Artificial intelligence and life cycle assessment: the new sustainable standard in cosmetics

More and more cosmetic brands are assuming that sustainability cannot remain on the surface. Today, beyond "eco" or "natural" claims, the true transformation comes from fully understanding how each product impacts the planet, from the extraction of raw materials to the moment its packaging is discarded. And that is where life cycle assessment (LCA) has become an essential tool.But LCA has traditionally been complex, slow and expensive. It requires collecting data from the entire value chain, making precise calculations, consulting databases and translating all of that into useful information. Something that, until recently, was only available to large companies or specialized consultants. The good news is that this is changing. The combination of LCA and artificial intelligence is opening a new stage: more agile, more accessible and much more powerful for those who design, produce and market cosmetic products.From diagnosis to design: what LCA revealsLCA allows identifying with real data where the critical impact points of a product are. In cosmetics, there are often surprises: the greatest impact is not always in the ingredients, but in phases such as use (for example, when the consumer rinses the product with hot water) or packaging (by volume, type of material or difficulty of recycling).Understanding this allows acting with focus. If use generates most of the impact, why not innovate in solid formats that require less water or in formulations that maximize performance and minimize waste? If packaging represents a third of emissions, how to redesign it to weigh less, be refillable or eliminate unnecessary components? LCA not only informs: it inspires new solutions.AI: the accelerator that sustainability needsUntil recently, doing a complete LCA could take weeks or months, and cost thousands of euros. Today, thanks to tools based on artificial intelligence, many of these tasks can be automated. There are platforms capable of connecting data on ingredients, processes, transportation and end of product life, and generating complete environmental footprint reports in a few days. What was once a specific project can now be integrated as part of the day-to-day product development.This advance is allowing medium-sized brands or those with broad portfolios to incorporate LCA on a scale, without depending on long external processes. It becomes possible to compare versions of the same product, simulate the impact of a packaging change or even establish emission reduction objectives based on real data, not estimates.But it is not just about speed or efficiency. AI is also helping to make LCA more accurate, more up-to-date and more actionable. And above all, more connected with the decisions that are made in formulation, packaging or purchasing. It is no longer about measuring for the sake of measuring: it is about measuring to design better.From formula to impact: sustainability from R&DArtificial intelligence is also entering laboratories. Some recent developments are allowing accelerating the design of sustainable formulas, analyzing thousands of possible combinations in search of alternatives with a lower environmental footprint, better biodegradability profiles or greater efficiency with optimized formulas. This allows R&D teams to incorporate sustainability criteria from the first phase of development, instead of adjusting them at the end of the process.And it not only applies to formulas. Solutions are also emerging that allow optimizing packaging materials, modeling logistics scenarios or analyzing the footprint of a product taking into account dynamic data (for example, how the impact changes if it is sold in different markets). The objective is not only to have a final data point, but to better understand the complete system in which that product exists.Transparency that builds trustAs technology allows measuring better, an opportunity also opens to communicate more clearly. It is not about adding more labels, but about being able to tell a story that has support. Knowing, for example, that a container saves 30% of emissions compared to the previous one, or that a new formula avoids X liters of water per use, is not just a data point: it is a way to connect with a more informed and more demanding consumer.This level of transparency also strengthens B2B relationships. Distributors, retailers and partners increasingly value having objective information about the environmental impact of the products they market. Measuring well, and being able to demonstrate it, thus becomes a competitive advantage that reinforces the brand's value proposition.A new standard for the sectorIntegrating AI and LCA is not a fad or a specific technology. It is the beginning of a new way of working. One in which sustainability is not a layer added at the end of the process, but a lever for design, innovation and differentiation from the beginning. One in which measuring becomes a way to improve.In the medium term, it is likely that this way of operating will become the standard. Not only for a matter of responsibility, but because it is also a path towards efficiency, coherence and the construction of solid and reliable brands. The cosmetic sector has in its hands the power to lead this transformation. With creativity, rigor and intelligent tools, the positive impact can be as visible as the results it promises. Because that is, without a doubt, the new way of understanding beauty.

Artificial intelligence and life cycle assessment: the new sustainable standard in cosmetics

Beyond “eco” or “natural” claims, the true transformation comes from fully understanding how each product impacts the planet

Sébastien Borreani

CEO and Co-Founder devera.ai