ANTI-AGEING 47


Turning back the ageing clock with snow algae active


Giovanna Grigolon, Franziska Wandrey, Fred Zülli – Mibelle Biochemistry ABSTRACT


Environmental factors and lifestyle choices impact our skin deeply, reaching the cells’ DNA and inducing its modification. These so-called ‘epigenetic changes’ create a signature that contributes to the biological age of the cell, which can significantly differ from the chronological one. Through lifestyle choices and targeted interventions, biological age of the skin can be reversed, and skin appearance can be improved. We developed an extract from snow algae that reduces the skin’s biological age by acting on the hallmarks of ageing. These are measurable manifestations of the ageing process inside the cells, revealing the impaired cellular mechanisms that lead to progressive functional decline. In vitro, snow algae extract reversed biological age according to the Horvath clock and it modulated protein levels, bringing them back to a younger profile. The extract consistently showed anti- senescence activity, both in vitro as well as clinically, and counteracted UV spots appearance despite sun exposure. Furthermore, it promoted TEWL reduction and showed a moisturizing effect


Living conditions, lifestyle, and environmental exposure significantly influence biological age—the body’s actual physical condition and functionality, independent of the years a person has lived, which is termed the chronological age (Figure 1). The skin, as the body’s primary barrier, is particularly affected by these external and internal factors, which can make one appear much younger or older than their chronological age. This phenomenon is known as ‘epigenetic


ageing’, and it highlights the need for targeted skin care to maintain health and youthfulness. DNA methylation, the addition of methyl groups to DNA, serves as a key ageing biomarker, accumulating predictably over time. By analysing DNA methylation patterns in


skin cells, scientists can define an ageing clock to estimate epigenetic skin age, which often aligns with visible signs of ageing like wrinkles, reduced elasticity, and pigmentation changes. The Horvath’s clock, for example, measures


age across various tissues, thereby not only estimating skin age but also predicting barrier function, UV damage susceptibility, and responsiveness to anti-ageing treatments.1


The hallmarks of ageing To address the ageing process, it is crucial to


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understand the biological mechanisms driving it. The hallmarks of ageing are key processes that contribute to the gradual decline in cellular and organismal function, including genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, and loss of proteostasis, which compromise cellular integrity.2 Additionally, deregulated nutrient sensing,


mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular senescence impair energy balance and tissue renewal, while stem cell exhaustion and altered intercellular communication reduce regenerative capacity. Recently identified hallmarks—such as


impaired macroautophagy, chronic inflammation, microbiome imbalance (dysbiosis), and extracellular matrix (ECM) changes—further drive age-related decline, with loss of tissue elasticity being a notable effect. Psychosocial isolation can also aggravate these hallmarks (Figure 2).3 In skin ageing, these mechanisms impact both the dermis and epidermis. Genomic instability causes DNA damage, and telomere attrition limits cell division. Epigenetic changes and proteostasis loss disrupt collagen and elastin production, leading to wrinkles and reduced elasticity. Mitochondrial dysfunction and deregulated


Snow algae active


Turning back the ageing clock


Figure 1: Snow algae active turns back the ageing clock April 2026 PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE


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