What Is Biomimicry? This French Brand Is Unlocking the Science Behind Great Skin

September 22 | 5 minute read

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Words by Izzy Wight

Growing up in a family of dermatologists, cosmetic chemist Fabienne Sebaoun’s passion for skincare started when most others were sleeping in eyeliner and dodging their parents’ pleas to apply SPF.

“I never went into the sun, and we had all the French dermocosmetics products in my house,” she explains over video chat, calling in from her sunny office in Paris. “I was obsessed... I wanted to try everything. Every day was like a new discovery, and it really became a passion. When people tell me I have nice skin, I’m like ‘of course!’”

With its minimalistic, apothecary-style packaging and no-frills approach to formulation, Fabienne’s dermocosmetics brand Mimétique (pronounced mi-mi-tick) is an amalgamation of a lifetime spent decoding the complexities of science and skincare. Defined as ‘skincare agents with dermatologically active ingredients’, dermocosmetics are the cornerstone of French pharmacy beauty – but Fabienne brings an approach to Mimétique that feels entirely her own.

After graduating with a degree in cosmetic formulation, Fabienne built an illustrious 16-year career in beauty, working for some of the industry’s biggest names in Paris and Montreal. “Then, during COVID, I came back to France and went to university in Grasse,” she says. “I decided to go back to what I knew, which is skin. I wanted to crack the code to understand how to unlock the skin’s full potential. This is where I discovered biomimicry.”

Put simply, biomimetic skincare is formulated to support the way our skin naturally functions, using active ingredients it already contains, recognises and can readily absorb. “To be 100% honest, I think biomimicry is about going back to basics; going back to skin,” Fabienne tells me. “We’re not about marketing fairytales. Healthy skin does three things: protection, hydration and regeneration. Supporting those functions leads to results, which is why I created my Skin Mimetic Restore Complex (SMR-C5).”

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Created by a committee of dermatologists (including Fabienne’s aunt, Joëlle Sebaoun) the unique SMR-C5 Complex is Mimétique’s “secret sauce” – a unique blend of five biomimetic, active ingredients that work to boost hydration, increase collagen production and strengthen the skin barrier. While Mimétique has launched with just four products at MECCA (a moisturiser, cleansing balm, serum and face oil), restraint and patience are key to Fabienne’s success.

“Our bestseller, the Skin Restore Plumping Face Cream, was hard to make because I wanted to find an alternative to silicone. I wanted to make a cream that feels rich, but penetrates immediately,” Fabienne explains. “Skin Restore is exactly that.” Used backstage at Hermès runway shows, it’s an indulgent, soothing moisturiser that sinks in instantly and makes for the perfect makeup base. “It’s a mix of water, oil and actives, because your skin is also made up of layers of water and oil,” Fabienne explains. “But finding the right balance – it was hard.”

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Similarly, the Skin Cloud Nourishing Cleansing Balm is made up of skin-identical squalene, plant oils and rice wax – a silky, hydrating texture that melts makeup away effortlessly. As for treatments, Mimétique’s Skin Revive Smoothing Face Serum and Skin Booster Radiance Face Oil pack a seriously luminous punch. “I put a lot of ingredients in my formulas. I put at least 25% active ingredients,” Fabienne explains. “How can I do this? It’s very simple. Because I am the formulator, and I can buy my ingredients direct... My SMR-C5 Complex, my skin-identical actives, they are mine, meaning I can control how much of them are used through this process.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean the highest concentration of a singular active, Fabienne explains. The potency of Mimétique’s ingredients means she can use less in the formulation process and get the same results. “I really look at specific brands that specialise in post-surgery cosmetics, and how they work to regenerate the skin,” she tells me. “If you use a lower concentration of high-quality actives, your skin reaps the benefits and there’s less chance of irritation. This is how I work.”

With all of this to consider – sourcing ingredients, testing formulas, consulting with a panel of dermatologists – how long does it take for a Mimétique product to come to life? “Sometimes, you can get it right in maybe, five formulas. But right now, I’m on the 189th version of a new product, and I’m going crazy,” Fabienne laughs. “It really depends on what you want. But for me, it’s all about results.”