I recently tried OneSkin’s four-step system and was amazed by the results. The brand’s OS-01 peptide is a game changer in skincare. I was curious to learn more about OneSkin and how it approaches the science of skincare. I had the privilege of meeting two of OneSkin’s co-founders, Carolina Reis Oliveira, PhD, who also serves as the brand’s CEO, and Alessandra Zonari, PhD, the company’s Chief Scientific Officer. Carolina and Alessandra also work with OneSkin’s other co-founders, Mariana Boroni, PhD, Head of Bioinformatics, and Juliana Carvalho, PhD to bring OneSkin’s research and design into the beauty space.
Carolina and Alessandra’s excitement about their products was palpable as they asked me questions about my experience using OneSkin’s system. These scientists truly look at their product development from every angle, from curiosity to design to clinical studies. Our conversation was both engaging and educational. Carolina and Alessandra shared the science and research that goes into OneSkin’s minimalist system. They also shared their expert skincare advice as scientists and entrepreneurs in the beauty space.
Can you each share a bit about your backgrounds and what led you to start OneSkin?
Carolina: I have a PhD in stem cell biology and tissue engineering from the University of Minas Gerais. We met in the same doctorate lab in Brazil in 2009. At that point, we wanted to translate the science we were developing in academia for so many years, in order to create something that would impact people’s lives, primarily people’s health.
At the end of our PhD studies, we started working on a project. We officially started OneSkin in 2016, when we got accepted to this into this biotech accelerator in San Francisco. We all aligned with this idea of aging research. We were very passionate about the opportunity to use science to help people to age healthier, not only to live longer. By studying longevity science and aging we realized that if we can go to the root cause of this process, we can help our tissues [and] our whole body to be healthier and more functional for longer. That’s the challenge that we took on when we started OneSkin.
Alessandra: We all met in Brazil when we were doing our masters and PhD. Carolina and I and another co-founder, Juliana, were in the same lab. Mariana is also a co-founder. She went to college with Carolina when she was doing her Master’s and PhD in bioinformatics. I did my Master’s in stem cell biology. During my PhD, after visiting a hospital where I saw a skin bank for burn transplants, I got super interested in skin tissue because I wanted to learn how to regrow organs in the lab.
In my masters, I worked with bone tissue and vascularization of the bone tissue. I got interested in skin because it is simpler. It’s less vascularized, so it has fewer challenges to regrow. I did my PhD on skin models combined with stem cells to promote wound healing. After my PhD, I moved to Portugal, and I continued doing a postdoc because part of my PhD was in collaboration with a research group in Portugal.
In the beginning of 2017, Carolina had already moved to San Francisco with the idea of OneSkin. I was still in academia and she called me to join the team because I had expertise in skin regeneration. When we talked about OneSkin and aging, [we realized] it’s connected. We could address aging to solve and to prevent many diseases. We could research how to prevent aging and diseases.
Since the beginning of 2017, I’ve been in San Francisco as the Chief Scientific Officer leading the research team at OneSkin. We have developed this platform to understand the aging process. We found the peptide afterwards, after five years of research. We decided we would make [the peptide] as a product. We formulated the products and became a direct-to-consumer company.
How did OneSkin get its name?
Carolina: We saw in the longevity space people focused on different diseases and tissues. No one was looking at your skin. Because we have expertise in skin, we know that skin is our largest organ. You only have one skin. People sometimes take it for granted or don’t pay attention to the critical role that this organ plays in our overall health.
OneSkin’s system focuses on its key ingredient: the proprietary peptide. Can you break down the science of a “proprietary peptide” and share the process of how it developed?
Alessandra: Our proprietary peptide is OS-01. It is the first molecule that is significantly proven to effectively and safely reverse the biological age of skin. After being treated with OS-01, the skin can biologically function as younger skin. Our approach started by creating a platform where we could reproduce the aging process in the lab. We grew 3-D models that were aging. We learned what’s driving aging processes on the skin.
One driver of skin aging is the accumulation of damage to the skin cells that’s also known as senescent cells. Those cells secrete inflammatory factors that spoil the surrounding healthy cells. They also break down collagen, create inflammation, and accelerate the signs of aging. So what you visually see is the skin gets saggier and more wrinkled. [There’s] that thinning of the epidermal layer. Seeing that there is a key driver of aging, we searched for molecules that would target it.
We used this platform to test other products on the market to understand how they could potentially rejuvenate the skin. We saw in the very beginning a lot of products that claim to produce skin rejuvenation don’t target the markers of aging. Some of them can even be more inflammatory and worse for your skin. Then [we] started looking for peptides that are safe molecules. [These peptides] can have a biological function that would target those damaged cells accumulating on the skin. That’s how we developed OS-01, after scanning around 900 peptides. This one safely reduced that accumulation of senescent cells, promoting a healthier environment and decreasing the biological age of the skin, so the skin functions as younger skin.
How does your team approach research and testing for OneSkin’s products?
Alessandra: We start with science. It’s the number one rule at OneSkin. We use our knowledge to drive our decisions on how we formulate our products. We grow the skin in the lab and we can test any active or final formula and evaluate how the skin reacts to it.
When we are developing any product, we start with screening the actives that will enhance the benefits of the OS-01 peptide. [We want] to ensure that they are only promoting good benefits, [like] improving collagen production, decreasing inflammatory markers, [and] improving proliferation of the cells. We treat topically so everything is tested first on skin in the lab and then we go to through a beta testing process with our consumers. It’s very interesting because when we have two different formulas, sometimes we test them in the lab and we send them to customers [for beta testing]. We do several experiments to evaluate the efficacy of the product. The product that has a higher score usually has more benefits for the skin.
We run clinical studies with third-party clinical research organizations to validate the [products] because in the lab we are looking more at the cellular and molecular level. Clinical studies [use] measurements with instruments. We can confirm the formula is promoting the benefits and supporting the claims we bring to the market.
We are very rigorous in the process of developing our formulas. Our OS-01 took us almost two years to [develop]. It [usually] takes from six months to one year. We find the actives and search vendors to make sure we have the best quality. We test on human skin in the lab. That applies to clinical tests and bringing [the product] to the market.
How did you settle on four products for OneSkin’s system?
Carolina: We were always very intentional with each product. The most basic product that everyone needs is a face moisturizer. So that’s how we created OS-01 FACE. Then, because we’re so focused on improving your skin’s health as a whole, we [formulated] the BODY product.
It’s not a product that you’ll commonly see in the market. It works well because consumers are seeing so many benefits. It helps make your skin more resilient to damage. Then we wanted to complete your skincare routine, so the next [product] was a cleanser, because as you prepare your skin, you’ll be able to absorb [OS-01] better. We went through a series of testing in house. We could validate that by cleansing your skin with OS-01 PREP, your skin [can] more than double the absorption of the peptide.
The skin around our eyes differs from the rest of our faces. There are studies showing that the skin under and above your eyes can be around 20 to 30 years older than the skin around the temples and cheeks. [The skin around your eyes] is much thinner. It’s moving all the time. Data shows it accumulates more of those senescent cells. So we realized that there was a need to develop a product specifically for the eye area that had a higher concentration of the peptides.
In the end, we wanted to make sure that we kept it very minimalist in terms of [products]. What are the minimum amount of products that we can offer to consumers without overwhelming them, so they can achieve their healthiest skin yet without breaking the bank? [We want] people to be really happy with how their skin feels and looks.
OneSkin’s website has a reference lab section, which includes informational articles to educate consumers. Why is it essential for skincare science to be accessible to consumers?
Alessandra: Scientists want to understand how to better our health. When we started [OneSkin], we created a direct-to-consumer company. We had a direct channel to communicate about science, not only about skincare but also about longevity [and] your overall health. The reference lab is something that we’re very proud of. It’s the roots of OneSkin because we believe that knowledge empowers everyone to make better decisions for themselves. We reference scientific publications, breaking them down, so people can understand. We can all take ownership of how we want to age. It all depends on what we’re doing right now.
What is a lesson you’ve learned by starting OneSkin?
Carolina: I think starting a company is really, really hard. One thing we learned throughout the process is that you need to have a clear differentiation and a clear reason why you are selling this [product]. There are so many brands, so you need to be passionate about creating a significant impact in the world.
At the moment that you talk about what you’re doing and people get excited, you feel you are doing something that’s worth investing time. People really want to want to get to know that solution you are developing. So make sure you have a purpose and your why is clear for you and for the consumers.
Alessandra: The passion you have for the project will drive you every day to wake up and work for it. We started building a platform in the lab and testing products. In the beginning we didn’t know that we would get to a final product, until we realized we have this powerful active. Eventually, the dream was to bring this product to the market and grow a line of skincare. Now we have testimonials from people that use [the products] and [how they] changed their skin. It’s not easy at all, but it makes everything worth it.
As experts in your field, what are some of the most important things our readers should know about skincare?
Alessandra: At least for me, less is more. We created this minimalistic skincare routine because your skin does not need too many products. Excessive cleaning of your skin is not the best thing. We have our OneSkin PREP. At the end of the day, we recommend removing sunscreen and makeup. You don’t need to wash your skin twice. You can just pass some water [over it in the morning]. Keep it simple.
Carolina: What you put on your skin really matters. Make sure you review the ingredients of any product that you’re putting on. There are some sites that can help you understand the ingredients. One that we usually recommend is the Environmental Working Group.
A minimalist [routine] is helpful because the more products you use, the more you need to understand the impact of each product. Don’t forget 97% of your skin is on your body. Your skin impacts your overall health. How your skin ages also affects how your whole body ages.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about OneSkin?
Carolina: What is exciting about OneSkin is that we are at the forefront in terms of research in the longevity space. The science is evolving so fast. Because we are on top of everything that’s evolving, we can translate and bring [products] faster to consumers. OneSkin is a company where the science will never be static; it will always be progressing. I started with skin, but I eventually want to expand into other tissues. That is something we are passionate about, as scientist and as founders. [We want to] help people age healthier and we’re doing this by being on the forefront of longevity science.
Alessandra: We like everything that we bring to the market. Our products [are] tested [and] have a rigorous scientific process. We research every day to make new products [and learn] how we can help people age better. Maybe we will go beyond skin. It’s a company we want people to trust because we are committed to the rigorous process of science.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
