions (for example in
conditioners). These nano-emulsions correspond
to nanometric droplets measuring
between 50 and 100 nanometres; their harmlessness
is optimal as they are a mixture of
water and oil droplets. In this way, it is possible
to produce original textures, especially for
creams,
■ the use of nanomaterials whose performance
is dependant on size. L’Oréal uses these
to improve the efficacy of its products, especially
sunscreens. In the area of UV filtration,
mineral pigments filter UV rays better when
LEXICON
Nanotechnology, also called nanoscience,
describes the techniques used to observe
matter and build objects on a nanometric
scale (10 -9 metre).
By enlarging objects 10,000 times, these electronic microscopes are
used to explore and understand the inner structure of the hair and skin.
Sustainable Development Report_L’ORÉAL 2005
their size is of the order of 50 nanometres.
Internal, as well as independent and institutional
scientific research has concluded that
nano-emulsions are harmless, and that there
is no penetration of nanopigments (e.g. titanium
dioxide) into living skin.
More broadly, beyond these practical applications,
the development of nanotechnology in
the medical, biometric, cosmetic, etc. fields
raises new questions, as for all major innovations,
about the available scientific knowledge,
ethical issues and potential applications.
Fully aware of the need to boost knowledge
and understanding of this issue, L’Oréal is
involved, in addition to R&D applications, in
several French and international programmes
including the International Council on Nanotechnology
and the Center for Biological &
Environmental Nanotechnology, Houston,
and is working closely with academics and
institutions such as the European Union Scientific
Committee on Consumer Products,
the Working Group on Nanosubstances in
Cosmetics, and the CNRS-French Scientific
Research Centre Ethics Committee.
Life sciences
This area of upstream research aims to understand
the biological and physiological processes
that the skin and hair undergo over time.
This research is more specifically focused on:
■ improving knowledge of the various states
of healthy skin and hair,
■ the ageing process of skin and hair,
■ the effects of the sun’s rays on skin,
■ understanding the links between the impact
of the sun’s rays on skin and the clinical signs
of skin ageing,
■ the innermost mechanisms of skin and hair
pigmentation and its alterations (age spots,
melasma and vitiligo).
This research taps into approaches combining
biology, clinical trials and pharmacology. It
also involves the most modern biological
technology, for example genetics, genome,
proteomic, etc.
For over 20 years, it has included and developed
cellular biology and skin engineering
with the main focus being the reconstruction
of human skin. This is a strategic technological
challenge taken up by L’Oréal upstream
research in order to have at its disposal various
models of reconstructed skin to:
■ continue to develop knowledge of the skin
without the need for invasive clinical trials,
■ develop alternative methods to animal testing
in the area of safety, by sharing the results
of its work with the international scientific
community, notably by actively participating
in the international validation process.
❯ Episkin: this biotechnology company is
based at the Lyon/Gerland Technology Centre,
and is a fully-owned L’Oréal subsidiary. It
produces models of reconstructed skin with
the aim, in addition to other approaches, of
replacing animal testing for product harmlessness
and tolerance.
The use and development of reconstructed
skin is a matter of excellence for L’Oréal, in
three directions:
■ understanding how the skin works (upstream
research into skin biology),
■ product efficacy (evaluation of the effects
of new molecules),
■ product safety (product evaluation).
Life sciences are also working on a new
model using Langerhans cells that may make
it possible to assess the skin’s allergic
response, and eventually to determine the
allergenic active ingredients without resorting
to animal testing. L’Oréal has led this
research under a European Commission programme
as a pilot laboratory.