For nearly five years, I worked as the copy director at a biotech hair care brand. While I've been writing in the beauty, fashion and lifestyle space for more than 15 years, this was my first exposure to a legitimately innovative beauty brand, and I learned a lot about how technology is being leveraged for sustainability in the industry.
As a brand copywriter, I get to peek behind the curtain, and at a science-based brand (a buzzworthy term these days) there is an overwhelming amount of education that needs to be conveyed. What you see as the consumer are snappy, three-word headers and quippy taglines, but in reality there are scientists to consult, regulatory hurdles to jump, legal implications to avoid, a marketing team to align with and product developers with whom to confer. After years of trying to market above the competition, I got pretty good at recognizing the real deal when I saw it –– and knowing what zingers are word salad at best.
For all my knowledge of the biotech hair care industry, however, my first love has always been skin care. My Lebanese aunts –– who looked just shy of 60 when they were 80 –– introduced me to the magic of intensive skin care and cold creams. I've been deep-diving into what makes skin care "worth the money" as long as I can remember. This, coupled with my experience at a science-based brand, means it's no surprise that my interest in biotech skin care runs more than skin deep.
Biotechnology in skin care means the marriage of biology and chemistry. For the beauty industry, which is set to generate upward of $646 billion in revenue in 2024 alone, biotechnology brings with it enormous potential. It gives scientists an opportunity to engineer natural ingredients oftentimes more sustainably than if they were naturally farmed, and usually at a more powerful concentration. Biotechnology can tap into the science of stem cell research and regenerative medicine. In short, biotech skin care is inspired by biology, but lab-created or -assisted for maximum results.
Here's what to know about biotech skin care, along with five brands I recently tried.
What to know about biotech skin care
Biotech brands often feature either a patented and/or proprietary ingredient that's been exhaustively tested to prove its benefits or a unique delivery system designed to outperform the competition.
Due to patents and proprietary formulations, biotech brands have likely (and rightly) put their hero ingredients or formulas through a series of independent, third-party, clinical studies. This is different from a consumer perception study, in which you'll see language like, "93% said they saw fewer wrinkles."
That's not to discredit consumer perception results; they are a reliable and digestible way for consumers to understand a product's benefit through the lens of actual consumers. But it's worth making note of which brands run independent clinical studies because a.) they are not cheap and b.) they are time consuming. Brands don't embark on such studies unless they are near-certain they have a remarkable technology worth touting. Even better if their data or technology has been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
So I set out to discover some of the most cutting-edge biotech brands worth the hype. Of all the products I tested, and of the meetings I held to understand the science behind each formula, here were five standouts I'd recommend.
OneSkin
OneSkin's unique ingredient is OS-01, a peptide biologically proven to reverse skin's biological age, meaning: Does the condition of your cells align with your chronological age? Some of this is genetic, but it can also be influenced by diet, environment, and lifestyle. OS-01 has been engineered to penetrate the skin so deeply that it's able to help healthier, younger cells multiply, therefore strengthening the skin barrier and encouraging collagen production. The OS-01 peptide also increases hydration retention and radiance and reduces wrinkles. By tapping into the cellular level, OneSkin is able to help make skin healthier overall, thus extending skin health (longevity).
Not only do I love that OneSkin makes it easy for consumers to view the peptide's claims, but I am also thoroughly impressed with the efficacy of its products. In just one week of using the OS-01 Eye Cream, I noticed my under eyes were brighter and smoother.
Exoceuticals
The use of exosomes (a type of extracellular vesicle, if you must know) in skin care products is becoming more popular, and Exoceuticals has a proprietary version called eXo3. In a meeting with regenerative medicine specialist Dr. Robin L. Smith, she explained that eXo3 can be tuned to target aspects of skin that need to be modified due to aging and insults from the environment. The team said to think of eXo3 as "bioactive cargo," as it carries lipids, protein, miRNAs, growth factors and peptides, communicating directly with the cells it comes in contact with, essentially reprogramming gene expression.
This is one of those examples where the proprietary technology is in the delivery system, rather than the ingredient, and this delivery can help facilitate the production of collagen and elastin. eXo3 has been shown to accelerate cell renewal by almost 20% in the lab and offer anti-inflammatory benefits, which improve skin's health and overall appearance.
I was wildly impressed with the technology behind Exoceuticals, but I also was an instant fan of the products I tried. The EXO FACE Perfection Moisturizer is somehow both decadent and lightweight, perfect for daytime use. The products were fast-absorbing, never sticky or greasy and seemed to deliver an instant glow. The EXO H-Serum Hyaluronic Acid Treatment features seven different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to not only plump the outermost layer of the skin but also to penetrate into the cells to help increase the production of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring molecule that your body produces less of each year. I've been using this as the first serum in my routine, before my morning vitamin C serum.
Veriphy
I was initially drawn to Veriphy because it is an excellent option for those who want the power of biotech skin care with the clean-beauty claims of a vegan, natural and cruelty-free brand. Keep in mind, there is no universal regulation for what makes a "clean" product, but it's a good sign that Veriphy products are free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, mineral oil, fragrances, silicones and more. However, it's what's in the formulas that really set it apart. The key ingredient in all products is called Phytospherix, which is a plant-based form of glycogen (historically derived from animal sources). Their third-party clinical trials claim Phytospherix can promote collagen and hyaluronic acid production; reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and pigment spots; and improve skin hydration by 130%. Phytospherix are bookended by other powerful ingredients like lactic acid, peptides and licorice root, making the five-step system a multitasker's dream.
I quickly fell in love with the entire Veriphy routine, edited down to the essentials: A cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer and eye cream. Not only did I fawn over the gorgeous texture of each product, I also loved that my skin never felt dry or stripped of moisture. In fact, hours after application, my face still felt soft and supple. I would likely choose a thicker moisturizer for nighttime use, but that's a personal preference. (I like my face to look like a glazed doughnut before bed.)
Deinde
We encounter inflammation daily. Our environment, diet, lifestyle and genetics all play a role in how resilient our skin is (or isn't) at fighting stressors. Deinde uses a patented form of naringenin, which is a potent polyphenol found in citrus peels that helps diminish the root cause of aging, as sustained inflammation causes the breakdown of collagen and elastin.
I see Deinde as an excellent choice for daily, healthy-skin maintenance. The line is made up of three powerhouse products: a cleanser, serum and a hydrating face stick. My favorite of the three was the serum, which has an absolutely gorgeous milky texture and left my skin feeling soft, firm and hydrated. It absorbed quickly, so it would be an excellent choice for day or nighttime application. The cleanser left my face feeling slightly dry, but my skin errs on the side of dry to start. Consider the face stick when you need a hydration pick-me-up, and toss it in a bag on-the-go for easy access. I have been using it first thing before my morning run, layered with SPF for lightweight hydration.
Mother Science
My greatest skin issue, by a long shot, is hyperpigmentation. Naturally, I was thrilled to discover Mother Science, whose Molecular Hero Serum yielded a consumer perception result of 100% reduction in dark spots after four weeks. Mother Science's key ingredient is Malassezin, a naturally occurring molecule found on skin. In addition to brightening skin, it smooths texture, minimizes the look of lines and wrinkles, and protects from free radical damage. Mother Science is also vegan, cruelty free and considered a clean brand, as it excludes a host of ingredients like parabens, sulfates, phthalates, formaldehydes, oxybenzone, fragrances and more.
I've been using retinol for years and attribute much of my skin's firmness and radiance to this form of vitamin A. I'm especially excited about continuing use of Mother Science's Retinol Synergist Serum, which includes encapsulated (slow release) retinol, and gets a skin-smoothing, wrinkle-reducing boost from Malassezin. Both of its serums are creamy, effective and fast-absorbing, making them easy to layer into your everyday skin care routine.
Biotech is booming
There are so many brands –– biotech or not –– with interesting innovations that I could talk about this topic all day. But if you're wondering where to start on your journey to science-based skin care, the technology-driven products above got my vote.
Opinions expressed by CNET Voices contributors are their own.