Martha Stewart Is Tackling Anti-Aging Skincare? Yes, The Home Decor Icon Enters the Clinical Beauty Space

Martha Stewart, who’s typically well-known for her DIY home decor, creative home-making and iconic friendship with Snoop Dogg, has now made her presence known in the medical-grade skincare space. After five years of research and development, Elm Biosciences launched Sept. 17—co-founded by Stewart and Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, the board-certified dermatologist who’s also helped develop Rhode Skin.

Elm Biosciences, co-founded by Martha Stewart and dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, MD targets aging from the inside out.Courtesy of Elm Biosciences Sept. 17 Press ReleaseThe Elm product line, including a serum that works in conjunction with a daily supplement, acts as a dual-pathway system designed to treat the internal and external drivers of aging, per a Sept. 17 press release. With Bhanusali’s expertise in dermatology, the two products were created to simplify daily beauty routines, working from the inside out and topically, to deliver clinically-tested results. 

In addition to Sewart working alongside Bhanusali to launch Elm, 350 dermatologist advisors also contributed to the skincare innovation, exercising the role of antioxidant treatments in modern care. Though Stewart holds influence in the lifestyle and wellness spaces, she has actually been a long-time patient of Bhanusali, hence the partnership that powers the biotech platform, Elm. 

Behind the scenes and out of the public eye, Stewart has been testing these products for five years in her daily routine, before the brand or product was named. Stewart is also an investor in the company, the release states. Bhanusali, in addition to his involvement at Elm, has helped create Rhode and Skin Medicinals. 

“Elm was created to solve a clear problem: the science has evolved, but most skincare hasn't,” said Bhanusali. “Our goal is to bring novel molecules and complexes to skincare that reset the expectations we have for what products can do.”

The A3O Elemental Serum is powered by antioxidants, referred to as the A3O Complex—a triple-pathway antisenescent molecule engineered to target visible signs of aging, including UV damage, pigmentation, dehydration and irritation. Antisenescent refers to anything that prevents, delays or reverses cellular senescence, a biological term for aging at the cellular level.. Senescent cells are one of the important mechanisms of skin aging, studies say—a prominent research topic in aesthetic medicine [1]. 

Noting aesthetic medicine’s focus being the process of changing the appearance and function of the skin, while improving skin health, the NLM 2024 study divided aging components into endogenous and exogenous factors [1]. Endogenous includes oxidative stress, while exogenous aging is the result of environmental factors such as UV radiation, air pollution and tobacco smoke. These two components lead to DNA damage. 

Working alongside the antioxidants in the serum is the Inner Dose Daily Skin Supplement, a capsule formulated by these dermatologists to address internal triggers of aging like inflammation, oxidative stress and hormonal imbalance, strengthening the skin's DNA and outward foundation from within. Elm products will be available in dermatology and medical offices.

"I set out years ago to take care of my skin," said Stewart. "Along the way, I met Dr. Bhanusali, and we started doing our research and development to create a skincare line unlike any other."

References:

1- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11471065/