Are Exosomes The Future of Skincare? Decoding Beauty’s Next Big Ingredient
Exosomes have been anointed the future of skincare, promising next-level skin regeneration and age-defying results.
Much like the majority of innovation in the skincare space, they have long been used for skin revitalisation in South Korea, and have landed here on UK shores with aplomb. In fact, according to a report by Coherent Market Insights, the exosome skincare market is estimated to be valued at over £600 million by 2032.
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But what are exosomes? Aesthetic doctor Dr Barbara Sturm explains “they are membrane-bound spheres inside cells, carrying complex cargo – proteins, lipids, genomic DNA – from the original cell.” She continues, “These microscopic messengers play a key role in cell-to-cell communication and have been shown to reduce inflammation, support skin regeneration, and promote a healthy, youthful-looking complexion.”
Produced naturally in the body, they can be used to improve the appearance of acne scarring, skin volume and calm redness and irritation. The nano-sized messengers are changing the perception of recovery. No longer is it an afterthought, but the treatment itself.
What was once reserved for in-clinic treatments – you can find exosomes administered as injectables or topically after microneedling by professional aestheticians like Meghan Markle’s facialist Sarah Chapman or Shane Cooper, who counts Sabrina Carpeneter and Sienna Miller among his clientele – has now expanded into at-home skincare with promising results.
And the fashion world has already taken note. Backstage at the Tove spring/summer 2026 show, the models were treated to express facials using 111SKIN Exosome collection to give stressed skin a glow without any downtime. “The new Exosome Face Lift acted as the perfect canvas for a lifted, radiant and runway-ready complexion”, explained TOVE founders Camille Perry and Holly Wright.
Shop Vogue’s guide to exosomes in skincare
Dr. Barbara Sturm Exoso-Metic Face Serum
“I use it every morning,” says Dr Sturm on her EXOSO-METIC COLLECTION. “It’s like pressing reset on my skin.” The doctor’s eponymous skincare range is home to two exosome-based products, a dedicated eye serum and one for the rest of the face. She uses exosomes to penetrate into the skin’s barrier for optimal healing and replenish the loss of concentration of the membrane-bound spheres that decline as we age, while growth factors support its structure. Clinical studies have shown that these formulas can reverse the skin’s biological age by up to 4.5 years in just 28 days – a testament to their fast-acting formulas. The Exoso-Metic Face Serum leaves skin glowly, while lessens the appearance of fine lines and pigmentation.
111SKIN Exosome Face Lift
Working in tandem, 111SKIN’s entry into the buzzy world of exosomes is made up of two steps that work like an at-home facelift. You begin with the Shot Serum that uses a microspicule delivery system to maximise the ingredients and ensure they are soaked up by the skin. In this product, the exosomes rejuvenate the skin alongside a peptide complex to encourage lifting and a Swiss ice wine extract to smooth fine lines.
Next up, you apply the Overnight Mask while you slumber, and the addition of milk thistle extract gently buffs away dullness-causing zombie cells, while exosomes, in tandem with the 111SKIN signature NAC Y2 anti-ageing ingredient, strengthen and repair. In a month of use, 97 per cent of the brand’s trial participants saw a tightening effect and an improvement in the appearance of fine lines.
Medicube One Day Exosome Shot Pore Ampoule 2000
Medicube
One Day Exosome Shot Pore Ampoule 2000
You may know Medicube best for its Collagen Night Wrapping Mask, but the collection extends to many more glass skin-giving skincare, including the One Day Exosome Shot Pore Ampoule 2000. The K-beauty brand uses peptide-rich lacto exosomes and spicules, which are tiny particles even smaller than the pores that act as a skincare version of microneedling, working to minimise the appearance of the aforementioned pores, smooth and brighten skin. There is a combination of chemical exfoliants – AHAs, BHAs and PHAs – to gently remove dead skin cells, while niacinamide brightens and panthenol nourishes.
The Inkey List Exosome Hydro-Glow Complex
The Inkey List
Exosome Hydro-Glow Complex
The Inkey List is known and loved for taking a complex, and more often than not, expensive ingredient and making it accessible. That is certainly the case with its Exosome Hydro-Glow Complex, an anti-inflammatory, lightweight cream that harnesses the power of exosomes. This supercharged serum includes three million plant-derived exosomes to soothe skin and renew, which is fortified with a tripeptide-1 signal peptide. These ingredients are assisted with a double act of hydration heroes: prickly pear extract and hyaluronic acid. Use morning and night and see results in just two weeks.
Medik8 C-Tetra Advanced
One of the brand’s latest innovations comes in the form of a potent vitamin C gel-serum that harnesses 20 per cent vitamin C and phyto exosomes to brighten and smooth the skin, while also combating premature signs of ageing. As vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, it’s also brilliant at protecting against environmental damage. Expect luminous, healthy skin in as little as a week – the clinical results found that participants saw visibly reduced wrinkles, brighter skin and smoother texture in just seven days.
FAQs
How do exosomes work on the skin?
“As we age, the number of circulating exosomes declines, and the skin’s structure becomes disordered”, explains Dr Sturm. “This results in unevenness, a loss of elasticity, and wrinkles. Replacing them through exosome-based skincare, is a powerful anti-aging approach and, in my view, the future of skincare.”
When applied onto the skin, the doctor reveals that “by transferring their bioactive cargo, exosomes can deliver targeted instructions and influence skin cells to activate repair processes, stimulate collagen and elastin production, and strengthen the skin’s barrier. In this way, they help orchestrate a healthier, more balanced skin environment, supporting regeneration and improving overall skin quality from within.”
What are the benefits of exosomes in skincare?
But as for when used topically, the expert adds, “Exosomes are the skin’s natural communication system for repair and renewal. They help regulate inflammation – the key driver of aging – while promoting barrier function, cellular regeneration and collagen and elastin synthesis. This creates the ideal conditions for stronger, more resilient and visibly younger-looking skin.” Skincare that use exosomes replicate this process, mimicking the skin’s own regeneration signals, she says, to “improve tone, texture, hydration and most importantly, support skin health at the cellular level.”
Are there any side effects of exosomes?
There are very minimal side effects to exosomes, which are well-tolerated by almost all. Those with skin infections, eczema or certain autoimmune conditions may want to avoid, as well as those pregnant or breastfeeding. Sturm also cautions too that “as with any advanced active, it’s important that exosomes are used in well-researched, high-quality formulations to ensure both efficacy and safety for everyday use.”
What different types of exosomes exist?
“Exosomes can come from human, animal, plant or synthetic sources,” the expert details. “In North America and Southeast Asia, human-derived exosomes are common, but in Europe and the UK, they’re often restricted – so synthetic or plant-based versions are more widely used.”
She explains that “The exosomes in my EXOSOMETIC COLLECTION line are fully synthetic, but what makes them special is that they’re created using a synthetic copy of human DNA. The donor cells are used only at the start, making them a kind of hybrid – scientifically advanced, ethically made and incredibly effective.”
How do they compare to growth factors, peptides, retinol and other anti-ageing ingredients?
Dr Sturm explain the difference between exosomes and other buzzy skin rejuvenating ingredients. “Exosomes work on a different level,” she begins. “While growth factors, peptides and retinol target specific pathways – like boosting collagen or increasing cell turnover – exosomes act as natural messengers, delivering a diverse library of regenerative signals between cells. They don’t just stimulate one process; they orchestrate many at once, promoting repair, reducing inflammation and restoring balance. That makes them a next-generation tool, complementing and potentially enhancing the benefits of traditional anti-aging ingredients.”
- Dr. Barbara Sturm is the founder of her eponymous skincare brand, an aesthetics doctor and an expert in anti-inflammatories. She has been researching exosomes for over 20 years.