Just in case you missed it (the tube strikes were on after all) Beauty Pie’s London Lab pop-up on Carnaby Street was equal parts science fair, skincare haven, and Instagram playground.
To mark the launch of its most advanced anti-ageing formula yet-the Youthbomb Extreme Retinal Triple Renewal Serum-the brand went beyond the digital space, building an immersive marketing experience that was equal parts theatre and molecular deep dive.
Beauty Pie’s Carnaby Street pop-up welcomed us inside to discover the science behind the new Youthbomb Extreme Retinal Serum.
Founded by beauty disruptor Marcia Kilgore in 2016, Beauty Pie has become the poster child for the “Netflix-isation” of luxury cosmetics: a membership model where subscribers pay factory prices for formulas that usually retail upwards of £200.
The Modems spoke with Saskia Lankshear, Beauty Pie’s Chief Product Development Officer, to find out about the science that makes this serum more than just another pretty bottle in your bathroom cabinet. (Spoiler: it’s a lot more complex than slapping on some retinol and hoping for the best.)
Why most retinoids fall short:
“Because they irritate the skin, aggravate the skin. They’re too strong,” Lankshear told The Modems on the opening night of Beauty Pie’s pop up, cutting straight to the heart of the retinol problem.
For years, skincare devotees have known that retinoids-the Vitamin A derivatives prescribed by dermatologists as early as the 1970s-are the gold standard in anti-ageing. They smooth fine lines, fade pigmentation, and stimulate collagen. But the downside? Flakiness, redness, and irritation that makes many people give up before they see results.
MORE: Beauty Tech Brand Lustre ClearSkin Is About To Be Everywhere
RELATED: Haut.AI Creates The Future Of Skincare
“What we wanted to do was create a product that was going to give really, really good results,” explained Lankshear, “And when I say good results, I mean validated by a clinical trial and a user trial, not just names. But it had to be suitable for all skin types.”
That was the starting point for Youthbomb: a formula that could deliver prescription-level results without prescription-level side effects.
The triple threat system:
So how did Beauty Pie’s lab actually achieve this? According to Lankshear, the secret lies in a three-part retinoid system.
“First, it has an encapsulated retinaldehyde-that’s the closest converting retinoid to retinoic acid,” she said. “It converts 11 times faster than a retinol. It’s a brilliant ingredient, but it can be irritating. So we put it in an encapsulated liposome. That means it releases really slowly. You get the potency, but not that aggravation.”
MORE: 10 Best Beauty Podcasts to Listen to in 2025
RELATED: Best Beauty Tech Instagram Accounts To Follow In 2025
Second, the team layered in Granactive Retinoid at 1%, a newer molecule that Lankshear is evangelical about. “It’s genius. It basically works on the receptors you want to be working on in the skin, to give you the results and not the irritation. There are two types of receptors-RXRs and RARs. RXRs cause redness and flakiness. RARs do the renewing without the aggravation. Granactive retinoid works on the RAR.”
Finally, the third element: a retinoic acid booster in ester form, bound to salicylic acid and vitamin F. “Together it’s proven to not only boost the efficacy of the granactive retinoids-it makes them work harder-but it also stimulates collagen and hydrates the skin,” Lankshear tells us. “So you’re basically getting all of this great performance with the hydration and barrier strengthening.”
In other words: three different technologies working in synergy, designed to trick your skin into thinking it’s on tretinoin without sending you running for the Aquaphor.
More than just retinol:
Retinoids may be the headline act, but the supporting cast is equally powerful. “We added in a GTA, which is a longevity active-basically, in simple terms, it makes your skin act younger for longer,” says Lankshear.
On top of that, the formula layers lactic acid, niacinamide, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid-all gold-standard ingredients in their own right. The effect is what Lankshear calls “absolutely cracking”: “Brilliant results, but also kind to the skin.”
The business model:
Here’s where things get even more interesting-not just scientifically, but economically. A serum with this profile, packed with patented activities and clinical data, usually comes with a £150–£300 price tag.
“My version of this is like £200,” admitted a journalist at the pop-up to Lankshear. “What I love about that is that it’s the reason we created the brand. Our members get this for £49. Which sounds a bit crazy-super low-but it’s a brilliant formula. Only available at that price if you’re a member, because of the whole business model.”
MORE: 4 Science-Backed Skincare Ingredients To Try In 2025 (According To A Dermatologist)
RELATED: The 5 Best Face Mist Devices & Gadgets To Shop Now
That business model-factory-to-face luxury-remains Beauty Pie’s trump card. With margins cut and the middleman erased, the serum slots neatly into the brand’s mission to democratise ‘rich people’s skincare.’
The pop-up: part science fair, part social media moment
Aside from formulas Beauty Pie’s Carnaby Street takeover – was very good optics. Customers were invited to step inside an orange-and-silver “London Lab,” complete with beakers, flasks, and clinical staging that doubled as the perfect selfie backdrop. Before that, they could wander through a teen-dream bathroom set-up and a beauty-tech immersive room – spaces clearly designed for every age group (and every Instagram grid).
For a brand that was born digitally, the move into physical activations marks a new chapter: Beauty Pie as an offline cultural force as much as an online retail disruptor.
The launch of Youthbomb Extreme Retinal Triple Renewal Serum isn’t just another drop in the ocean of skincare. It’s a signal that beauty brands are leaning harder into biotech, longevity research, and consumer demand for results that are actually measurable.
For the millennial woman-balancing career, hormones, and more than a few late nights-this is the kind of skincare that promises not just glow, but science-backed resilience. As Lankshear summed it up: “This is really good skincare. Validated by trials. Suitable for all skin types. Brilliant results, but kind to the skin.”
And at £49 for members, it might just be the smartest investment you’ll make in your future face.
Some of the products and services featured in this article may be from our affiliate partners, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links — at no extra cost to you. Our editorial team only spotlights what we genuinely love and think you will, too.
Leave a Comment