Longevity and cellular aging messages can no longer be ignored in the personal care industry. Seppic provides sustainable, bio-based solutions that address the core mechanisms of aging, from cellular aging to cell-to-cell communication, and promote long-term skin health.
Personal care insights We speak to Claire Liu, market and digital manager for Sepik’s beauty care division, about how the beauty industry is experiencing a “significant paradigm shift” towards “celebrating aging with vitality”. We also discuss how future research will focus on skin adaptation to environmental stressors and translating plant survival mechanisms into skin care solutions.
As consumers shift their focus from quick anti-aging solutions to maintaining vitality and resilience, Seppic’s ingredients such as Juvenessence and Sagacious are helping brands develop products that support skin health at a cellular level. The company calls biotechnology an essential driver of advances in skin care and touts it as setting a new standard for longevity in beauty.
But beauty buyers don’t just want claims; they also want clinical backing. Sepik says the credibility of anti-aging currently relies on a shift from visual clinical scores to biological and biophysical demonstration of mechanisms of action.
What areas of longevity science are shaping the next generation of personal care ingredients?
Liu: The next generation of innovations are no longer focused on surface-level aesthetics, but are rooted in a deep understanding of the 12 hallmarks of aging. These biological markers allow us to go beyond simply treating wrinkles to addressing the fundamental mechanisms governing long-term skin health.
At Seppic, we focus on two strategic pillars to transform active ingredient design: cellular aging and cell-to-cell communication.
Cellular senescence focuses on targeting “zombie cells” that stop dividing but remain metabolically active and secrete inflammatory signals known as secretome messengers of aging. This process contributes to the expansion of aging in surrounding healthy tissue. Ingredients like Aspar’age are designed to modulate this transmission to protect young cells, while Juvenessence specifically targets progerin, a key aging marker, to slow the decline of cells over time.
Cell-to-cell communication exemplifies how as the skin ages, the interaction between cells and their environment weakens, leading to structural collapse. We address this problem by restoring the mechanotransduction pathways that link the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Sagacious, a biologically derived seaweed extract, is a prime example. It reconnects aged fibroblasts to the ECM via integrins, effectively restoring the traction and mechanical tension typical of much younger skin.From restoring youthful cellular function to bio-inspired resilience, Seppic innovations enable a future of longevity in personal care.
How important is it to the end consumer to define and substantiate the “lifetime” claims of cosmetic ingredients?
Liu: Demonstration is critical as modern consumers are moving away from traditional anti-aging to a focus on biological age and vitality. Confidence today rests on the transition from purely visual clinical scores to biological and biophysical demonstration of mechanism of action.
We substantiate longevity claims through a multidimensional scientific approach. Restores youthful phenotype. Rather than simply measuring wrinkle depth, we demonstrated that certain ingredients can make mature cells behave more like young cells. For example, we demonstrate that Juvenessence can restore a cellular phenotype characteristic of cells 30 years younger by acting on proteostasis and senescence markers.
We also focus on strengthening our organizational structure. We use high-resolution technology to show action at the skin’s most critical interfaces, such as the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ). By measuring the physical recovery of cellular mechanical properties and the increase in essential structural proteins such as collagen IV and XVII, Sagacious provides concrete evidence of long-term structural integrity.
Additionally, Seppic uses bio-inspired healing powers. We connect science to nature’s own survival strategies and explain how molecules used by resilient organisms such as extremophile algae and stress-adapted plants can enhance the skin’s detoxification and repair abilities.
How will the shift from short-term anti-aging benefits to long-term skin health change research and development?
Liu: The world of cosmetics is currently undergoing a major paradigm shift from reactive corrections to proactive maintenance and overall skin health. Consumers increasingly recognize that lifestyle and biological resilience are the true determinants of the quality of aging.
At Seppic, this change does not mean a sudden change in direction, but a natural evolution and deepening of scientific expertise. We are moving from simply burying the signs of age to strengthening our skin’s natural ecosystem.
Our research has expanded further into exposomes, focusing on how they can help skin adapt to environmental stresses, such as pollution and blue light, before they cause permanent cell damage. We are intensifying our research into the junctions and deep structures of the skin to ensure that the skin remains securely fixed for as long as possible. We are also digging deeper into 3.8 billion years of natural evolution to apply survival mechanisms (such as those found in rhizomes and halophytes) to high-performance skin care.
How will biotechnology and sustainable production methods impact the future of longevity-oriented ingredients?
Liu: Biotechnology is an essential driver of the future of longevity, as it provides access to rare and powerful molecules without depleting nature.
Thanks to celltosomes, undifferentiated native cells can be isolated from plants. These cells are naturally rich in active molecules and contain high concentrations of exosomes. These nanovesicles play an important role in biological communication, allowing cells to signal and repair each other, effectively acting as a natural “wrinkle filler” from within.
Celtosome and Celebrity Biotech offer low-impact sourcing. By using single seeds or small plant pieces to start cell cultures in bioreactors, we ensure low impact on biodiversity, no pesticides, and year-round availability without the risk of plant extinction. In macroalgae, we use a photobioreactor (Celeb Technology) to isolate transient life stages such as gametophytes. This allows us to obtain a 10x higher concentration of specific antioxidants than traditional extracts, ensuring maximum efficacy in protecting mitochondrial DNA.
How do you expect longevity in the personal care industry to develop in the future, and what role do you think raw material suppliers will play?
Liu: Over the next decade, longevity will move from a premium trend to a foundational standard across the beauty industry. The story moves completely away from the race against time and towards empowering consumers to celebrate aging with vitality.
Raw material suppliers evolve into strategic scientific partners. Our role is not limited to selling molecules. We are responsible for:
Translating complexity: Leveraging the sophisticated science of 12 characteristics to make it accessible and inspiring for brands and end consumers.
A new category of “skinfication”: Expanding longevity science beyond facial care into high-growth areas such as scalp longevity and body resilience.
Scientific Guardianship: Delivering the rigorous clinical and biological data that sophisticated consumers demand, ensuring that all biological rejuvenation claims are backed by transparent, ethical, and verifiable biotech innovations.