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Naima Chentoufi's career trajectory mirrors the timeline of LVMH Group's R&D expansion across Asia.
In 2006, she established Dior's first skincare laboratory at the Asia Innovation Center in Tokyo. In April 2023, she led the design and inauguration of the new AIC Lab in Shanghai's Pudong district—a facility spanning over 22,000 square meters that stands as LVMH's largest R&D center in Asia.
For 24 years, Chentoufi has remained at the forefront of formulation development. Her expertise encompasses clean beauty market innovation, cushion product development, specialty active ingredient applications, and building EHS-compliant cosmetics laboratories from the ground up. Since 2022, she has also driven strategic technical exchanges between LVMH and Amore Pacific in innovative formulation.
happi China magazine recently sat down with Naima Chentoufi for an in-depth interview. This formulation scientist—who has built R&D laboratories in both Japan and China—shared her insights on the integration of efficacy and sensoriality, the practical application of dual-vector technology, and LVMH's localized innovation approach of "developing IN China, FOR China and the world."
Naima Chentoufi
Head of AIC Lab, LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics
Efficacy and Sensoriality: Not Opposite Ends of a Scale
"The convergence of efficacy and sensoriality is key for consumer satisfaction." For a formulation scientist with over two decades in luxury beauty, this statement carries meaning far deeper than its surface suggests.
"At LVMH Recherche, we never view efficacy and sensoriality as two separate goals requiring balance. Our philosophy is holistic integration—efficacy, sensoriality, stability, and safety. These four elements must be optimized simultaneously from the very first formula sketch, with none being negotiable."
This philosophy faces concrete challenges in actual formulation development. High-concentration active ingredients, for instance, often require sufficient dosage to ensure clinical efficacy, yet high doses may introduce strong odors or undesirable colors. "The formulator's role isn't to choose between efficacy and a beautiful experience—it's to deliver both. Our approach is precision design: selecting synergistic ingredients, employing advanced delivery systems like encapsulation, and optimizing processing techniques. The key lies in finding the precise method to make potent ingredients deliver their efficacy while contributing to an exceptional sensory profile."
Formulators must navigate between the subjective and objective. LVMH Recherche employs a dual-track validation system. On one hand, objective efficacy and safety assessment uses in vitro and in vivo clinical studies to demonstrate biological activity and safety under controlled conditions. On the other hand, structured sensory evaluation engages trained experts and target consumers in sensory panels, scoring specific attributes such as texture, spreadability, absorption, after-feel, and scent—transforming subjective experience into quantifiable data.
"We give clinical results and sensory feedback equal weight. If a formula performs brilliantly in efficacy tests but sensory panels reveal a sticky texture or unpleasant scent, we go back and adjust. Conversely, if a formula feels incredible but can't deliver the proven results we need, it requires refinement. This is a continuous iterative process—scientific data and human feedback together drive the formula toward improvement."
"A formula that delivers undeniable, proven results through an irresistibly stable sensory experience." This is how she summarizes LVMH Recherche's formulation objective.
Dual-Vector Technology: The Relay Race Between Liposomes and Surfactin
Chentoufi shared LVMH Recherche's latest advances in vectorization technology—innovations aimed at enhancing active ingredient delivery efficiency, skin penetration, and overall product performance.
The 2025 relaunch of Dior's Capture line features a patented dual-vector technology. This "pro-penetrating duo of vectors" system delivers the OX-C treatment to the epidermal basal membrane, reaching skin stem cells. Chentoufi explained the mechanism:
Step one is accomplished by liposomes. These microscopic vesicles composed of lipid bilayers carry active ingredients into the upper epidermis.
Step two sees surfactin take over. Surfactin is a 100% natural surfactant derived through fermentation. With its amphiphilic structure, surfactin possesses ideal design properties to take the baton from liposomes and carry the OX-C treatment into deeper skin layers.
To validate this dual-vector system, the research team conducted dedicated testing. Results showed the dual vector sustains active ingredient release for up to 8 hours post-application, achieving continuous delivery across all skin layers. Another test demonstrated that compared to non-vectorized formulations, the dual-vector system increased active ingredient penetration depth by 33% after 4 hours.
"We have demonstrated that liposomes genuinely exist and function in our formula—this is critically important. This was achieved through process management during scale-up."
Another technical case study comes from Dior's Pro-Collagen Eye Shot. This product employs a patented duo of polymers technology, designed not merely for film formation but to create a dynamic system achieving both mechanical and biological transformation.
This technology integrates two polymers. The first is an alginate-based biopolymer with exceptional tension properties, providing instant lifting effects. The second is a modified starch derivative offering long-term elasticity, ensuring the film remains flexible rather than rigid. The formulation also incorporates a specialized glycol plasticizer to maintain polymer chain mobility—meaning this film adapts to facial movement while maintaining its tensing effect.
"During clinical validation, we observed this polymer network interacting with the skin. The film creates a micro-environment that stimulates the reorganization of dermal fibrillar collagen."
This duality—immediate lifting plus long-term collagen remodeling—demonstrates polymer evolution in beauty. "Polymers are no longer passive ingredients. They are active collaborators working with skin biology."
R&D in China: Speed, Insight, and Challenges
From France to Japan to China, Chentoufi's career has traversed three major beauty R&D hubs. The Shanghai AIC Lab, completed in 2023, carries the mission of "developing IN China, FOR China/Asia & Worldwide." What does this positioning mean? Where do the advantages and challenges of localized R&D lie?
"This is a fascinating question, and frankly, it's the core of my work here. Leading formulation R&D in China with an outstanding Chinese team has been truly eye-opening. This isn't simply tweaking existing formulas—it's about deeply understanding what drives Chinese beauty consumers, then building from the ground up."
Chinese consumer needs possess distinctive characteristics. "Whitening is indeed a major focus, stemming from cultural preferences for luminous, even-toned skin. But Chinese consumer demands extend far beyond this. They are extremely sophisticated and discerning."
First comes the demand for immediate sensory gratification. Textures must be ultra-light, absorption must be instantaneous, and the feel must be zero-residue and non-tacky. "Imagine feather-light serums, water-gel creams. From the first second of skin contact, tactile sensation is crucial."
Second is the emphasis on visible results. Chinese consumers often expect faster transformations. Additionally, they hold deep appreciation for tradition and efficacy, but demand modern elegance and cutting-edge technology in presentation. "You can see TCM ingredients are popular, but consumers expect these ingredients to be validated by modern science and delivered in luxurious, sensorially perfect formats. It's a unique fusion of tradition, high-tech expectations, and an obsession with perfect texture."
Being positioned at the heart of the Chinese market gives the R&D team significant advantages. First is speed and agility. "We see trends explode overnight, and consumer feedback comes directly and fast. My team, being local, has instinctive understanding of these preferences. They know what 'light' feels like to a Chinese consumer, what 'brightening' really means. This allows us to complete prototyping, local consumer testing, and iteration at remarkable speed."
Second is convenient access to the local innovation ecosystem. China has a thriving network of raw material suppliers, biotech firms, and packaging innovators. "Here, we can directly connect with this ecosystem, discovering unique ingredients and technologies—opportunities we might miss if developing remotely."
Third is talent. "The scientific expertise and passion within my Chinese team is phenomenal. They combine deep technical knowledge with market insight," said Chentoufi.
Challenges certainly exist. The regulatory landscape is complex and continuously evolving, requiring constant vigilance and strong local expertise. Cultural integration also takes time. "Coming from France and Japan, working styles, communication approaches, and problem-solving methods can differ. It took time, mutual respect, and open communication to truly blend our respective strengths—the rigorous science and luxury heritage I bring with my Chinese colleagues' incredible market intuition and speed."
Scaling innovation also faces obstacles. Some cutting-edge local technologies or novel ingredients may not yet have established global supply chains or obtained regulatory approvals for worldwide launch.
"But the biggest opportunity lies in proving that 'Developed in China' can mean 'Global Standard.' We're not just making products for China; we're leveraging this unique environment—sophisticated consumers, rapid pace, local innovation—to create truly groundbreaking formulas. The light textures perfected here resonate globally. The efficacy solutions developed for demanding Chinese skin concerns have universal appeal. My goal is for our China R&D center to become an innovation hub supporting the entire global portfolio—proving that luxury, science, and sensorial perfection know no borders, but can be brilliantly amplified right here."
The Next Decade of Formulation Science: Precision, Intelligence, Elegance
After 24 years in high-tech formulation development, Chentoufi's passion for the work remains undiminished. "I'm still thrilled by the creativity of our work. We're not just scientists—we're artists. We sculpt ingredients into consumer experiences."
In her view, the next decade's breakthroughs won't come merely from discovering new molecules, but from redefining how ingredients communicate with each other and with skin.
She highlighted three directions worth watching.
First is precision synergies. "Like a master perfumer blending notes, we'll combine botanicals, ceramides, and peptides in new ways that amplify their power for longevity science."
Second is smart carriers. "Using ingredients like fermented oils to deliver actives deeper and smarter into the skin ecosystem."
Third is bio-intelligent textures. "Gels that transform into fluids upon application, or serums that adapt to skin pH."
"Over the next 5 to 10 years, I believe the most exciting breakthroughs in formulation science will come from its convergence with biology, materials innovation, and data-driven design. We're moving beyond 'mixing ingredients' toward designing intelligent delivery systems—systems that dynamically respond to the skin's microenvironment."
For young formulators entering the field, she offered this advice: "Master the science, but also think like an artist. Formulation is where ingredients meet emotion. Magic happens when technology and creativity merge."
"Never forget: the greatest formulations aren't the most complex—they're the most elegant. Like a perfect fragrance accord, sometimes one note, placed precisely, changes everything."
Source：
Author：John Xie