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“Call Jasmina Aganovic.”
Bella Geraci/Getty Images
That is what I heard again and again when I asked around aboutbiotech beauty.
“She is the leader in this space,” cosmetic chemist Jen Novakovich tells me firmly.
After that, Aganovic spent two years in a prestigious entrepreneur-in-residence program at leading biotechnology firm Gingko Bioworks.
Jasmina Aganovic
We are no longer physically constrained toraw materialswe can squeeze stuff out of," she says.
But biotech is more than just a brilliant way to harvest ingredients as we now know them.
“Starting with biology [rather than traditional chemistry] leads to entirely new possibilities,” says Aganovic.
To this end, Aganovic is researching sun-protective molecules (produced by marine life) and microbes.
Our own biology will be used as a tool of self-expressions; we call this ‘expressive biology.'"
What, exactly, is biotech?
(The first nonanimal hyaluronic acid filler, Restylane, was created in 1996.)
Not only can scientists isolate a purer molecule with less contaminants, they can engineer a superior molecule.
With biotech ingredients, “you’ve got the option to manipulate it to produce whatever you want.
you might turn up a part of it that makesa certain effect,” Novakovich says.
“It may be possible to alter our own biology, like making hair curl while you shower.”
This is hugely promising, though Novakovich warns against sweeping assumptions that biotech offers a more sustainable way forward.
“You have to look atingredientson a case-by-case basis,” she says.
“Today, there are devices no bigger than a laptop.”
When you take an ingredient from nature, lower costs may signal lower quality.
Someday we will be wearing skin care and hair care and scents that have never been imagined before.
Biotech-Powered Products
The sexy side of bacteria and yeast biotech bottled in serums and creams.
It is the star of the brand’s hydrating range and its newest serum.
More futuristic beauty tools:
Now, watch a 6-step wash day routine for natural hair:
