Has inflammaging—the chronic low-level inflammation that’s a root cause of skin aging—finally met its match?

Deinde, a new DTC skincare brand, says it has harnessed a novel biotech-derived active that more effectively tackles uneven skin tone, fine lines, dullness, dryness and uneven texture that stems from inflammaging.

Deinde—Latin for “next, then, thereafter”—is the first incubator brand from Debut, a fully vertically integrated biotech company that’s raised more than $70 million in capital with BOLD (L’Oréal’s venture capital fund) as a leading investor. 

Founded in 2019, Debut has a biomanufacturing processes that combines fermentation and proprietary cell-free technology to create novel active ingredients and bio-identical ingredients that, to date, have only been accessed via petroleum or extraction. Its structure, say company executives, allows Debut to create “novel, high-performing, clinically-backed, bio-based ingredients,” and incorporate them in finished beauty products with a timeline that’s less than six weeks from start to finish.

Its core consumers are Zillenials (consumers ages 25-35) who are just starting to see their first signs of aging—think uneven skin tone, fine lines, dullness, dryness, and uneven texture.

“They overindex in going to dermatologists, who trust and value science,” Dominique Gagnon, VP of brands at Debut, told Happi in an interview ahead of the brand’s launch.

Inflammaging

Deinde’s main target is inflammaging, which is caused by exposure to environmental stressors that, when left alone, accelerates skin aging via the breakdown of collagen and elastin.

“Inflammaging is a new frontier in the skincare space; first identified by research scientists 20 years ago and formally recognized among scientific researchers in 2010. Over the last decade, more than 1,500 peer-reviewed scientific studies have been published that point to a clear connection between inflammaging and accelerated aging mechanisms that cause degradation in collagen and elastin,” said Gagnon.

According to Gagnon, inflammaging can be caused by emotional stress, UV exposure, pollutants, infection and more, resulting in the five signs of inflammaging— fine lines, dullness, uneven skin tone, dryness and uneven texture‚ due to the breakdown of cellular function coupled with excessive and unnecessary loss of healthy dermal components like collagen and elastin.

Debut contends inflammaging can be interrupted before damage to collagen and elastin occurs.

“As opposed to acute inflammation, a short-term response, inflammaging is defined as chronic, low-level inflammation that accelerates early signs of aging. Prolonged levels of low-grade inflammation seen in inflammaging lead to progressive tissue damage and the deterioration of skin cells working at their most optimal, regenerative potential,” she continued.

By targeting and interrupting inflammaging, Deinde’s products enable skin longevity by reversing the impact of environmental stressors as they occur daily, say officials.

A key component in that process is Naringenin.

“Naringenin is a naturally occurring polyphenol found in citrus fruit, like grapefruit, but is difficult to extract and stabilize through traditional plant extraction and processing methods,” noted Gagnon.

“It’s clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity, improve skin moisturization and reduce visible redness. It’s also 15x better at helping to reduce a key inflammaging marker than the leading comparable active, effectively restoring skin to a neutral level following inflammatory stimulation.”

Discovery of Naringenin

Debut analyzed more than 7,000 polyphenols and identified 250 that were then placed into its ingredient screening platform to assess performance in vitro and in vivo. Naringenin rose to the top.

“From that process, we prioritized safety and outperformance—and were impressed by Naringenin’s startling capability to attack a variety of genetic pathways and deliver a multifunctional range of benefits in skin health, addressing visible signs of aging and anti-inflammatory activity,” Gagnon said. 

This proprietary biotech component can deliver “pharma-like precision dosage with every application, unlike plant extract based actives, delivering the benefits of a natural compound without any of the harm to the planet in terms of carbon footprint,” she added.
 
Debut’s mission, asserts Gagnon, is to bring new active ingredients “to consumers that completely turn the game around. These are ingredients that have never been accessed before, and they win on both performance and cost.”

Deinde Skin-Strengthening Serum, Moisture Locking Face Stick and Purifying Whipped Cleanser formulas contain 93%+ bio-based ingredients. Formulas are free of free of silicones, fragrance, artificial colorants, parabens, phthalates, petroleum, mineral oil, talc, PEG, and 2700+ chemicals, according to officials.  

For now, Deinde is direct to consumer, but retail expansion will follow, said Gagnon, who is excited to be on the journey with Debut and Deinde.

“It is rare in beauty innovation to bring a truly new technology that changes the standards of product performance for consumers; it is rare to be part of something that alters the industry and its standards; and it is rare to get to do good. I get to do all three here,” said the Wellesley College and Harvard Business School graduate whose experience spans consumer goods and beauty. She’s worked with Fortune 100 companies, such as Nestlé and Unilever, VC-backed startups and celebrity-founded brands. 

“We are genuinely proud of how we have built these products and how they will improve consumers’ skin health, shift how they think about their skin health with inflammaging management, and be part of the beauty biotech revolution changing the industry’s collective footprint,” she concluded.

Additional Reading

Formulary:  Inflammaging Blue Light Barrier Mist

Formulary: Inflammaging Defense Booster Cold Cream