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Delavie Sciences built its Bacillus Lysate ingredient from research tied to the International Space Station. Here is how NASA-linked biology became a luxury skin care innovation.
There are plenty of buzzy ingredients in beauty. But how many do you know of that can trace their origin story to the International Space Station?
It’s a hook, for sure, but it’s no gimmickL Delavie Sciences has built its hero ingredient around Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032, a strain NASA originally isolated from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Spacecraft Assembly Facility, then translated it into a cosmetic ingredient called Bacillus Lysate.
The “Certified Space Technology” claim attached to Bacillus Lysate runs through the Space Foundation’s certification program, and the organization’s archive includes a listing for Bacillus Lysate as an active ingredient used for commercial UV protection.
Kyle Landry, President of Delavie Sciences, says the designation required documentation tied to spaceflight experiments and patents. “We provided documentation about the space flight missions, experiments performed on the ISS, and JPL/Caltech patents for the technology to show that the organism from NASA (also known as Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032) was part of a space mission. NASA allowed us to do additional research to come up with our ingredient Bacillus Lysate,” he told CosmeticsDesign.
From SPF booster to age-defying claims
Bacillus Lysate was originally released as a SPF booster to enhance the SPF value of sun care products, according to Landry. The company later explored broader applications. “[W]e always thought there were more uses for the Lysate, so we conducted tests on its effect on skin health and longevity. We were not disappointed.”
According to Landry, in vitro studies showed the ingredient increased skin cells’ production of hyaluronic acid by over 230 percent and stimulated Sirt1 activity, an enzyme linked to cellular longevity. “We found Bacillus Lysate increased skin cells’ ability to produce hyaluronic acid by over 230 percent and stimulates Sirt1 activity, a key enzyme linked to the longevity and health of cells,” he said.
He also cited antioxidant findings tied specifically to ultraviolet exposure. Bacillus Lysate was found to be a potent antioxidant, “specifically inhibiting the formation of radicals formed from UVA exposure. The UVA wavelengths penetrate both the epidermis and dermis layers, linked to accelerated skin aging.”
Those results prompted the launch of Aeonia, Delavie’s direct-to-consumer line built around the ingredient. “Since the testing results demonstrated such impressive age-defying properties, we decided to create Aeonia, a clinically tested line of skin care products that highlight the exceptional technology of Bacillus Lysate,” Landry said.
The company has submitted a manuscript (titled “Efficacy of a Novel SPF Booster Based on Research Aboard the International Space Station”) for peer review and advancing research on age-defying data, according to Landry. Some results, including hyaluronic acid data, are published on its website, while additional findings remain pending publication.
Delavie’s broader ingredient pipeline reinforce its positioning. In addition to Bacillus Lysate, the company’s Hydrolytic Enzyme Complex is an enzyme-based ingredient derived from a novel fungus and developed through purification, safety testing, and INCI registration before scale-up, according to Landry.
“This technology is based around a novel fungus that was found to produce a variety of interesting enzymes that breakdown various organic materials,” he said. Rather than leaning into the familiar “non-toxic” or “free-from” vocabulary that has defined much of the clean beauty movement, Delavie frames its innovation around patents, laboratory protocols, and peer-reviewed manuscripts in progress.
The two misconceptions that come up immediately
Space biology tends to raise eyebrows, and Landry addressed two recurring concerns.
First: is it live bacteria? “The most common misconception is that Bacillus Lysate contains live bacteria. It does not. The lysate is a proprietary extract from the Bacillus, not the organism itself,” Landry said.
Second: is it a probiotic? “This also segways into the second misconception that Bacillus Lysate is a probiotic. It is not a probiotic, but it has been certified as a prebiotic and microbiome friendly by MyMicrobiome,” he said.
Delavie continues to explore additional ingredients sourced from what it describes as a broader portfolio of organisms studied in extreme environments. “The foundational organism used to create Bacillus Lysate is just one of many organisms we have been granted access to that have been researched by multiple space agencies and scientists, including astronauts aboard the International Space Station,” Landry said.
“We are still in the research and development stage, but from what we are seeing, these ingredients could be out-of-this-world. Literally and metaphorically,” Landry said.
“Our science-backed, data-driven mentality has allowed us to break into an industry that is full of noise, and hopefully we can lead the march for clinically tested and efficacious skin care.”
LAYER ONE CLEANSER
LAYER ONE TONER
AEONIA AGE-DEFYING SERUM
AEONIA EYE REFRESH
AEONIA SCULPTING CREAM
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