From lab-grown skin to AI consults, these are the 4 new beauty tech trends to know now

“Anything we desire will become achievable thanks to tech”, L’Oréal’s Global VP of Tech and Open Innovation, Guive Balooch, tells me at VivaTech, Europe’s largest tech event. The future he describes sounds like science fiction now: “One day, you’ll put on a pair of glasses and your make-up just gets done”.

At its core, his vision is about eliminating what he calls the “auditioning process” in beauty – the endless trial and error in pursuit of the right routine. While we’re not quite living in The Fifth Element yet, the shift towards hyper-intelligent, intuitive beauty is well underway. From lab-grown skin testing to algae-based biotech, the innovations on show signal a decisive step forwards – and these are the ones that stood out.

We’re decoding skin’s biological age – and slowing it

In beauty, biological age is fast overtaking chronological age, largely because we can now influence it. Take Lancôme’s Cell BioPrint, a new on-counter diagnostic tool, which analyses skin biomarkers to detect signs of ageing before they surface, while predicting how skin will respond to actives such as retinol.

“If I can pinpoint the aspect of someone’s biology that needs support, then I can recommend products that truly actually act on that,” says Balooch. The result is a move towards precise, personalised routines – and away from guesswork.

This proactive approach extends to formulation. Lancôme’s Absolue Longevity MD line, backed by clinical studies, has been shown to slow the skin’s ageing trajectory. “We can not stop ageing – that’s impossible today,” Barbara Lavernos, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Research, Innovation and Technology, L’Oréal Groupe tells me. “But we can significantly reduce its pace.” Hair longevity, she adds, is next.

AI-powered journeys are reshaping beauty discovery

“We’re seeing a revolution in conversation,” says Balooch. With more than 280 million beauty and health-related exchanges on ChatGPT in 2025, AI is rapidly reshaping how we seek advice.

Deeply personally yet inherently social, beauty has always been a conversation, but responsible AI is making it more informed and immediate. Crucially, the experts stress that it shouldn’t replace the human voice, but enhance it, and the L’Oréal Paris Beauty Genius on WhatsApp exemplifies this shift. Part of a new wave of agentic AI tools, it delivers expert analysis, tailored product recommendations and routines anchored by L’Oréal’s massive ‘Beauty Knowledge Graph’ – built on over a century of expertise.

As demand grows for advice that is both instant and credible, such platforms rooted in cosmetic science – and validated by professionals – offer a new level of trust. With broader datasets and a more objective lens, they also promise a more inclusive approach to beauty than we’re used to, Lavernos notes.

From bioengineered skin to virtual hair models, product testing is being rewritten

AI is also advancing product development by modelling promising ingredients and speeding up biotech innovation – using living cells like bacteria to create sustainable ingredients in the lab. Building on this expertise, L’Oréal is now developing actives from microalgae, microorganisms with significant potential to target skin ageing, Lavernos tells me.

It doesn’t stop at ingredients. AI can simulate countless formula combinations and test them on virtual hair fibre models, built on L’Oréal’s universal hair classification scale and the world’s largest hair science database. The result is faster, more inclusive product development, with performance mapped across all hair textures.

Meanwhile, in partnership with the University of Oregon, the group has developed lab-grown skin using advanced 3D printing that mimics human skin. This patented tech allows researchers to measure biological changes beneath the surface – including collagen activity – offering visible proof of how ingredients perform.

Infrared light is moving beauty from correction to prevention

Among the standout innovations at VivaTech was Lancôme’s upcoming LED Face Mask and accompanying eye patches, extensions of its longevity-led skincare. Made from a 2mm-thin, flexible transparent material for snug skin contact, the mask combines red (630 nm) and near-infrared (830 nm) light to reduce inflammation and support collagen production, targeting fine lines, sagging and uneven tone.

Light technology is reshaping hair, too. Also launching in 2027, L’Oréal’s Light Straight + Multi-Styler uses near-infrared tech to reconfigure hair’s internal hydrogen bonds, rather than relying on high heat to manipulate them, which can be damaging. While Balooch couldn’t pick a favourite of his babies, he calls this creation particularly inspiring. “It’s a category that needed innovation,” he tells me. “With this, we’re not compromising anything.” Designed for every hair type and texture, it reflects a wider shift in tools – particularly as multi-stylers continue to surge – towards performance without damage. Bring it on.