Newly healed skin looks younger for a reason. This $198 anti-aging serum is built around the science
The science behind DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum starts with something you may have noticed about your own skin.
There are a few skincare ingredients pretty much everyone knows by now. Retinol. Hyaluronic acid. Vitamin C. But defensins? Not exactly a bathroom-cabinet household name.
And yet, the science behind them starts with something surprisingly familiar: newly healed skin.
Think about a spot where your skin has completely healed. The fresh skin can look noticeably smoother and, well, newer than the skin surrounding it. That's not just a weird thing you've noticed. There's biology behind it.
It's also the inspiration behind DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum, a $198 anti-aging serum formulated with the brand's proprietary Age-Repair Defensins. These molecules
take their cue from the body's natural defense and repair system, but the serum itself is strictly about cosmetic skin aging: helping skin look fresher, smoother and more youthful.
The concept immediately raises two questions: How does that actually work, and is there enough science behind it to justify spending nearly $200? Here's what to know.
Meet the DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum
First, why can newly healed skin look so fresh?
Our skin has an impressive ability to regenerate itself.
Defensins are naturally occurring molecules involved in the body's defense and repair system. Published research has examined their relationship with a population of LGR6-positive cells involved in regenerating components of the epidermis during the body's natural repair process.
That's the scientific explanation. The dinner-party version is a lot simpler: Your skin has its own biological system for making fresh skin when it needs to repair itself.
This connection is especially interesting to dermatologic surgeons, who regularly see skin go through that rebuilding process.
This doesn't mean DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum heals damaged skin or should be used on an injury.
The healing process is the inspiration for the technology. The serum's job is cosmetic, helping improve the appearance of aging skin.
DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum
DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum is a $198 fragrance-free anti-aging serum featuring the brand's Age-Repair Defensins. Inspired by the biology of skin's natural renewal process, the concentrated formula is designed to help skin look smoother, fresher and more youthful over time.
Buy the 8-in-1 BioSerum today
Our skin doesn't renew the same way forever
Anyone who's reached the point where their face occasionally looks more exhausted than they actually feel already knows that skin changes with age. Skin aging involves more than wrinkles.
Clinical literature describes changes that can include dryness, discoloration, thinning and laxity, with both intrinsic and environmental factors contributing to the process.
So, what exactly are Age-Repair Defensins?
This is where DefenAge enters the picture.
Age-Repair Defensins are the brand's proprietary technology inspired by defensins, the naturally occurring molecules associated with the body's defense and repair system.
The easiest way to understand the concept is that Age-Repair Defensins are designed to support the skin's own renewal process for fresher, younger-looking skin.
8-in-1 BioSerum is DefenAge's most concentrated Age-Repair Defensins treatment, according to the brand. A 1.5-ounce bottle costs $198.
The formula is designed to address multiple visible signs of aging rather than focusing exclusively on one concern.
At that price, however, an interesting mechanism isn't enough. I want to know what kind of evidence exists behind it.
Buy now for $198
What does the research on defensins actually show?
This is the part worth slowing down for, because there's a difference between interesting science and clinical studies vs. convincing shopping evidence.
A 2023 study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology enrolled 20 healthy adults ages 45 to 80. Participants used a skincare regimen containing alpha-defensin 5 and beta-defensin 3 twice daily for 12 weeks. Researchers reported statistically significant improvement in wrinkling and elastosis from baseline to day 90, along with observed improvements in measures including texture and radiance.
An earlier 2018 study used a participant- and investigator-blinded, placebo-controlled design. 44 women ages 41 to 71 completed that study, with participants using either a three-product defensin-containing regimen or a placebo formula for 12 weeks.
Researchers reported a statistically significant increase in epidermal thickness in the full-formula group and improvements in visual measures including wrinkles, pores and uneven texture.
Who is DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum for?
At $198 for 1.5 ounces, this isn't an impulse-buy serum.
But it could be intriguing for someone whose skin has started looking duller, rougher or simply more tired than it used to and who wants to explore an anti-aging ingredient outside the usual retinol-vitamin C conversation.
According to the brand, DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum is fragrance-free, dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested and made without animal- or human-derived ingredients. DefenAge also says it backs the serum with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Buy the DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum
USA TODAY Shopping will be covering all the best deals and drops so be sure to check us out on Flipboard, follow us on TikTok, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram to stay updated!
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The surprising science-backed ingredient in this $198 anti-aging serum
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
