The quest for longevity has captivated humanity since the dawn of civilization—from ancient Egyptian mummification rituals and Ponce de León's search for the fountain of youth to Renaissance polymaths biohacking their sleep cycle and alchemists pursuing the elixir of life.
Today, this age-old obsession has evolved into a sophisticated, multi-billion-dollar scientific endeavor that spans cutting-edge biotechnology, artificial intelligence, genomics, and regenerative medicine. Longevity science now encompasses everything from telomere research and cellular reprogramming to personalized nutrition and digital health monitoring. Yet perhaps nowhere is this convergence of ancient desire and modern innovation more visible than in the beauty industry, where brands are increasingly positioning themselves not just as purveyors of cosmetics, but as pioneers in the science of aging itself.
Last week in Paris, L'Oréal Groupe made a strong case for why skin science deserves a seat at the head of the longevity table. The beauty tech giant held a day-long expert forum on longevity science and partnered with WIRED to co-host an intimate salon dinner—all timed to coincide with VivaTech, Europe's largest technology conference. The goal: dive deeper into how we age, why we age, and what we can actually do about it.
At their “Beauty of Longevity” event, the company convened over 150 scientists, journalists, and content creators from 23 countries to start a dialogue on what it means—and what it will look like in the future—to age gracefully with the support of profound advancements in science and technology. “While extending human lifespan is now within reach, thanks to scientific and medical advances, the challenge we will face is how to prolong our ‘healthspan,’” noted Barbara Lavernos, L’Oréal Groupe’s Deputy CEO, in charge of Research, Innovation, and Technology. “Because what is the point of longer life without quality of life.”
With a shift from corrective skincare to preventative skincare, L'Oréal sees itself uniquely positioned to contribute to a new reality of healthy aging. “We are at the dawn of this journey as science, augmented by tech advancements, is moving at full speed. To continue to unlock this transformative potential, we are collaborating with universities and leading experts around the world. By sharing our collective expertise and focusing on skin, hair and scalp’s crucial role in longevity, we’re accelerating the pace of discovery and will continue fueling groundbreaking innovations,” Barbara Lavernos said.
At the event, held in L'Oréal’s birthplace building Le Visionnaire, the company made clear that longevity isn't about looking 20 when you're 80. Instead, as Lavernos put it, it's about empowering "individuals to embrace self-expression at any age" and challenging societal norms around aging.
With its 37 internationally renowned brands reaching more than one billion consumers, L’Oréal Groupe wields considerable influence in shifting how we think about getting older. On a panel about longevity in society and culture, representatives from L'Oréal Paris, Publicis, the art world, and WIRED discussed exactly that cultural power.
Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, Global Brand President of L’Oréal Paris, explained how critical representation was for her brand, “We have a new campaign entitled, ‘from 18-80,’ where we do just that, feature women from 18 to 80—that's extremely important for giving examples and role models. When you start presenting older women in prominent roles, then you believe that after 55 you can still get promoted, lead companies, or run major advertising agencies. It's very encouraging."
The conversation continued the next day at WIRED and L'Oréal Groupe’s co-hosted salon dinner, where guests grappled with deeper questions about our evolving relationship with time itself. Over a meal and thoughtful discussion, attendees explored whether they'd choose 20 extra years of life or significantly better quality during their current expected lifespan, and how society can ensure longevity innovations don't create new forms of inequality. "The intersection of beauty, technology, and longevity isn't just about looking good—it's about fundamentally rethinking what it means to age well in the 21st century," said Katie Drummond, WIRED's Global Editorial Director. "These aren't just consumer products we're talking about; they're tools that could reshape how entire generations experience growing older."
But the week wasn't just about high-minded conversation. Pulling from their work in genomics, AI-powered diagnostics, and bio-engineered ingredients, L'Oréal debuted their latest longevity innovations at VivaTech 2025: Lancôme Cell BioPrint, Lancôme Rénergie Nano-Resurfacer 400 Booster, and the L'Oréal Wheel of Longevity and Longevity AI Cloud.
Lancôme's Cell BioPrint, created with partner NanoEntek, is an analytical tool that determines the biological age of your skin—which, if you're lucky (or diligent about daily sunscreen usage), could reveal a much younger age than your chronological one. Beyond the gamified thrill of discovering whether your skin is aging gracefully, this portable lab-on-a-chip device reveals what key ingredients your skin will actually respond to and provides personalized recommendations for preventative skincare.
“To be able to help people with longevity, we need to have technologies that go deeper than the surface of the skin,” explains Guive Balooch, Global Managing Director of Augmented Beauty & Open Innovation at L’Oréal Groupe. “First is to measure, second is to deliver.”
The Nano-Resurfacer that L’Oréal showcased does exactly that, using a combination of microneedling and proprietary formulas to penetrate deeper into skin where those measured cells live. Powered by patented nanochip technology, this at-home device boosts how well serums penetrate the stratum corneum—your skin's outermost protective layer—so active ingredients can work more effectively where they're needed most.
Of course, no tech showcase would be complete without AI. Enter L'Oréal's Wheel of Longevity and Longevity AI Cloud—the culmination of 15 years of research and 43 scientific publications. Think of the Wheel as L'Oréal's decoder ring for the nine interconnected hallmarks of skin aging, while the AI Cloud acts like a super-powered biological map that analyzes over 260 skin biomarkers. Together, these tools can predict exactly how different ingredients will impact your skin's aging process—basically turning skincare from expensive guesswork into precision science, aiding product development and product innovation.
L'Oréal's longevity play represents something bigger than just another beauty campaign. By investing seriously in aging science—complete with peer-reviewed research, sophisticated AI tools, and biotech partnerships—they're betting that beauty's future isn't about covering up time's effects, but about fundamentally changing how our bodies experience aging and how society embraces it.
