Makeup: Formulations | Iso-Dodecane

At the time when Marc Delcourt established Global Bioenergies over 10 years ago, he dreamed of transforming the aviation industry by eliminating petroleum derivatives. Despite the shift, he hasn't strayed from his original mission. He claims that the organization has conceived technology to formulate isododecane, a crucial component of long-wear and waterproof cosmetics, from plants instead of petroleum derivatives. Moreover, decarbonizing eyeshadow is just the first step.

Creams, cleansers, cleaning products, and most cosmetics are made from synthetic compounds derived from crude oil. Over the past decade, rising consumer concern over the impact on human health and the environment has pushed the sector towards greater transparency and the development of so-called clean beauty products.

However, in a touch-controlled industry with virtually no oversight from independent bodies, terms like "green" and "natural" are often used loosely. Many brands are genuinely attempting to create sustainable products, but there are also many that are clearly greenwashing.

Global Bioenergies' early steps were quite far from this discussion. In 2008, Delcourt was a biotechnology Ph.D. working on a new model of a machine that could produce isobutene from beetroot, corn, or wheat, rather than from petroleum derivatives.

Isobutene is a molecule composed of carbon and hydrogen. When combined, these particles form isododecane, a compound used primarily in the aviation industry as a component of aircraft fuel.

In the late 2000s, as technology for electric planes was still in its infancy, plant-based isododecane was the fastest way to reduce the environmental impact of an industry responsible for 2% of global emissions annually before the pandemic.

However, Delcourt soon realized that creating modern plants to produce large quantities of isododecane required a multimillion-dollar investment. A kilogram of fossil-based isododecane costs around €3 ($3.48), while a kilogram of the plant-based product could cost around €1,000.

In 2015, Delcourt began searching for a sector that used isododecane in smaller amounts and sold the finished product at a much higher price. This led him to cosmetics.

Isododecane is a critical component of long-wear cosmetics, a high-quality specialty in the makeup industry that represents about one-fourth of the market and is valued at around €10 billion, according to Delcourt.