Conscious beauty solutions where performance meets purpose
Symbiotic Beauty Lab is working to reshape the beauty industry through each innovative collaboration. We’re committed to creating inherently greener and more sustainable products that not only deliver on their promises, but also contribute positively to our world.
Our Values
Synergy
We believe in the power of harmonious relationships — between ingredients in our formulations, between people in our partnerships, and between humanity and nature.
Innovation Through Connection
By understanding the interconnected nature of ingredients, we unlock new possibilities in formulation that deliver both breakthrough efficacy and sustainable beauty solutions.
Conscious Beauty
Every choice matters — from ingredient selection to sourcing practices. We embrace mindful decision-making that benefits both people and planet.
Boldness
We formulate with tomorrow in mind, challenging industry norms through green formulation solutions that prove green products can be performance leaders.
Kindness
We believe the path to transformation lies in working together. Through open collaboration and genuine partnerships, we create positive change in the beauty industry.
About our Founder
Kseniya Popova founded Symbiotic Beauty Lab on the principle that beauty innovation thrives through harmonious relationships — between science and nature, performance and sustainability, brands and their partners. With 17+ years of formulation expertise spanning raw materials, brands, and manufacturing, she pioneers conscious beauty development that benefits all stakeholders in the value chain. Her comprehensive industry experience includes dynamic roles at Ajinomoto, Farmacy Beauty, Englewood Lab, iLABS, and an award-winning tenure as the lead formulator at The Beauty Bank's indie brand incubator.
This unique blend of supplier, brand, and manufacturing expertise informs her pragmatic approach to product development, while her commitment to sustainability pushes innovation boundaries. A recognized industry leader, Kseniya mentors emerging chemists in green formulation practices, fostering the next generation of conscious beauty innovators. Her expertise in strategic ingredient selection, technology development, and scalable manufacturing solutions helps brands create products that work in harmony with both consumers and the environment.
The 12 Principles of Green Formulation
Kensiya Popova wrote a comprehensive article detailing the 12 Principles of Green Formulation for the November 2024 issue of SOFW Journal. These principles provide a practical guide for formulators to create inherently greener and more sustainable products. By applying these principles, formulators can select superior raw materials, streamline formulas, enhance product safety and efficacy, reduce production issues and waste, and promote a circular economy.
These principles serve as the foundation of Symbiotic Beauty Lab. An overview is below. You may purchase the full article here.
#1 Formulate for Efficacy
Product efficacy equates to less waste. Our goal should be to create products that consumers use to completion. To achieve this, we must include active ingredients at scientifically tested levels and focus on formulations that genuinely deliver on their promises.
#2 Formulate for Health and Safety
Formulators must meticulously assess the safety profile of each ingredient, considering both hazard and exposure. This involves scrutinizing the ingredient’s manufacturing process, purity, impurities, and potential toxicological effects. We must scrutinize our suppliers, push for comprehensive data, and raise concerns when warranted to protect the safety and wellbeing of the consumer and the workers in our supply chains.
#3 Formulate for Benign Degradation
Our considerations must extend beyond product use to encompass the broader environmental impact of our products. We must make informed choices by selecting ingredients with demonstrated biodegradability and minimal downstream effects.
#4 Use Verified Renewables
Transparency and traceability in supply chains are no longer optional but essential. While formulators aren’t solely responsible for mapping entire supply chains, we should cultivate curiosity about our ingredients’ origins and production methods.
#5 Use Waste Ingredients
Circular economy principles can guide us in treating all by-products as potential resources. By embracing such practices, we not only reduce waste but also potentially discover novel, effective ingredients.
#6 Use Biotech Ingredients
Biotechnology offers a promising middle ground between complex naturally-derived ingredients and polluting synthetic processes. By harnessing biological means of creating substances, we can potentially reduce our environmental footprint while opening up new avenues for innovation.
#7 Reduce Number of Ingredients
We must question whether every ingredient truly serves a necessary purpose. Instead of asking “What can I add?”, we should ask “What can I remove?”. This shift in mindset not only simplifies our formulas but also has far-reaching implications for sustainability.
#8 Minimize Solvents and Fillers
Water and other solvents increase product weight, transportation costs, and environmental impact. It’s time we challenged the traditional norms of what are considered typical product forms containing a high percentage of water, and explore minimal water or waterless formulas to achieve the same benefits.
#9 Rely on Multi-Functionality
Formulators can take advantage of optimizing the multifunctional ingredients that already exist within our portfolios to create much more efficient formulations that benefit the user and the environment.
#10 Formulate for Energy Efficiency
From challenging ourselves to reimagine formulations without relying on heat or high-shear mixing to simplifying and optimizing our formulations for manufacturing efficiency, there are many opportunities to reduce energy consumption during the manufacturing process.
#11 Consider In-Use Experience
Life Cycle Assessments have revealed that the consumer-use phase often has the most significant environmental impact. Through thoughtful formulation design, we can influence this impact by creating products that are mindful of energy consumption.
#12 Use Tools and Software
As we transition towards more sustainable practices, it’s crucial to leverage technology to guide our decisions. Tools for calculating greenhouse gas emissions and conducting LCAs can help us make informed choices between ingredients and processes.