When people think of artificial intelligence in cosmetics, image filters or photoshopped perfection often come to mind. But AI is doing far more than retouching marketing images, it is emerging as a quiet but powerful force transforming cosmetics ingredients that go into our skincare and beauty products. From molecule discovery to (bio)manufacturing, AI is unlocking new and groundbreaking innovations in cosmetics.

At the Ghent University BioMolecules center, we work at the crossroad of biotechnology, chemical engineering and AI to develop next-generation cosmetic ingredients. Our goal is to translate academic research into tangible, real-world applications, covering the full biomanufacturing chain, from AI-driven design and synthetic biology to fermentation, downstream processing, and green chemistry. In this editorial, I will highlight a few examples of how AI is already beginning to reshape the ingredients of the future.

Take plant-based actives like flavonoids and terpenoids. These molecules are widely used in skincare for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and rejuvenating properties and in parfums for their wonderful fragrances. Traditionally, these compounds are extracted from plants. However, this process is slow, land-intensive, and often leads to significant variability in quality. The EU Horizon deCYPher project (1) is developing an AI-supported synthetic biology platform to produce these compounds using engineered microbes instead of plants. AI helps to map biosynthetic pathways, design more efficient enzymes, including notoriously difficult ones like cytochrome P450s, and optimize microbial strains. Also digital twin models are used to simulate and refine our bioprocesses.

Together, these tools enable us to create microbial cell factories capable of producing a myriad of high-purity phytoactives on demand. This approach not only ensures consistent quality and supply but also reduces the environmental footprint of ingredient production. Molecules like quercetin, EGCG, linalool, limonene, and many more can now be produced without relying on plant extraction, offering a sustainable, scalable, and technologically advanced alternative to traditional methods.

Another promising area developed by UGent is the production of novel sugar molecules, such as chitin oligosaccharides and sugar-based extremolytes. These compounds can be used in moisturizers, anti-aging serums, collagen boosters and skin repair formulations. By combining precision metabolic engineering with AI-guided design-build-test-learn cycles, biosynthetic pathways in microbial hosts can be reprogrammed to produce these high-value cosmetic ingredients efficiently.

For instance a patented process (2) enables the controlled, animal-free, and scalable production of chitin oligosaccharides. Using precision metabolic engineering and an AI-driven design-build-test-learn cycle, the biosynthesis pathways is rewired in microbial cells. Moreover, the method (3) is finetuned further to change the polymer length and deacetylation pattern of chitin oligos, enabling us to tailor their bioactivity for specific cosmetic applications.

Another way of implementing AI is through enzyme engineering for biocatalysis, which enables us to unlock portfolios of patented novel sugars (4) and glycosylated molecules (5). These can be produced at high yields to be used as cosmetic extremolytes — precious ingredients that help rejuvenate skin, protect collagen, and reduce wrinkles. These are natural, effective components for high-end skincare.

Beyond biotech ingredients, AI is also revolutionizing the discovery of small molecules through advanced chemical modelling. By simulating molecular interactions and predicting structure–activity relationships, AI accelerates the identification of novel compounds with cosmetic potential. When combined with flow chemistry, these discoveries can be rapidly translated into scalable synthesis routes. These continuous processes are easier to optimize by the combination of AI and robotics. What used to take years in a lab can now be done in months, with less waste and greater flexibility. Together, AI and flow chemistry form a powerful duo: one that shortens development timelines and brings innovative, high-performance ingredients to market faster than ever before.

Artificial intelligence in cosmetics is no longer just enhancing images. It is driving a deeper more fundamental shift, helping us to create the ingredients that define how products work, how they feel, and how they support healthier, more radiant skin. Looking forward, strong collaboration between academic research centers and industry will be essential. Partnerships can help to accelerate the scale-up of promising technologies, to bridge the gap from lab to product, and push innovations in new directions. Whether through joint development of novel molecules, optimization of production processes, or applying AI to solve new biotechnological challenges, there is significant potential to explore.