The L'Oreal China Research and Innovation Center has been recognized by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce as a global R&D center, making it the first global-level foreign-funded R&D center in Jing'an district.

This upgrade, following Jing'an's introduction of eight measures in March to support the transformation and upgrading of foreign-invested enterprises, marks another milestone in the district's shift from a hub for foreign-invested enterprise sales operations to an innovation hub.

Jing'an district is home to more than 6,000 foreign-funded enterprises and 148 regional headquarters of multinational corporations.

L'Oreal established its China Research and Innovation Center in Shanghai in 2005. As one of the group's seven global R&D centers, it is dedicated to the Chinese market.

In 2025, L'Oreal China and Huashan Hospital Pudong Fudan University jointly established a skin science laboratory for medical research co-creation. Operating under a dual-site model at both Beauty Nova Tech Hub and Huashan Hospital Pudong Fudan University, the lab aims to bridge the gap between industry R&D and clinical translation.

The lab's first outcome, a supramolecular oil-control skincare product, made its global debut in April 2026, marking the successful application of Jing'an's joint research model connecting industry, academia, research, and medical institutions.

According to a district official, Jing'an will continue to align itself with the highest international standards, address development bottlenecks through institutional innovation, stimulate corporate innovation through targeted services, and strive to become a benchmark for high-level opening-up in Shanghai's central urban area.

Source: Jiefang Daily