Key takeaways
- Evidence-based skincare continues to underpin Deciem’s product development.
- The company has expanded its scientific capabilities with five in-house laboratories and over 150 specialists.
- Demand for both innovation and credible efficacy data is shaping product development across the wider beauty industry.
- Scientific rigour is enabling, not limiting, creativity in formulation and ingredient exploration.
In recent years, beauty and personal care shoppers have become increasingly discerning about product efficacy and the science behind ingredients. While this trend spans the entire market, one disruptor brand stands out for placing scientific efficacy at the centre of the beauty conversation: The Ordinary, from Deciem.
The brand gained attention for spotlighting specific ingredients – such as hyaluronic acid, azelaic acid and niacinamide – long before they became mainstream. Presented in pharmacy-style bottles, these products offered a more serious, dermatology-inspired approach to skincare, encouraging shoppers to mix and match formulas based on their individual needs.
Deciem, The Ordinary’s parent company, was founded by Brandon Truaxe and Nicole Kilner, who set out to build 10 brands with a strong scientific ethos. In 2017, Estée Lauder Companies invested in the business, and by 2021 it had fully acquired Deciem.
Ahead of this year’s in‑cosmetics Global event in Paris, we spoke to Deciem’s Director of Global Clinical Research, Carla O’Connor, to find out more about the company’s approach to evidence-based skincare in 2026...
CosmeticsDesign-Europe (CDE): Hi Carla, what will you be talking about at this year’s in‑cosmetics Global?
Carla O’Connor (CO): I’ll be sharing an overview of how we approach clinical research at Deciem, including the structure of our clinical team and the types of testing we conduct to support our products. A key focus will be how we determine what clinical research is most meaningful, both from a scientific perspective and in terms of delivering clear, credible benefits for consumers.
I’ll outline Deciem’s clinical pillars and how we combine method development with both internal and external studies to generate robust, substantiated claims. I’ll also walk through a case study from a recent launch from The Ordinary to illustrate how ingredient discovery, formulation science and clinical testing come together in practice.
CDE: Scientifically proven ingredients at reasonable prices were always a strategy for The Ordinary. How has this evolved in recent years now that more brands are adopting this approach?
CO: Providing scientifically supported ingredients at sensible price points has always been foundational to Deciem’s philosophy, and that hasn’t changed. What has evolved over the years is the depth of our internal scientific capabilities.
We’ve significantly expanded our in-house teams (over 150 people strong), invested in state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure (we house our five labs all under one roof at our headquarters – our Research and Development, Clinical Research, Microbiology, Stability and Analytical labs), and built strong partnerships with trusted suppliers and research collaborators. We also conduct extensive internal reviews and ingredient audits to ensure that any ingredient we explore, whether well-established or emerging, has meaningful scientific backing before it moves into development.
While honesty and integrity remain central to our mission, we’re also increasingly exploring newer technologies and next‑generation ingredients. The key is that innovation must still be grounded in strong scientific rationale and data. Our goal continues to be delivering high-quality, effective skincare that remains accessible while pushing forward thoughtful, evidence-based innovation.
CDE: While there is of course a need for scientific validation of ingredient claims, do you think beauty is at risk of becoming too preoccupied with this and limiting innovation – or even removing the fun from the category?
CO: In fact, it’s quite the opposite! The demand for both innovation and real, visible results is higher than ever, and consumers are holding beauty brands to a much higher standard. Rather than limiting creativity, this shift is pushing the industry to develop products that are not only exciting but also backed by credible evidence. Consumers today want formulations that deliver meaningful, perceivable benefits, and scientific validation helps ensure that what we bring to market truly works.
From the beginning, the premise behind The Ordinary was to offer high-quality, effective skincare at sensible prices by focusing on ingredients that already had strong scientific evidence behind them. As Deciem has grown, we’ve been able to maintain that philosophy while expanding into more novel ingredients, emerging technologies and multi-active formulations.
In many ways, science allows us to remain creative. Having a strong scientific foundation gives us the confidence to explore the latest ingredients and novel technologies while ensuring they have the data to back them up. At Deciem, innovation has always meant doing things differently; leaning into our “Abnormal Beauty Company” philosophy while still delivering products that truly work. For us, that means combining curiosity and experimentation with scientific rigour, so we can develop products that are both innovative and effective for our customers.
Carla O’Connor, Director of Global Clinical Research at Deciem, will present the session “Results with integrity: The Deciem model for evidence-based skincare” at in‑cosmetics Global on Wednesday 15 April, 10:30–11:15 in the Marketing Trends Theatre.
In‑cosmetics Global 2026 takes place from 14–16 April at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, France. For more information or to register, visit the event website.
