Global Bioenergies has achieved a historic step in its commercial development with the launch of LAST®, a makeup brand combining natural ingredients and long-lasting performance.
Interview with Marc Delcourt, founder and CEO of Global Bioenergies
Can you tell us more about your manufacturing process for the isododecane used in your makeup products?
Marc Delcourt : “In 2019, we created a Cosmetic Formulation Unit in our laboratory in Évry. That unit developed our first prototypes of eye cosmetics, for which isododecane is the main ingredient. Isododecane is an assembly of three isobutylene molecules that we produce from renewable resources such as beets, straw or wood shavings, among others.
Microorganisms transform the sugars of these plant resources into isobutylene via an exclusive, patented synthetic biology process that we have been developing over the last ten years. Those prototypes have been perfected and industrialized in partnership with one of Europe’s main makeup manufacturers. We thus are bringing to the cosmetics market a line of products using bio-based isododecane. That molecule is the primary ingredient in long-lasting mascaras and lipsticks, representing as much as 25 to 50% of their formulas. To date, isododecane has always been petroleum-based.”
Your products prove that “natural” and “long-lasting” can walk hand-in-hand?
Marc Delcourt : “Natural makeup products already exists, but ‘long-lasting’ has never really been applicable to them. Our products are indeed the first to genuinely unite those two qualities. Isododecane is the key and majority ingredient in long-lasting makeup. By biosourcing the isododecane and completing the formula with other natural ingredients, we are able to attain a high rate of naturality (greater than 90%) while maintaining performance equal to that of the best makeup products on the market.”
Why did you choose to invest in the cosmetics sector?
Marc Delcourt : “The objective of our industrial biology company is to provide an alternative to the petrochemistry industry. We are not abandoning biofuels, but it is currently difficult to compete against petroleum-based fuels as they remain very inexpensive. We thus chose to invest in cosmetics, a sector where customers are clamoring for natural products and thus willing to pay the price needed to cover the higher cost of bio-based isododecane. We needed to acquire all the competencies necessary for cosmetics: formulations, marketing, packaging, e-commerce, regulations. But the agility of our company made that possible.”
What are your commercial development perspectives?
Marc Delcourt : “We are currently moving into commercialization. All turnover to date has resulted from partnerships. We will now generate direct recurrent revenue. The initial run will count about 300,000 units, which, at 20 euros per unit, represents a market value of six million euros. We foresee a scale increase starting in 2022 with the sale of makeup ingredients to market leaders to energize the move to naturality for the entire sector. Thereafter, we’ll enlarge our activities to other cosmetics specialties, like hair care and dermo-cosmetics.”
