Clarins has opened the Dr Olivier Courtin Clarins Longevity Research Center to help “shape the future of longevity science”.
The Courtin-Clarins family-owned beauty brand’s research site aims to deepen understanding of definitive factors that accelerate skin ageing, and chart how cumulative lifestyle decisions shape wellbeing through the decades.
Led by an international scientific committee under the chairmanship of Dr Olivier Courtin Clarins, the centre will assemble a multidisciplinary team of global experts to “rethink longevity research for real-world impact”.
These experts will specialise in ageing biology, dermatology, epidemiology, behavioural science, biomedical engineering and data science.
This opening comes as longevity science in beauty continues to evolve, representing a much larger tonal shift to approaching skin and hair health.
For example, Lancôme unveiled its first-ever advisory board in March, focused solely on longevity to help democratise cutting-edge longevity science advancements in beauty.
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The Dr Olivier Courtin Clarins Longevity Research Center will lead the strategic direction for Clarins research, mapping out forward-looking research territories and axes in longevity, guided by discoveries and emerging societal needs.
As well as launching and overseeing doctoral and postdoctoral programmes in longevity, in close partnership with national and international universities and research institutes.
Claims aims to share these discoveries widely via publications, symposia and workshops.
"Today the science of longevity allows us to greatly influence the behaviour of skin, and I imagine it will undoubtedly reverse it sometime in the future,” said Dr Olivier Courtin Clarins.
“The strength of this science is that we can cultivate both beauty and skin health in a truly proactive way.”
Dr Olivier Courtin Clarins
The centre is focused on epigenetics as “the scientific cornerstone of its mission”, reframing ageing as a dynamic process that can be “influenced by informed daily choices, not merely an immutable fate”.
It is inspired by the 1970s work of scientist Joël de Rosnay, which showed that roughly 15% of gene expression is fixed by inheritance, while 85% may be shaped by lifestyle and environment.
Clarins aims to prevent premature ageing through evidence-based, accessible solutions that target eight of the key biomarkers that influence skin longevity, and align this with products that address them.
The eight biomarkers include epigenetic changes, altered cellular communication, loss of proteostasis, depletion of stem cells, mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, cellular senescence and disabled macroautophagy.
"Our lifestyle has a direct impact on gene expression, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function and cellular repair,” said Courtin Clarins.
“The skin is an excellent reflection of these dynamics.
“It is simultaneously a barrier organ, an immune organ and a visible marker of our overall physiological state.
“Skin that ages more quickly can indicate a deeper imbalance: inflammation, chronic stress, poor sleep, inadequate nutrition or excessive environmental exposure.
“Today, longevity therefore relies on an integrative approach: diet, physical activity, stress management, emotional health, prevention and, of course, skin care.”
For the past 30 years, Clarins has converted foundational science into measurable impact, resulting in ten patents, 13 peer-reviewed publications and 12 scientific collaborations with leading international institutions.
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