Bionassay is a lavish, performance-driven beauty brand that is lauded for creating products that pamper the skin through botanical and synthetic compounds. Using ecologically sourced ingredients from the Alps and the Mediterranean, Bionassay offers skincare solutions that rejuvenate the skin and promote long term skin health.
In my exclusive interview with Co-Founder Paola Sola, she delves into her background, her innovative brand, and more.
Thank you for joining us. You have an interesting background. Please tell us about yourself.
I grew up in Puerto Rico, and some of my earliest memories of beauty come from watching my grandmother enjoy her skincare routine every morning and every night. She approached it with such care and consistency that it always felt like more than just applying products. It was a moment she carved out for herself. She loved French skincare and remained incredibly loyal to the brands she trusted, but what stayed with me most was not the products themselves. It was the devotion she had to the ritual and to herself. For as long as I can remember, she never skipped that quiet moment at the mirror. Watching her care for herself with that level of intention shaped the way I think about beauty to this day.
At home, another influence was quietly shaping my perspective as well. My dad is a chemist, so science was always part of the atmosphere in our house. I was the kid pulling his books off the shelf, learning far earlier than I probably should have about molecules, formulations, and the quiet precision behind how the right elements come together to create something truly effective. That early exposure made me deeply curious, and it also made me very particular about how things are made.
My own skin also played a role in shaping my relationship with skincare. I have had extremely sensitive skin for as long as I can remember. I grew up using medicated cleansers, prescribed moisturizers, and even very specific laundry detergents because my skin reacted to almost everything. Because of that, skincare was never just about beauty. It was about relief, comfort, and learning how to care for my skin without constantly provoking it.
What was the motivation to start your own skincare line?
It started with a simple frustration. I wanted products that respected sensitive skin while still feeling elevated. Skincare should be thoughtful and intentional, but also pleasurable to use. Texture plays a role, the way a formula settles on the skin matters, and even the scent contributes to the experience. A routine should feel like something you genuinely look forward to returning to. My business partner Sébastien Dewandre comes from the aesthetics world, with a strong focus on noninvasive regenerative approaches. We connected very quickly around one shared idea: skin recovery. Not chasing perfection, and certainly not chasing trends, but supporting the skin when it is stressed, sensitized, or simply trying to rebuild its strength.
At a certain point it became clear that if we wanted formulas that truly met our standards, we had to create them ourselves. Building a brand that reflected my own experiences with sensitive skin, while bringing together the harmony of science and nature, was very important to me. At the same time, I wanted to honor the French beauty influence that shaped many of my earliest memories through my grandmother. Bionassay became the natural result of those ideas coming together. It is deeply personal, but also very intentional in its purpose.
What sets Bionassay apart from others and who is your target customer?
Bionassay is built on two principles that should always exist together: performance and respect for the skin. Every formulation choice has a purpose behind it, and at the same time the experience should feel elegant, both in your hands and on your face. At the center of the brand is a focus on recovery. My partner brings a clinical, regenerative perspective from the aesthetics field, while I bring the lived reality of sensitive skin and a deep curiosity about formulation that comes from growing up around chemistry. Together, that perspective naturally leads us to ask a different question when developing products. Instead of constantly pushing the skin, we focus on what helps it recover, recalibrate, and build resilience over time.
Our customers want visible results, but they are also thoughtful about how they achieve them. Many have sensitive or reactive skin, some are navigating post procedure recovery, and others are simply very intentional about what they use. They want a routine that supports their skin without overwhelming it, one that feels elevated while still fitting naturally into everyday life.
What is the significance of the brand’s name?
The name was very intentional, and it carries several layers of meaning. ‘Bio’ speaks to biology, because skin is living, responsive, and constantly adapting. ‘Assay’ comes from the scientific world and refers to testing, precision, and method. That sense of laboratory discipline is. something I grew up around and it has always shaped how I think about formulation. The name also echoes Bionnassay, a peak in the Alps that represents elevation, strength, and a sense of grounding in nature. It also offers a subtle nod to French beauty, which felt important to me because French skincare was part of my grandmother’s world and, through her, became part of mine. When you bring those ideas together, Bionassay becomes a reflection of what the brand stands for: science, skin, and a sense of elevation, all captured in a single word.
This is a tough one. I was curious if you have a favorite product and why?
That is a difficult question, simply because of how much work goes into every formula. But if I had to choose, I would say the Cytogen Masque. Even though it is our newest launch, it probably represents Bionassay more clearly than anything else we have created so far. If someone asked me to understand the brand through a single product, that is the one I would place in their hands. Cytogen captures our philosophy around skin recovery in a very honest way. It is supportive and thoughtful, with a focus on helping the skin rebuild its resilience rather than overwhelming it. That balance is something I care deeply about, especially because of my own experience with sensitive skin. I always want formulas to feel elegant and effective, but also deeply respectful of the skin.
The development process was long and very deliberate. We went through many iterations before arriving at the formula that finally felt right. That process mattered because we wanted to make sure it truly reflected what Bionassay stands for. When you are building a brand, there is usually one product that becomes a kind of statement of intent, something that signals where you are headed. For me, Cytogen is that product.
Working in the skincare industry for so many years do you have a couple of top tips you could share with us?
A few principles have stayed with me over the years, especially because I’ve always had sensitive skin. First, prioritize barrier stability. Skin responds well to consistency. When skin is reactive, the instinct is often to add more treatments or switch products frequently. In reality, it usually benefits more from a routine it can tolerate well and that you follow regularly. Over time that steadiness allows the skin to strengthen and function better. Next, do not overlook daily protection. Many people focus on treatments or corrective products, but protecting the skin day to day often has a far greater long-term impact. Consistent sun protection is one of the simplest habits that can make a meaningful difference in how skin ages and maintains its health. Pay attention to what surrounds your skin. For sensitive or reactive skin, irritation does not always come from skincare products alone. Laundry detergents, fragrances, pillowcases, nail products, and even haircare can trigger reactions. Sometimes improving the skin begins with paying attention to the environment around it, not just the products in your skincare routine.
Anything else we should know?
The main thing is that Bionassay is personal, but it is also disciplined. It comes from memory and from the lab, from partnership and from lived experience. We take the skin seriously, and we take the experience seriously too. I want people to feel like they are in good hands with us. Thoughtful, a little nerdy, and genuinely respectful of skin. Skincare does not have to feel like a battle. It can feel like recovery. It can feel like coming back to yourself.
For radiant skin and resilient skin go to https://bionassay.com/.
