Racing for Something Bigger

Biotherm brings its love for water to life through its offshore sailing program. Discover the mini-series: Why We Race

Last year, skincare brand Biotherm launched back into the world of offshore racing with a disruptive new sailing program with the French Skipper Paul Meilhat. Today, the brand is telling their story in a new three-part mini-series: Why We Race.

Beyond the thrill of competition, Biotherm has put sustainability at the heart of their racing program through an innovative research project developed with their partner Tara Ocean Foundation.Embedded onto the Biotherm vessel is an Imaging FlowCytobot that automatically takes images of phytoplankton and other marine biodiversity every time that the vessel is in the water. This data will help researchers who are studying the impact of climate change on the ocean have a better idea of how phytoplankton in under-studied areas are faring. 

“At Biotherm, we were born from water. Plankton is our origin. Understanding it is our destination. That is why we race." explains Dania Blin, Biotherm International Sustainability Director.

Biotherm’s skipper, Paul Meilhat, is a renowned sailor and an integral part of Biotherm’s mission to do what the brand can to help preserve the ocean. He leads the Biotherm IMOCA in The Ocean Race 2022/2023, competing alongside some of the biggest names of sailing as well as using the Biotherm IMOCA to collect research data on ocean biodiversity for Biotherm’s research partner Tara Ocean Foundation.

Discover why Paul races in the first episode of the Why We Race mini-series.

In the second episode of Why We Race, Biotherm shares the story of how Dr. Alison Chase races to learn and how the data collected aboard the Biotherm IMOCA can benefit the whole scientific community to improve research on the health of the ocean.

Dr. Chase, an Oceanographer connected to Tara Ocean Foundation, has dedicated her life to researching phytoplankton, the primary producers of the ocean. Her work emphasizes the importance of collaboration between different sectors to preserve the ocean's health.

At the center of this story is phytoplankton. These tiny, microscopic plants that live in the ocean's surface waters, play a vital role in the ocean's ecosystem. They are the base of the ocean's food chain, providing food for larger marine animals. Without phytoplankton, the entire ocean's food web would collapse, resulting in a devastating impact on marine life, and ultimately, human life.

Episode 3 of Why We Race is about Biotherm’s race always go further and improve the environmental footprint of its formulas.

As part of the research project aboard the Biotherm IMOCA, every leg of The Ocean Race presents a valuable opportunity to collect data about marine biodiversity through the experimental sensors onboard the vessel. In the past, similar data has helped scientists working with Biotherm to develop an Aquatic Life Platform that lets them evaluate the potential impact of their ingredients and formulas on aquatic life.