The future of skin care will be shaped by the technologies brands choose to bring forward.
For nearly four decades, Dermalogica, A Unilever Prestige company, has built its reputation around professional skin health, training professional skin therapists and dermatologists, providing consumer education, treatment expertise and results-driven products. As biotechnology enables new benefits in cosmetic science, that same philosophy is creating an opportunity to evaluate a new generation of biologically inspired active ingredients.
Smart Eye Density represents one example.
Rather than approaching under-eye aging solely as a surface concern, Dermalogica partnered with French biotech Core Biogenesis to develop a biotechnology-inspired product around a specific unmet consumer need - hollow, deep-set eyes: the visible loss of density that can contribute to hollow-looking under-eyes and increasingly thin-looking skin.
The result is what Dermalogica describes as a biointelligent eye serum designed to visibly rebuild under-eye density over time. At the center of that approach is an emerging class of cosmetic biotechnology: biomimetic growth factors.
“When we evaluate emerging technologies, we look beyond the novelty of the active itself,” said Dr. Bob Bianchini, vice president of technology and innovation at Dermalogica in Los Angeles, CA. “The science has to translate into a formulation that is stable, sophisticated and capable of delivering meaningful results for the consumer. Growth factor based biotechnology was particularly interesting to us because it offered a new way to approach visible skin density, while advances in stabilization and oleosome-fused delivery make biological actives increasingly practical for sophisticated cosmetic formulations.”
Cosmetics & Toiletries spoke with Dr. Bianchini and Core Biogenesis’ chief commercial officer Tony Abboud about their collaboration on Smart Eye Density and how this can serve as a case study for further biotech-inspired innovation in skincare.
When evaluating emerging biotechnology like biomimetic growth factors, what were the most critical hurdles in translating raw molecular science into a stable, sophisticated formulation for the delicate under-eye area?
Dr. Bob Bianchini [BB]:The most critical hurdle is preserving biological activity while meeting the demands of a complex cosmetic formulation. A molecule
Dr. Bob Bianchini, vice president of technology and innovation, DermalogicaCourtesy of Dermalogica
The second challenge is delivery. The skin barrier remains selective, even around the eyes. We cannot assume that an ingredient reaches its intended target simply because it is present in the formula, or that encapsulation automatically solves the problem. The delivery system needs to be engineered for the specific target
For the under-eye area, tolerability and texture are critical. The formulation must re-inforce the delicate skin barrier, spread without dragging, and penetrate the epidermis without causing irritation. The formulator needs to create a careful balance between active ingredient delivery, preservation system, emulsion structure, and sensory experience.
Finally, the science has to translate into measurable consumer benefits from the finished product. Immediate hydration can soften the appearance of fine lines, but that is different from demonstrating a sustained improved firmness, elasticity or improvement in underlying skin structure. As a scientist, I prioritize product innovation by screening molecular activity, shelf-life stability, and well-designed clinical testing, so the outcome is demonstrated in performance and connects to the consumer story.
Can you elaborate on how the plant biofactory platform and Camelina-derived oleosomes specifically protect and enhance the delivery of sensitive proteins like Peauvita Oleosome-EGF in topical skin care?
Tony Abboud [TA]: One of the historical challenges with growth factors in skin care has not necessarily been biology. It has been keeping a sensitive protein
Tony Abboud, chief commercial officer, Core BiogenesisCourtesy of Core Biogenesis
Our approach begins with the production system itself. We use plants as biofactories to produce biomimetic growth factors, and Peauvita is designed so that EGF is fused to naturally occurring oleosomes derived from Camelina seeds. Oleosomes are micron-sized lipid structures whose natural function within a seed is to protect and store sensitive biological material.
That fusion creates a protective lipid environment around the growth factor. In our testing, oleosome-fused growth factors have demonstrated substantially greater stability than unprotected proteins, while studies of the platform have also shown delivery deeper into the skin. The goal is to maintain a greater proportion of biologically active protein from manufacturing, through the finished formulation, to its intended site of activity.
What is particularly interesting from a product-development perspective is that production, stabilization and delivery are not separate technologies that have to be assembled later. They are designed into the same platform. That is what helps make a sophisticated molecule like EGF practical for modern topical skin care.
The case study highlights a 129% increase in under-eye density after four weeks. How does Dermalogica balance this data-driven clinical validation with the emotional and aesthetic expectations of consumers dealing with deep-set or hollow under-eyes?
[BB]: The clinical data gives us a foundation for confidence, but consumers want to experience the result in the mirror. Someone concerned about hollow under-eyes often wants to look less tired and feel that their appearance better reflects how they feel.
With Smart Eye Density, the reported 129% increase in under-eye density after four weeks is an important validation point. Our responsibility is to explain precisely what that measurement represents, rather than imply that it means 129% more volume or an equivalent correction of hollowness.
The formulation also addresses the aesthetic needs: immediate hydration and plumping, smoother-looking skin, and a reduction in the appearance of discoloration. Here, we worked with Grant Industries to optimize the final texture.Those benefits matter to consumers because the perception of hollowness involves skin surface quality, tone, and shadowing as well as density.
Managing expectations is essential. Naturally deep-set eyes and hollowness associated with underlying anatomy are different from thin or dehydrated skin. A topical product can improve skin barrier properties and the physical appearance of the area, but will not change someone’s facial anatomy.
For me, the balance is clinical evidence, empathy, and consumer acceptance . We want consumers to understand what improvement is realistic, enjoy the product experience, and feel confident in the changes they are seeing over time.
As beauty brands increasingly look toward biotechnology, what criteria should innovation teams use to distinguish between novel ingredient stories and truly scalable, high-performance biotech platforms?
[TA]: I think the industry has to move beyond asking whether an ingredient is "biotech." That designation alone tells you very little about whether the technology will ultimately succeed in a finished product.
A strong biotech platform should demonstrate several things at the same time: a clear biological rationale, preservation of biological activity, formulation stability and compatibility, effective delivery, scalable and reproducible manufacturing, appropriate safety and regulatory documentation, and ultimately measurable clinical performance.
Clinical validation is particularly important. Novel mechanisms and compelling molecular stories are valuable, but consumers do not experience a mechanism in isolation. They experience the entire finished formulation. Innovation teams should therefore look for instrumentally measured outcomes, appropriate controls, statistical significance and results that are meaningful within a realistic consumer-use period.
Scalability also matters more than it sometimes receives credit for. An ingredient may be scientifically fascinating at laboratory scale, but a global beauty brand needs reliable manufacturing, consistent quality and the ability to support commercial volumes.
To me, the strongest biotechnology platforms sit at the intersection of biology, formulation practicality, manufacturing and clinical proof. Novelty may get an ingredient noticed. Reproducible performance is what turns it into a platform.
Looking at the future of professional skin care, how do partnerships between established consumer brands and biotech innovators change the way skin therapists educate consumers on advanced science like growth factors and mechanobiology?
[TA]: Partnerships like this can make very sophisticated science much more accessible. A biotechnology company can explain the molecular biology, the delivery system and the evidence behind an active, while a professional skin care brand understands how to translate that science into a formulation, a treatment protocol and ultimately a conversation that matters to the consumer.
That is particularly important with concepts such as growth factors or mechanobiology. Most consumers do not need a lecture on signaling pathways or cellular mechanics. They want to understand why the technology was selected, what aspect of skin biology it is intended to support, and what improvement they can realistically expect to see.
Professional skin therapists are uniquely positioned to make that translation. When they are supported with credible scientific education and well-designed clinical evidence, they can connect complex biology with a consumer's individual concern in a way that a package or social media post cannot.
I think that will become increasingly important as biotechnology becomes more sophisticated. The role of professional education will move beyond explaining individual ingredients toward helping consumers understand biological systems, while still keeping the conversation grounded in measurable outcomes and realistic expectations.
