Exoceuticals® Is a “Human-centric, Science-lead” Skincare Innovator

The skincare market is booming. In 2024, it’s projected to generate revenues of £146.80 billion globally, which is a 3% increase from the previous year – all with a projected growth rate of 0.99% over the next four years. It’s a saturated market too, with global corporations now competing with indie brands and players from the east that, thanks to platforms like TikTok, are creating relevancy faster than ever. 

Fuelling this boom is a new kind of skincare obsessive – interested in ingredients, a follower of dermatologists online, and after real results, not unsubstantiated promises. Launching a new skincare brand amid these conditions isn’t easy, yet Exoceuticals® is offering something consumers can’t get elsewhere: exosome-based formulas developed by experienced doctors, backed by years of research. 

The science behind exosomes is extensive and complex. Dr Robin Smith, a regenerative medicine specialist and one of the brand’s co-founders, explains it simply: “exosomes help skin cells communicate better with each other, which boosts the skin's natural ability to repair and renew itself”. And who doesn’t want a little help with that?

Exoceuticals® is priced at a premium and sits very much in the luxury category, but it’s the formulas, not the messaging or packaging, which speak for themselves. Staying away from skincare marketing buzzwords and ostentatious branding, Exoceuticals® takes a ‘simplicity with elegance’ approach to how it communicates the science and efficaciousness of the formulas to consumers looking for real results. 

LBB’s Zhenya Tsenzharyk speaks to Dr Robin Smith about the science behind exosomes which power the brand, how Exoceuticals®  is communicating with the luxury skincare consumer, and the market gap that the brand is addressing. 

LBB> Thanks for your time, Dr Robin Smith! Thinking about the current state of the beauty industry, how much true innovation do you think there is in topical products?

Robin> I think what makes quality topical products innovative is their formulas. Since Exoceuticals® is deeply rooted in science, we’re crafting high-quality formulas with our patented proprietary eXo3 exosome technology in all of our products. These exosomes help skin cells communicate better with each other, which boosts the skin's natural ability to repair and renew itself. This is a big step forward from traditional skincare ingredients, and shows how the industry is moving towards more advanced and effective solutions.

LBB> When and how did you decide to launch Exoceuticals®? What kind of gap in the market did you spot?

Robin> Human skin has an extraordinary superpower: the ability to repair and regenerate itself. However, despite an ongoing renewal process, the skin’s regenerative capacity reduces with age and exposure to extrinsic stressors.

Some skincare companies lean into slick marketing buzzwords around regenerative aesthetics and the skin’s regenerative capacity, with claims that seem too good to be true. We recognised the need to connect the market’s desire for regenerative skincare with products rooted in science and clinical studies, yet providing a true luxury option.  

The Exoceuticals®  team are leading experts in exosome research and regenerative medicine, and wanted to bring a product to the market that has the data to support the product. We’ve been studying the molecular mechanisms related to stem cells for more than 30 years. This extensive experience provided the genesis for the product line; however, we were committed to conducting the necessary clinical studies to confirm the science before we launched.  

Exoceuticals® uses its own patented technology to produce its proprietary form of exosomes that are optimised for skin rejuvenation and tuned to maximise the skin’s natural ability to heal and regenerate. The launch of our product line was planned around the substantiation of the science: the preclinical work and clinical studies with our products validated our beliefs that we could impact the regenerative capacity of skin and personalise the necessary regenerative support each person’s skin needs to elevate their skin health and look their best.

LBB> For those not in the know, can you please explain what exosomes are, and what kind of applications they have in the beauty industry?

Robin> Exosomes represent a new addition to the regenerative aesthetics toolkit due to their multifaceted role in directly targeting root causes of skin ageing and improving overall cell and tissue homeostasis. Exosomes are powerful, nanosized membrane vesicles released by cells that target and reprogram other neighbouring cells to regenerate and restore the skin’s biochemical, structural, and physical properties. 

Exosomes carry proteins, growth factors, lipids and nucleic acid signals to neighbouring cells to influence their biological function. Through intercellular communication, exosome-delivered cargo assists with a vast array of cellular functions including cell differentiation and proliferation, angiogenesis, stress response, and immune signalling. Exosomes have the unique ability to transfer cargo to their recipient cells. The exosomes lipid bilayer protects and holds signalling molecule cargo and delivers it directly to the target cell. In doing so, exosomes modify cellular phenotypes. The transferred exosomal miRNA regulates many gene expression patterns, significantly impacting overall skin and hair health.

LBB> Who’s your target audience? How did you decide what kind of online and physical retail spaces to be present in?

Robin> Our primary target audience consists of men and women aged 30-60 who want to slow the ageing process and address skin concerns including but not limited to wrinkles, sun damage, inflammation, dehydration, and elasticity. Our customer values innovation and scientific advancements in skincare technology. They might regularly treat themselves to skincare treatments from lasers, facials, and everything in between.

As a brand that mixes luxury with science, we knew it was important to speak to specific audiences in very specific ways. For instance, our direct-to-consumer website is geared to showing the consumer how to best use the products, how the products feel, and the results that can come from the use of the products. Whereas, our wholesale portal for medical spas, dermatologist offices, and other retailers focuses more on a deeper dive into the product details, the selling options, and other educational materials.

We have decided to focus on ‘small format’ retail locations that can provide customers with a more hands-on and educational experience. We also help to provide our partners that focus on various treatments with a true luxury option for a science-based product that their customers have been seeking.  

LBB> Can you talk a little bit about your marketing strategy and how you decided on the brand’s aesthetic?  

Robin> Our aesthetic strategy is designed to provide the consumer with confidence that they are purchasing not only a high-quality product, but also a substantial value. Our concept is ‘simplicity with elegance’.  

You won’t find loud and highly artistic features on our packaging. Our sleek black glass bottles and jars feel substantial in weight and are luxurious to the feel. Our simple white lettering expresses our scientific roots and helps the customer feel that they are not being oversold or swayed. Our cartons are simply white with a soft coating that feels noticeable to the touch. The black foil letter provides a simple elegance that makes the ‘EXO’ logo stand out even amongst even the loudest competitive brands.  

At first look, customers are drawn to the medicinal look of the packaging, and then once they have it in their hands, they realise that they are holding a true luxury product. 

Additionally, Exoceuticals®  has assembled a world-class advisory board that includes leading doctors, scientists, and executives to help guide the brand through all the challenges of an ever changing regulatory, manufacturing and consumer landscape. Having these partners as part of the Exoceuticals® team is a key component to helping consumers understand that they are purchasing not only a luxury product, but a product deeply rooted in science.

LBB> What role does influencer marketing and social media play in the brand’s marketing?

Robin> When it comes to influencer marketing, our gifting strategy is geared towards creators who are focused on the same skin care concerns as our customers. Our products are crafted for people who are looking for a solution to regenerate their skin, whether that be caused by sun damage, age, hyperpigmentation, redness, dark spots, dryness, etc.  

LBB> What kind of research is there to support exosomes’ efficacy in topical products? How are you communicating the science part to consumers in a way that’s educational but not exclusive? 

Robin> Exoceuticals® is fuelled by innovation, but strongly rooted in science. We believe the strongest way to support the use of our products is by providing strong scientific proof of concept data through preclinical work, which demonstrates functional benefits of the product and/or its ingredients, coupled with clinical studies which demonstrate activity by measuring validated endpoints of efficacy and improvement in the skin. It is hard to refute real science and clear evidence.

In preclinical data, the donor proteins and miRNA in eXo3 have been shown to influence the biological activity of recipient cells to:

• Increase skin cell proliferation, cell renewal and turnover
• Reduce inflammation and modulate inflammatory response
• Increase collagen and fibrinogen production
• Accelerate and improve wound healing responses
• Combat UV Damage by reducing inflammation markers within six hours, sustainable at 24 hours

In six separate clinical studies, including subjects with various skin types and skin health concerns, Exoceuticals® products with their proprietary and patented Exosomes technology have been shown to:

• Reduce wrinkles and fine lines
• Improve elasticity
• Significantly increase collagen production, elasticity and firmness
• Increase trans epidermal water retention and surface hydration
• Improve skin barrier function
• Increase skin luminosity
• Cause no adverse reactions

One result we are really excited about is that in a third-party clinical trial, 100% of participants reported that Exoceuticals® products with eXo3 and aloe3 exosomes improved their skin’s overall appearance, leaving it healthier and younger-looking after use. Additionally, 100% of participants also said they’d recommend Exoceuticals® to their friends. 

LBB> How did you decide which products to launch with? What role did ‘human stories’ - per your website - play in this?

Robin> At Exoceuticals®, we believe in a human-centric, science-led approach to skincare.  We are committed to carefully listening to the needs and human stories behind every skin type before our team of experts delves into the molecular complexities of skincare ingredients to develop formulations that are safe and deliver visible results.  

Over the past three decades, our team has been previously focused upon developing clinical therapeutics that address the root cause of disease and impact longevity by targeting diseases and conditions of ageing. The ‘human stories’ have served to highlight the unmet need: skin is the foundation of health and aesthetics. Skin is the largest organ of the body, and like all other organs, skin undergoes distinguishable changes due to the progressive deterioration of morphological and physiological functions with increasing age. 

Skin ageing is a complex phenomenon involving two simultaneously occurring processes: natural chronological ageing, and ageing caused by environmental factors, such as chronic sun exposure.

The human stories have defined not only the importance of targeting skin health and skin ageing, but the need to improve upon the quality-of-life impact, self-esteem issues, and positive self-image that are impacted by skin health and ageing.  Like skin types and skin concerns, not every story is the same. Exoceuticals is committed to a holistic approach to skin health and aesthetics which is inherently human-centric.

LBB> A lot of skincare consumers today are as focused on what’s in the products as on what’s not. Were you mindful of this when formulating your products? 

Robin> Every component of the Exoceuticals® product line has been thoughtfully selected. Exoceuticals’® breakthrough formulas, fuse proprietary innovations in exosome research with proven actives, and carefully selected, premium grade, natural ingredients work synergistically with your skin cells to provide a healthy solution for a new look and feel.

Our proprietary blends have been mindfully developed with a blend of Next-Gen Naturals™, Botanical Super Extracts™ and ESS Hydrating Complex™. We also use sustainable premium packaging: our bottles are made of a unique biophotonic glass. Not only is it beautiful, but it acts as a natural barrier for energy stored within products – prolonging the natural quality and extending the shelf life. Scientific tests have shown that this type of glass had significantly better storage quality without the need to add preservatives. It also can be reused and recycled, making it a sustainable choice, which is important to all of us.