There are over 4,000 beauty manufacturing hubs in the United States, according to IBISWorld. What sets KKT apart, says Koestline, is the ability to develop products faster and more efficient than giant conglomerates — “when it comes to innovation, bigger brands can become immovable” — along with something she noticed while working for the largest cosmetics companies in the world: When formulas were developed with storytelling in mind, they sold better. “If you want to be a good formulator, you have to understand market trends and how the stories are happening on social media and in magazines and newspapers,” she explained.“Everyone wants to talk about ‘AI beauty’ right now. So in our lab, we use AI to isolate the peptides that work best for a
given result, whether it’s fuller lips or a brighter complexion.”(Koestline is not able to discuss specific formulations, but surely we know the sold-out lip peptide line and Hollywood peptide serum that might be part of this origin story.)

Robot peptides may have been a stealth trend of 2024, but for next year, Koestline sees “organic technology” as the new “clean beauty,” explaining how labs will harness the chemical reactions that occur daily in nature and amplify them for more intense results.“Fermented ingredients are a great example,” she said,“because that’s basically just biotechnology. Fermentation happens in nature through microorganisms like yeast, bacteria, fungus… If you modify the genetic sequences of that bacteria or fungus, can you guess what happens?”

I guess a zombie apocalypse. She laughs at me.

“No, what happens is precision fermentation. We make better active ingredients for your skin with less energy. You can do it with hyaluronic acid, too, or even growth factors.”“Growth factors” are the compounds in skin that help it rebound from damage and volume loss; controlling and harvesting them for human use is a Holy Grail situation. Koestline says biochemists are now
creating these growth factors inside oleosomes, which are protective capsules inside plant cells.

This is, essentially, a “Star Wars” plot that hasn’t happened yet, along with a literal definition “plant-based” beauty. Koestline.“The formula and its story are aligned to deliver a standout product.” And as “clean beauty” becomes a suspicious label for savvy customers — the “sustainable cotton” of skincare — Koestline knows the credibility of cutting-edge science can help trusted brand names like Goop retain both their credibility and their“nature heals all” philosophies. One more thing to watch in 2025, according to Koestline: Niche hair care.“There are [new] studies out that people who have had exposure to Covid are suffering from more hair loss than they’ve been before. Anyone who has experienced a loss of smell during their Covid infection is also at a higher risk for hair loss now. It’s a thing.” Shampoos, conditioners, and scalp serums that claim to boost growth continue to be high on her watch list for viral potential.“You could also make an entire menopause hair line,” she said.“It would do great.”