Skinnovation: Beauty regimens based in science

Skin is the human body’s largest organ. For millennia, various civilizations have cultivated their own ideals of beauty and distinct beauty regimens, including for our skin. Today, it can seem nearly impossible to discern the best way to not just care for our outermost layer, but keep it lustrous. Anna Gibbs reports for SN on what cutting-edge cosmetic science says about skincare.

🙅🏼‍♀️ Building a better skin barrier

Today, some cosmetic experts believe that healthy skin starts with recognizing that it’s a barrier. Skin protects us from pathogens, allergens and other substances that shouldn’t seep into our bodies. According to cosmetic chemist Valerie George, CEO of Simply Beauty Group in Dallas, rigorous exfoliation was the rule of skincare to slough off dead skin cells from the topmost layer, damaging it in the process. But reinforcing the skin’s function as a barrier can help rebuild that protection while keeping skin clear.

Hydration helps this barrier do its job well. Dry, cracked skin allows bacteria and irritants through, so moisturizer is essential. Many moisturizers incorporate ingredients called humectants, which attract water from outside the body as well as within it. Moisturizers also include occlusives, like waxes and oils, that stay on top of the skin to prevent water loss. In addition to humectants and occlusives, which interact with dead skin cells, products with active ingredients that boost metabolic processes in living skin cells, like retinoids and niacinamide, can also promote healthy skin.

💅 Big beauty

The behemoth beauty industry is worth about $450 billion. It permeates every aspect of our culture, and is inescapable on social media. Skincare specifically was valued at about $115.65 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $194.05 billion in the next six years. This established market has newcomers cropping up all the time, as evidenced by the startups who put science at the forefront of their brand.

✨ The science of beauty

Here are just a few startups putting out skincare products with an emphasis on research:

• Mother Science: Founded in 2021, this Los Angeles–based startup developed products that support the skin barrier with malassezin, a compound produced by a type of yeast called Malassezia furfur that naturally occurs on the skin. Since founding, this seed-stage company has raised $13.1 million.
  
• Evolved by Nature: This Series C startup develops molecules for skincare and other purposes, sourced from renewable resources such as silk rather than petroleum. One of their proprietary bioactive peptides supports the skin barrier. They’ve raised a total of $190 million over three funding rounds, and count Chanel and The Kraft Group among investors.

Investing in beauty can also mean investing in skin health.

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