There’s a lot of talk in the beauty industry currently about overwhelm. Between having more choice of products than ever before and being inundated with sometimes conflicting information—and sometimes outright misinformation—on social media, I’m not surprised that many consumers are confused. Even as a skincare enthusiast, I find today’s skincare market pretty saturated, meaning it’s that much harder for a new launch to feel massively exciting and disruptive. But I was pleasantly intrigued when I opened an email introducing me to new-to-the-UK brand Mimétique.
This French “dermocosmetics” skincare line, with its paint-style tubes and medicine bottle screw caps, looks great in its predominantly minimalistic white with blue and green accents. But it’s got the scientific backing, too, with a clear emphasis on its founding on years of research into biomimetic skincare and skin-identical ingredients.
I was further impressed when I stopped by the UK launch event and spoke with Mimétique’s fonder, Fabienne Sebaoun; it was clear that she not only knows her stuff, but also isn’t here for scaremongering tactics in marketing or the “bad” ingredients movement. A cosmetic chemist from a dermatologist family, her founding a skincare brand makes sense. Having now tried the full range, I’ve shared my first impressions of the four-product-strong line in this guide. But first…
(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)
What is biomimetic skincare?
You don’t have to speak French to work out that this brand’s name translates as mimetic, a nod to the biomimetic ingredients with which the skincare products are formulated. “Biomimicry means learning from the skin itself, one of the most advanced biological systems on the planet,” says Sebaoun. “If you give the skin the same molecules it naturally produces, it absorbs them better; it recognises them and it responds faster. You’re not forcing it to change, you’re supporting its own intelligence.” Sebaoun worked with researchers and biotech experts to create a proprietary complex that would support skin cell regeneration, clinically tested and based on skin-identical ingredients.
You may notice Mimétique is quite expensive—this is definitely a luxury brand rather than a more cheap ‘n’ cheerful drugstore skincare line—but this can in part be put down to the science behind it. Within the products is the exclusive SMR-C5 (Skin Mimetic Restore Complex), made up of five biomimetic active ingredients naturally present in the skin. Developed over three years in partnership with the cosmetic chair of AgroParis Tech, this complex targets protection, hydration and regeneration—and was found to increase collagen production, keratinocyte renewal and fibroblasts (responsible for collagen and elastin production).
It’s impressive-sounding stuff, and there are big plans for Mimétique’s future. “We’re launching an incredible new eye contour in September, along with a travel set we’re really proud of,” says Sebaoun. “The design is beautiful, and I honestly can’t wait to share it. 2026 is shaping up to be a big year, too; I’ve been working on some of these formulas for over two years now, and they’re finally ready.” Until then, here are my thoughts on the first four products.
1. Skin Cloud Makeup Remover Balm
(Image credit: Mimétique)
A squidgy balm cleanser, this is great for whipping off your make-up at the end of a long day out and about. It melts into the skin, warming into an oily consistency before emulsifying to become a milk that wipes clean off. With squalane and soothing bisabolol, it feels nice and gentle on the skin, while the metal packaging looks like a prescription cream or even a tube of paint—making squeezing it out quite satisfying.
2. Skin Restore Face Cream
(Image credit: Mimétique)
A nice cream with a hint of a gel texture, this nourishing moisturiser packs in humectants and emollients like squalane, almond oil and sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) to nourish and support the skin barrier, among others. As a day cream, I’d say it leans ever so slightly more towards suiting drier skin; though it soaks eventually without greasy residue, for oily girls like me it might be a little rich as well as applying the best facial sunscreen, so I tend to use it at nighttime instead. This is the hero product from the range and, quite incredibly, according to the brand nine out of 10 customers who buy Mimétique go on to re-purchase Skin Restore Cream. Impressive!
3. Skin Revive Serum
(Image credit: Mimétique)
I love the lid of this dinky serum, emblazoned with the Mimétique logo and looking like a chic answer to Calpol or Benylin. The formula would be best suited to those who want a single serum that ticks a lot of boxes, versus layering on multiple serums. There’s ascorbyl glucoside, a very stable derivative of L-Ascorbic acid (AKA vitamin C); sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid; niacinamide and soothing Avena sativa—as well as the hero complex. The dropper-style dispenser also makes it near-impossible to overuse, as you shake out a drop at a time (three being the optimum amount per application, according to the instructions). So while the serum seems pricey for its size, you’re not using much at a time, so it should last you a while.
4. Skin Booster Face Oil
(Image credit: Mimétique)
I’ll be honest, face oil is something that I would use. It’s not that I’m averse to oil simply because I have quite oily skin, more that I just don’t love the texture on my slow-to-absorb-skincare complexion, and would only really reach for one in winter. That said, this one is very fluid and lightweight, with a couple of drops stretching far to avoid too heavy an oily feeling on the skin. As well as SMR-C5, there’s bakuchiol (often touted as an alternative to retinol due to having some similar, though not identical, benefits), soothing bisabolol and plum, grape and almond oils.