Dassault Systèmes is moving its virtual twin technology further into consumer product development through a new collaboration with Groupe Rocher, aimed at accelerating the formulation of plant-based cosmetics and reducing the volume of laboratory iteration needed to bring new products to market.
The French software group will model Groupe Rocher’s proprietary active ingredients and the skin on its 3DEXPERIENCE platform as part of a Virtual Twin as a Service engagement. The objective is to simulate ingredient interaction, skin penetration, and expected efficacy earlier in the formulation cycle, giving R&D teams a stronger predictive base before committing to repeated physical testing.
That has a clear practical target. Groupe Rocher says it currently takes roughly 30 laboratory tests on average to arrive at the right formulation, and the new workflow is intended to cut development time by 20%. The programme will begin with the Ice Plant, an ingredient already associated with the Yves Rocher Lift Pro Collagene anti-ageing range, before expanding to other actives.
For Dassault, the deal is another sign that simulation-led development is moving well beyond aerospace, automotive, and industrial equipment into chemically complex consumer goods categories where trial-and-error still absorbs a large share of R&D time. For Groupe Rocher, which traces its roots to 1959 and spans brands including Yves Rocher, Sabon, Arbonne, and Dr Pierre Ricaud, the appeal is not cosmetic digitisation as a slogan, but a tighter link between plant science, modelling, and formulation decisions.
The collaboration also reflects a broader shift in product development across regulated and semi-regulated sectors, where companies want stronger evidence earlier in the design process, fewer late-stage failures, and a clearer digital thread between scientific data and commercial launch. In beauty and wellness, where margin pressure and launch cadence are both unforgiving, shaving weeks or months from development while improving formulation confidence is likely to be more valuable than any headline attached to the technology stack.
