Clarins’ newly opened Longevity Research Center

Under the guidance of our unique holistic beauty approach, this new Research Center will deepen understanding of the definitive factors that accelerate skin ageing and continue to chart how cumulative lifestyle decisions shape wellbeing over decades.

The Center will be led by an international scientific committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Olivier Courtin‑Clarins. It will assemble a multidisciplinary team of global experts – specialists in ageing biology, dermatology, epidemiology, behavioral science, biomedical engineering and data science – united around a single goal: to rethink longevity research for real‑world impact.

From our two locations – Clarins’ Paris headquarters and Laboratories in Pontoise – its core missions will include:

1. Strategic direction for Clarins Research – map out bold, forward‑looking research territories and axes in longevity, guided by current discoveries and emerging societal needs.
2. Launch and oversee doctoral and postdoctoral programs in longevity, in close partnership with national and international universities and research institutes.
3. Share discoveries widely – through publications, symposia and focused workshops – to inform both the scientific community and key stakeholders.

“Today the science of longevity allows us to greatly influence the behavior of skin, and I imagine it will undoubtedly reverse it sometime in the future. The strength of this science is that we can cultivate both beauty and skin health in a truly proactive way,” says Dr Olivier Courtin-Clarins.

From epigenetics to empowerment

Inspired by the pioneering work of Joël de Rosnay in the 1970s, showing that roughly 15%¹ of gene expression is fixed by inheritance while 85% may be shaped by lifestyle and environment, the Longevity Research Center embraces epigenetics as the scientific cornerstone of its mission. This perspective reframes ageing as a dynamic process that can be influenced by informed daily choices, not merely an immutable fate.

“Our lifestyle has a direct impact on gene expression, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function and cellular repair. 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,” says Dr Olivier Courtin-Clarins.

From science to solutions

With this new interdisciplinary research hub, we aim to continue to confront the essential questions of ageing. Why do we age? What are the measurable biomarkers of skin ageing? How are those markers linked? And crucially, can we influence our own skin longevity? Clarins’ answer, refined through decades of discovery, is yes: scientific insight can be translated into real‑world, lasting beauty.

 For us, skin longevity has always been more than appearance: it is the sustained health of an integrated system. Viewed as an outer reflection of an inner ecosystem, skin longevity encompasses resiliency and function and extends to scalp and hair. The goal at Clarins is to preserve, maintain and prevent premature ageing through evidence-based, accessible solutions that support long‑term vitality. By targeting eight of the key biomarkers that influence skin longevity and aligning them with products that address them, Clarins is pioneering a new era of advanced skin health.

“Longevity has surpassed the mere definition of beauty. At Clarins, we focus less on treating the outward signs of ageing but rather center our research on delaying or even reversing age-related behaviors in the skin.

In 2008 we launched the Younger Longer Balm – an innovative approach for the time that focused on microcirculation and nerve-endings within the skin. With continued scientific advancement in understanding and treating the cellular pathways linked to ageing, our skin care products target most of the crucial biological mechanisms involved in skin longevity,” explains Dr Olivier Courtin-Clarins.

¹ Book entitled “La symphonie du vivant. Comment l’épigénétique va changer votre vie.” (The symphony of living things. How epigenetics will change your life) by Joël de Rosnay.