UIC Barcelona’s Bioengineering Institute of Technology (BIT) has received €150,000 of competitive funding for its “Novel Sustainable Eco-Friendly Dermo-Cosmetic Product” project. BIT director Román Pérez is leading the project, alongside enterprising researcher Begoña Bosch. The funding was awarded in the Product category of a call for applications issued by the Government of Catalonia’s Agency for the Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR), a decision announced on 31 January 2024.

Pérez and Bosch have developed the innovative, sustainable dermo-cosmetic product in question because, as they point out, the cosmetics industry generates a great deal of plastic and many of its products are commonly used on a daily basis. “We’re seeking environmentally friendly solutions, such as this sustainable solid cosmetic product, which is made with natural ingredients,” they explain.

The project revolves around using natural waste, such as algae, shrimp and sand, to develop a solid cosmetic product that dissolves when it comes into contact with water, creating an effect similar to that of a cream. In the words of the researchers: “The product is anhydrous, so it contains no moisture; that not only means better preservation of its active ingredients but also makes it easier to transport and reduces costs and the amount of water needed to make it.”

This project represents a step further in UIC Barcelona’s commitment to innovation and sustainability through the transfer of knowledge to society. The university is currently carrying out 96 competitively funded projects.