At the Vivatech trade show, LUXUS PLUS had the opportunity to speak with Adrien Chrétien, Global Head of Development – Augmented Beauty at L’Oréal. It was an opportunity to discuss the latest developments and priority societal issues for the global beauty giant.
At Vivatech, for those working in the luxury sector, two stands are a must-see to grasp the innovations in the industry: LVMH, of course, but also L’Oréal.
The latter’s presence—its ninth time participating—was a must at Europe’s largest tech and start-up event. The global beauty giant never misses an opportunity to unveil increasingly personalized, inclusive, and sustainable customer experiences.
The Vivatech trade show provided an opportunity to showcase L’Oréal’s latest products available on the market, as well as an exclusive preview of upcoming launches. These innovations are tailored to the societal challenges of the future, such as diagnosing the invisible to prevent the signs of aging and promoting longevity.
The 2025 edition was particularly marked by the rise of transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence, which are redefining consumer expectations and experiences in the beauty industry.
Luxus Plus: You work in the group’s Research & Innovation department and your job title makes you responsible for developing augmented beauty projects. How would you define this? What do you mean by augmented beauty within the L’Oréal group?
Adrien Chrétien: At L’Oréal, augmented beauty is about providing customers and beauty experts with technology that delivers new performance and experiences to stay at the forefront of innovation for consumers.
Luxus Plus: L’Oréal is considered a global leader in beauty tech and an early adopter of technology.The group has been present at the Vivatech trade show since its very first edition. What does a beauty giant expect from this type of event?
Adrien Chrétien: We made a real shift in our tech journey in 2024 when Nicolas Hieronimus, our CEO, spoke at the opening keynote of CES in Las Vegas. This other trade show dedicated to innovation really helped us establish our position as a leader in beauty tech. These trade shows allow us to show how we integrate technology into the development of our projects, how we stay tuned to the market and our customers, and how we can continue to be a pioneer in innovation while keeping science at the heart of our approach.
We are very proud of our scientific background, which has been complemented by technology for several years now, enabling us to provide ever more effective and complementary solutions and experiences.
Luxus Plus: Artificial intelligence is once again at the heart of discussions at the Vivatech trade show. What is the group’s position on the development and use of this technology? Has this position changed recently?
Adrien Chrétien: When it comes to AI, the group has taken a very clear stance. We even have a working group dedicated to overseeing the use of AI, both internally and externally. Today, the group’s stated position is not to use AI-generated images of faces, bodies, hair or skin to promote the benefits of products in our external communications. We have very strict regulations in this area and a very clear position in the market. With regard to the use of artificial intelligence, we have a solution that integrates this technology into the algorithmic part of all the diagnostics we can perform at the point of sale, particularly for the brands in our luxury division, as well as in hair salons. To this end, we have created databases capable of building algorithms that enable us to assess clinical signs of the skin. At Lancôme, we have developed Skin Screen. This device takes three photos of our customers’ entire face, which are then compared with our databases. The algorithms enable us to measure up to 15 clinical signs, such as redness and skin texture, and thus help consumers gain a better understanding of their skin. We are then able to provide them with more targeted support for their needs and make better product recommendations.
Luxus Plus: If you had to choose just one innovation from among the new products on display at the L’Oréal stand at Vivatech this year, what would it be?
Adrien Chrétien: This year, the major innovation is undoubtedly Cell BioPrint. This biological diagnostic tool will be launched for the Lancôme brand in 2026. Until now, we have been diagnosing visible signs with our Skin Screen solution. This tool allows us to take photos and observe the apparent clinical signs of our customers. Now, with Cell BioPrint, we are entering a new era of invisible diagnostics. An advanced research program within the group has enabled us to identify proteins in the skin that are correlated with signs of aging. Based on the presence of these proteins in your skin, we will be able to identify the risk of these signs of aging appearing.
Luxus Plus: How will this technology enhance the group’s customer knowledge?
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Featured photo: Portrait of Adrien Chrétien © L’Oréal Group