by Last fall, I attended a large skincare industry event in New York where people seemed to be discussing exosomes as if all other anti-aging skincare products and methods would soon become obsolete. Since then I’ve read countless reviews of new Exosome products (£430 for a serum!) and felt the inescapable feeling of a supposed major breakthrough in skincare, so you know what I’m about to do again. I suggest everyone to really calm down and find something worth spending their money on.
In very simple terms, exosomes are tiny, naturally occurring packages of material that serve as a means of communication between skin cells. They can positively influence the behavior of skin cells such as regeneration and healing. Studies on whether extracted exosomes work in treating skin inflammation, hair growth and scarring have so far been mostly small, preclinical and, it must be said, very promising, although far from conclusive. We don’t yet know how best to extract exosomes, how stable they are, how they should best be used, whether they work externally or what effects they might have on skin cancer, for example.
If the promise proves irresistible, choose products where exosomes are a welcome addition rather than a lynchpin, or that are cheap enough that it doesn’t hurt to try them
The dermatologists I spoke with are optimistic, curious, and very committed to exosome research. They are much more cautious and not nearly as cocky as the beauty product developers racing to get to market. They want to exploit the consumer frenzy that has already been ignited on TikTok, where evidence for the pro-sunbed, anti-sunscreen, anti-vaccine quacks that seem so favored by the algorithm doesn’t matter.
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What I am suggesting here is that one should hold back because further studies are needed. Or, if the premature promise proves irresistible, that the products have so many benefits that exosomes are a welcome addition rather than a pivot, or that they are cheap enough that it doesn’t hurt to try them. In the former category is Trinny London’s New Naked ambition Serum (from £27), a vitamin C that gives an instant glow, with azalea acid, which works well against the redness and spots that many have come to terms with in middle age. Also Medik8 C-Tetra Advanced (£69), which contains a whopping 20% stabilized vitamin C for radiant skin, extra antioxidants for free radical protection and plenty of hyaluronic acid for hydration, all in an unusually light (for vitamin C) and elegant gel. Falls into the latter category Exosome Hydro Glow Complex by Inkey List (£20), a lovely hydrating serum with exfoliating properties for softness and shine.
