Fermentation Forward: How one new skin care brand is reframing biotech for beauty consumers

What Paulina Kapoor calls Japanese Fermentation Technology is at the core of her brand’s messaging and formulation. Foregrounding the brand’s ingredient production strategy, the concept behind Lena & Lina skin care is almost an analogy, equating the dietary benefits of fermented foods with the topical benefits of fermented skin care ingredients. (A simple version of this analogy would be something along these lines: yogurt is a food product made using fermentation and it’s good for the gut, similarly, Lena & Line skin care, made using fermentation, is good for the face.)

The hero ingredient in Lena & Lina skin care products is a ceramide made using biotechnology—specifically the fermentation of soy. “The ceramide itself,” ​Kapoor tells Cosmetics Design, noting that “…there are multiple other ceramides out there, like a synthetic and a plant-based; ours—what makes us different,” ​she says, “is that it’s closest to the human skin ceramide.” ​By focusing on fermentation, Kapoor evokes age-old wisdom rather than contemporary biotechnology (tech, that to some consumers, could seem experimental or unproven).

Kapoor launched her brand in November of 2017 and currently has a product portfolio that includes a cleanser, a crème, a facial mist, a serum, and a couple of masks.

Watch the full video above to learn more.

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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.