It all started with a collaboration. Brothers Albert and Sidney Musher worked in conjunction with the Mayo Clinic in 1945 to develop a treatment for dry, sensitive skin using colloidal oatmeal. This initial partnership helped create Aveeno, a brand known for its science-backed formulations and gentle ingredients. As the brand celebrates its 80th anniversary, this partnership is coming back to develop the next solutions in skin health science.
On March 10, 2026, Aveeno announced a three-year collaboration with the Mayo Clinic to focus on research, education and overall innovation to elevate the beauty industry.
“We are constantly pushing for innovation, staying on the cutting edge of research and testing, especially within our skin health portfolio,” said Dr. Caroline Tillett, chief scientific officer at parent company Kenvue. “Aveeno was the first brand to formulate colloidal oatmeal, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to collaborate with Mayo Clinic’s multi-disciplinary physicians to enhance our understanding of skin health. We care fiercely for those who use and recommend our products, and our goal is to deliver even greater solutions for ultimate skin health and wellness for both patients and consumers.”
The research programs will include pre-clinical and clinical investigations, according to the company’s press release. Further, the company hopes that the collaboration will bring together dermatological research expertise with consumer skin health insights to advance skin wellness and education.
Cosmetics & Toiletries spoke with Simarna Kaur, senior director of R&D at Kenvue and head of Aveeno product development, about this new research partnership.
With so many clinics globally, what specifically about Mayo Clinic’s medical approach aligned with your brand’s formulation philosophy?
Some of the foundational research behind the Aveeno brand,
Simarna Kaur, senior director, R&D, head of Aveeno product development, KenvueCourtesy of Kenvue
Can you walk us through the specific skin concerns (e.g., microbiome health, barrier repair, or longevity) this research is currently targeting?
This research targets advancement of science in the spaces of longevity and regeneration of skin, both of which are more preventative types of skin health and use the body’s natural ability to repair, respectively. The desire to address things at the root cause is where we as scientists have an exciting opportunity to bring new solutions to patients and consumers.
This partnership is all about collaboration. How do you see all of the stakeholders (clinicians, consumer experts, brand formulators) collaborating over the next three years?
Aveeno has a robust scientific history in elucidating the benefits of colloidal oat and triple oat for compromised skin, dating back to 1945 with the introduction of colloidal oatmeal baths to treat dermatoses. As Aveeno begins this collaboration with Mayo Clinic, we are excited to work with their multi-disciplinary physicians building on their expertise, unique patient insights and capabilities to design together preclinical and clinical research programs that will continue to advance the science on oat ingredients for compromised skin.
What specific medical-grade testing protocols are being used to validate the efficacy of these new formulations?
As new scientific capabilities emerge in skincare, we’re continuously pushing ourselves to further understand our key ingredients and technologies Whether it’s clinical testing on different skin types or skin states with new endpoints or novel preclinical models, there are always opportunities to learn more about ingredients that have been around for a long time. Fields such as transcriptomics are a great example of new ways to gain deeper insight into mechanistic action of ingredients and formulations.
How does this research help bridge the gap between high-end clinical procedures and accessible, daily-use skincare?
With the Aveeno - Mayo Clinic collaboration, we continue to push the needle and are excited to work with their experts and utilize their state-of-the-art capabilities to deeply understand the mechanisms of skin longevity and elevate the level of deep research that goes into skin care products. By merging our understanding of consumer insights with leading pre-clinical and clinical advancements, Aveeno continues to pioneer the advancement of skin science for consumers who have sensitive or compromised skin.
Beyond sales, what metric will you use to determine if this research has truly advanced the field of dermatology?
In addition to sales, another key metric that Aveeno takes pride in is bringing pioneering science to advance the field of dermatology and deliver efficacious products that delight our consumers. This would be accomplished by building novel science in partnership with multi-disciplinary physicians and experts at Mayo Clinic through this collaboration.
Aveeno is celebrating its 80th anniversary. How has the brand evolved over that time to meet both consumer needs and new scientific breakthroughs?
A lot of new scientific insights and clinical data have been generated and published by Aveeno since the brand’s inception, but the Aveeno's formulation philosophy in creating science-backed solutions for sensitive skin using the most effective elements of oat has not changed.
Aveeno products continue to nurture the skin of consumers of all ages and stages: from a 1-day old baby to a centenarian by taking a holistic approach and unlocking the power that exists in the combination of science and nature. We continue to use cutting-edge research to fuel Aveeno’s innovation pipeline. What has evolved over time are the new capabilities and scientific tools, such as 'omics-based approaches that are at our disposal today to be able to evaluate the benefits of oat at the cellular and molecular level.
What do you see as being the next “big thing” in cosmetics research?
While trends in skin care come and go, real science never goes out of style! The next big thing in skin health seems to be about utilizing rapidly evolving ‘omics tools like transcriptomics and metabolomics combined with the power of AI to advance the science of longevity and skin regeneration via a holistic approach.
We see many "doctor-backed" brands, but this is a deep-level research collaboration. How does this go beyond just putting a medical logo on a bottle?
When it comes to pioneering research, Mayo Clinic is at the forefront. Through this collaboration, Aveeno continues to elevate the rigor and level of deep science that goes into skin care product development. We are looking at cellular and molecular changes happening in skin that are core to cellular repair and resilience mechanisms which can erode over time. Taking this holistic approach to build skin resilience from within is what we are excited about.
