In the ever-evolving landscape of beauty, few terms have generated as much recent intrigue as exosomes.
Once limited to regenerative medicine, these nano-sized messengers derived from cellular processes have made their way from aesthetic clinics to one of the most discussed developments in skincare, promising to enhance skin longevity.
At this year’s in-cosmetics Global, several exhibitors notably unveiled exosome and exosome-like innovations, highlighting the growing momentum and diverse applications that are fascinating formulators and manufacturers.
Although exosomes offer advanced solutions, they remain widely misunderstood due to marketing ambiguity, regulatory grey areas and a lack of consumer education about what they truly are and how they work.
What are exosomes?
Exosomes are nanosized (30-150 nm), naturally occurring lipid-encased particles secreted by nearly all cell types in our body, including stem cells.
They are one of two primary types of extracellular vesicles (EVs), the other being ectosomes. Exosomes originate inside the cell and are released into the extracellular environment through exocytosis.
Once thought to be mere cellular debris, these vesicles carry biological material like proteins, lipids, growth factors and genetic material from one cell to another, altering the behaviour and fate of recipient cells.
They’re not living cells like stem cells but naturally function as delivery systems and are now understood to play a crucial role in intercellular communication by modulating immune responses, promoting recovery and regulating inflammation.
A single exosome can carry hundreds to thousands of unique combinations of material inside that reflect the identity and current state of its parent cell. As a result, its molecular payload varies and adapts to the cell’s environment, almost like a tailored response to the body’s needs.
When were exosomes first discovered?
While extracellular vesicles (EVs) were studied as early as the 1950s, the term exosomes was first introduced in the 1980s during studies on reticulocytes (maturing red blood cells), where they were initially observed as vesicles facilitating the removal of obsolete cellular components.
It wasn’t until the early 2000s that immunological research in the US and Europe highlighted their regenerative role as key intercellular communicators.
This sparked interest in Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-derived exosomes (from bone marrow) which were shown to aid tissue repair, modulate inflammation and influence fibroblast activity.
By the mid-2010s, thanks to their progressive regulatory landscape South Korea emerged as a global leader in exosome research and development (R&D), particularly in post-laser care, microneedling and many K-beauty products like ampoules and serums.
Today, exosomes are bridging regenerative medicine and advanced skincare delivery systems for their ability to deliver functional molecules with targeted precision.
Where are exosomes sourced from?
Exosomes can be sourced from a diverse range of cells such as human, animal, plant, algae and bacteria cells.
In skincare, due to ethical considerations and regulations they are not extracted from live organisms but instead harvested from cell cultures, such as stem cell–conditioned media, freeze-dried vesicle fragment or plant tissue.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), often derived from bone marrow, umbilical cord, or adipose tissue produce exosomes rich in growth factors and cytokines that promote skin regeneration.
Regulations in the UK, EU and US currently classify exosomes from these sources as biologicals or drugs if they contain human-derived material, restricting their use in skincare.
Plant-derived (e.g. grape, ginger), milk-derived or probiotic vesicles such as those from Lactobacillus spp. often considered lysates, are being marketed as phyto-exosomes, biosomes or nanoparticles to mimic exosome functions.
These offer more accessible, regulatory accepted, stable, halal and vegan-friendly options for formulators.
Market potential
The global exosomes skincare market is projected to grow from $417.8 million in 2025 to $809.5 million by 2032, with a CAGR of 9.9% (Coherent Market Insights).
This rapid expansion is being driven by consumer demand for regenerative, non-invasive skincare and major R&D investment in biotechnology with Asia-Pacific and North America leading market share.
Skincare science (and limitations)
Exosomes are being increasingly used in skin formulations for accelerating regeneration, supporting the skin barrier, reducing inflammation and promoting collagen synthesis.
In most regulated markets, only non-viable, well characterised and highly purified sources often derived from fermentation or plant origin are permitted.
For formulators and manufacturers, working with exosomes offers exciting potential but also complexity.
Exosomes are highly sensitive to temperature, pH and oxidation making them unstable in conventional emulsions or serums unless stabilised and without proper extraction and delivery methods their benefits are often overestimated.
Many products may not contain viable or functional vesicles by the time they reach the skin. This also presents challenges in ensuring exosome viability throughout manufacturing and shelf life.
The lack of globally accepted standards makes it difficult to confirm presence, purity or dosage, raising concern over efficacy claims they are often marketed for.
To address these limitations alongside regulatory and ethical concerns, formulators are exploring exosome-like alternatives like technologies, synthetic vesicles or engineered peptides- designed to mimic the delivery function of natural exosomes without relying on biologically derived materials.
While not identical in structure or origin, these exosome-like ingredients aim to achieve similar goals; delivering active ingredients deeper into the skin and modulating cellular behaviour.
Importantly, these alternatives offer greater consistency, improved safety profiles and clearer regulatory pathways.
According to recent market data, plant-derived exosome-like products currently make up 39% of the category, largely due to their regulatory accessibility and consumer preference for ethical sourcing.
Marketing transparency
One of the biggest challenges facing exosome skincare is the widespread marketing ambiguity surrounding the term itself ‘exosome’.
Many consumers and even some brands don’t understand what exosomes truly are or confuse them with other technologies.
The term is often used loosely, often without clarifying the source, type or function of the vesicles included in the product.
In some cases, formulations may not contain intact or viable exosomes at all, only lysates, conditioned media or plant-derived mimetics and yet still carry the same regenerative claims.
Without clear labelling or scientific substantiation, consumers are left to navigate vague promises that often suggest stem cell benefits without regulatory backing.
This blurring of definitions dilutes credibility, misinforms users and undermines the truly advanced science behind authentic exosomes.
Regulatory concerns
Currently the most pressing issues surrounding exosome use in skincare is regulatory oversight or lack thereof.
To date, no cosmetic regulatory authority has formally approved human-derived exosomes, especially those from embryonic or foetal stem cells which are classified as biological medicinal products (biologics) or cell-based therapies and not cosmetics (skincare).
Without rigorous purification and documentation, their use in cosmetics is restricted and/ or prohibited across regions such as the UK, EU, US, Canada, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
What makes it even harder is the lack of quality standards as there’s currently no global benchmark for verifying exosome concentration, purity or functionality in skincare.
As a result, many products may list exosomes on the label without containing functionally active material or clearly specifying their source, type or purpose. Standardisation, origin traceability and transparent labelling are essential to build consumer trust and scientific credibility.
This is why formulators are turning to safer, more transparent options like plant- or probiotic-derived alternatives, which are easier to regulate and formulate.
Final thoughts
Exosomes are a fascinating breakthrough at the intersection of biology, biotechnology and skincare.
While they’ve shown therapeutic potential, exosomes are still largely in the research phase and most supporting evidence demonstrating their skin-related benefits are limited (lab-based cell culture) or animal model studies.
Human clinical trials (in-vivo) remain scarce, mostly investigating wound or scar healing, highlighting an opportunity for innovators to lead with science.
While true exosomes are still in regulatory limbo, exosome-like systems offer a promising alternative, particularly those that are more stable, scalable and aligned with consumer values.
Did you know that there will be a special focus on Biotech Beauty at in-cosmetics Asia this year?
Feeling inspired?
Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?
References
Mendt, M., Kamerkar, S., & Alt, E. (2019). MSC-derived exosomes for regenerative therapy and beyond. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
Phinney, D.G., & Pittenger, M.F. (2017). MSC-derived exosomes for cell-free therapy. Molecular Therapy
Alcayaga-Miranda, F., Cuenca, J., & Khoury, M. (2017). Harnessing the immunomodulatory properties of MSC-derived exosomes for regenerative medicine applications. Stem Cell Research & Therapy
Pan, B.T., Teng, K., Wu, C., Adam, M. and Johnstone, R.M., 1985. Electron microscopic evidence for externalization of the transferrin receptor in vesicular form in sheep reticulocytes. Journal of Cell Biology, 101(3), pp.942–948. doi:10.1083/jcb.101.3.942
Caplan AI. Mesenchymal stem cells. J Orthop Res. 1991;9:641–650. doi: 10.1002/jor.1100090504
Harding CV, Heuser JE, Stahl PD. Exosomes: looking back three decades and into the future. J Cell Biol. 2013 Feb 18;200(4):367-71. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201212113. Erratum in: J Cell Biol. 2013 Apr 29;201(3):485. PMID: 23420870; PMCID: PMC3575527
Charbord P. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells: historical overview and concepts. Hum Gene Ther. 2010 Sep;21(9):1045-56. doi: 10.1089/hum.2010.115. PMID: 20565251; PMCID: PMC4823383
Woith, E.; Fuhrmann, G.; Melzig, M.F. Extracellular Vesicles—Connecting Kingdoms. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20, 5695. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20225695
Bin Zhang, Mei Wang, Aihua Gong, Xu Zhang, Xiaodan Wu, Yanhua Zhu, Hui Shi, Lijun Wu, Wei Zhu, Hui Qian, Wenrong Xu, HucMSC-Exosome Mediated-Wnt4 Signaling Is Required for Cutaneous Wound Healing, Stem Cells, Volume 33, Issue 7, July 2015, Pages 2158–2168, https://doi.org/10.1002/stem.1771
Kim YJ, Yoo SM, Park HH, Lim HJ, Kim YL, Lee S, Seo KW, Kang KS. Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells stimulates rejuvenation of human skin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2017 Nov 18;493(2):1102-1108. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.09.056