What makes biobased carbon masks so special, and will they become the next big trend?

As early as 2019, the world's largest beauty company, L'Oréal, collaborated with packaging suppliers to launch the first bio-based cosmetic packaging. In the following year's sustainability plan, L'Oréal explicitly outlined a timeline for the use of bio-based materials in its group's products.

Around 2020, domestic cosmetics companies rushed to layout "bio-based carbon masks" to promote the industry towards a more environmentally friendly and sustainable direction. There were even 100% bio-based carbon masks introduced.

So, what makes the bio-based carbon mask so special, and will it become the next blue ocean in the mask category?

Currently, sheet masks still dominate the mask market, and the mask base fabric and essence are its core elements.

Biobased carbon masks have become popular due to their safety and environmental friendliness. According to the "Definition, Terminology, and Labeling of Biobased Materials" issued by the National Standardization Management Committee in 2021, biobased materials refer to materials made from biomass as raw material or (and) through biomanufacturing. Biomass is typically derived from organic substances such as animals, plants, and microorganisms, thus biobased materials possess characteristics such as renewability, degradability, and environmental friendliness.

To a certain extent, bio-based carbon masks share similarities with the internationally popular concept of clean skincare, but the difference is that bio-based carbon testing has specific data and can provide authoritative reports to prove and verify the product's preservative-free and pure green nature. This quantifiable indicator provides scientific evidence for the brand, not only enhancing the credibility of the product but also offering consumers a transparent basis for choice.

In fact, biobased materials are not a concept that has only become popular in recent years. Since the 10th Five-Year Plan in 2001, China has been promoting the development of biomanufacturing and biobased materials for 20 consecutive years, with the development of biobased materials becoming an important manifestation of the takeoff of the biomanufacturing industry.

And the maturation of underlying biological technologies such as "cell factories", enzyme catalysis, and bioreactors has provided strong impetus for the development of bio-based materials. For example, in July 2024, L'Oréal signed an agreement with US synthetic biotechnology company Debut Biotech to develop bio-based ingredients. L'Oréal values the latter's cell-free biomanufacturing technology, which enables a more efficient and sustainable method of ingredient production.

Currently, under the "dual carbon" goals, leading beauty companies have initiated green transformations, with "green" and "low-carbon environmental protection" becoming key breakthrough points for demonstrating brand value. Our country has also continuously increased support for biomanufacturing, listing it as one of the important directions for new quality productivity and strategic emerging industries.