Ep 410 – What the Deck: MicroRNAs

Summary

---

ASCP Esty Talk, Ep 410 – What the Deck: MicroRNAs

Release Date: August 12, 2026
Host(s): Ella Cressman and Maggie Stasik

---

Overview

In this episode, hosts Ella Cressman and Maggie Stasik dive into the emerging world of microRNA (miRNA) technology in skincare, focusing specifically on Biocogent's RNA Active W. The discussion covers what microRNAs are, their role in skin health and anti-aging, how RNA Active W works, and what skin professionals should look for when evaluating this new ingredient in formulations. The episode aims to equip estheticians with science-backed knowledge so they can make informed decisions and communicate the strengths and limitations of RNA-based products to their clients.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction of MicroRNA and Their Relevance to Skincare

• Discovering MicroRNAs:
  • MicroRNAs, or miRNAs, are small RNA fragments discovered in 1993 by scientists studying roundworms. (02:05)
  • Their significance rose with their foundational role in protein regulation and their mention in the context of mRNA vaccines during COVID-19.
    • “MicroRNA was discovered in 1993… fast forward to 2024 they actually won a Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for this discovery… great timing for the cosmetic market.” (02:04 – 02:32, Ella Cressman)
• Protein Regulation:
  • Certain miRNAs increase with age, suppressing the production of collagen, elastin, and fibrillin—key proteins for skin firmness and elasticity. (02:33 – 03:20)
• Skincare Application Evolution:
  • Early attempts included ingredients like Sederma Sensystem; RNA Active W marks a shift to more targeted and professionally marketed RNA ingredients. (03:20)

---

2. What is RNA Active W and How Does it Work?

• Formulation Science:
  • RNA Active W does not "add collagen," but instead interrupts the miRNAs that tell skin cells to stop producing collagen as we age. (01:00 – 01:30)
    • “Don’t just add collagen to the skin, just stop blocking the skin’s own collagen production… this ingredient is silencing the silencer.” (01:00, 05:05, Ella Cressman)
• INCI Deck Components:
  • The full ingredient list includes salicylic acid, hydrogenated lecithin, tocoferol acetate, S RNA 5 (the active), arginine, and water—a cocktail intended to facilitate delivery and efficacy. (03:36 – 04:19)
• Unique Mechanism:
  • S RNA 5 specifically "silences the silencer"—it prevents the molecule that shuts down collagen, elastin, and fibrillin from doing so, thereby supporting the cell’s own protein production. (04:19 – 05:07)
    • “In plain English, it's silencing the silencer. So instead of turning down, it stops its ability to turn down production… That sucks.” (04:19 – 05:04, Ella Cressman)
• Clinical Outcomes Claimed:
  • Improvements have been shown in skin firmness, elasticity, thickness, and visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, based on supplier-supported clinicals. (05:07)

---

3. Practical Application for Estheticians

• Treatment Integration:
  • RNA Active W is likely to be most effective in home care but can be used as a finishing step or as an add-on for anti-aging facials. (05:58 – 06:18)
    • “This would… be great for in treatment room treatments as well as home care… an add on to any of your anti aging facials.” (05:58, Maggie Stasik)
• Concentration Matters:
  • The effective concentration in formulations should be 1–3% of the finished product. Estheticians are urged to check ingredient decks for the full carrier complex and watch for under-dosing. (06:25 – 07:56)
    • “It's not uncommon to say, oh, we have it in there, but it's 0.05%… really important consideration.” (06:25, Ella Cressman)
• Compatibility & Red Flags:
  • Avoid products that combine RNA actives with high concentrations of L-ascorbic acid, strong AHAs, or harsh preservatives, which can destabilize the ingredient. (08:43)

---

4. Evaluating New Ingredients: Skepticism & Best Practices

• Supplier-Centered Data:
  • Clinical data is promising but is typically funded by the ingredient supplier, so estheticians are encouraged to request and review the full scope of studies (even if limited) and not take claims at face value. (08:43 – 10:28)
    • “Clinical data… is great but it is supplier funded, so also grain of salt…” (08:43, Ella Cressman)
• Personal Testing:
  • Ella recommends testing new products personally or offering them to trusted clients for feedback before investing in large quantities. (10:28)
  • Consider factors like climate and client skin differences as performance may vary.
    • “Don't be afraid to just buy one and try it yourself… in real life it could be different. In your climate, in your time zone, in your wherever.” (10:28 – 11:21, Ella Cressman)

---

5. Communicating with Clients & Future Trends

• Communicating Science Simply:
  • Speak from personal experience and knowledge of the formulation to maintain credibility and set realistic expectations with clients. (11:51)
• Expanding MicroRNA Horizons:
  • Other microRNAs are under research for various skin concerns:
    • MIR 146A (inflammation, circadian rhythms)
    • MIR 29 (inhibits collagen breakdown)
    • MIR 34 (targets UV wrinkling)
    • MIR 30e and MIR 181a (address cellular senescence) (12:41 – 13:25)
• Shift in Cosmetic Chemistry:
  • The industry is moving from adding proteins to “having a conversation with the cell’s own protein making machinery.” (13:25)
    • “Cosmetic chemistry is shifting from just add this or add this protein to really have a conversation with the cell, regulate the cell's own protein making machinery. That's really what this ingredient is and I think that's kind of cool.” (13:13, Ella Cressman)
• Call for Esthetician Education:
  • Ella and Maggie emphasize the need for estheticians to stay educated as technologies outpace practitioner knowledge. (13:26 – 13:46)
    • “Our products may contain these ingredients, but the people applying them are not yet fully understanding it.” (13:46, Maggie Stasik)
  • Understanding new actives will build client trust as the market saturates with RNA products.
    • “In two years, when every brand has launched an RNA serum, the estheticians who understand this category will be the ones the clients trust.” (14:33, Ella Cressman)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Silencing the Silencer:
  • “In plain English, it's silencing the silencer. So instead of turning down, it stops its ability to turn down production.”
    — Ella Cressman (05:05)
• Practical Skepticism:
  • “Clinical data… is great but it is supplier funded, so also grain of salt…”
    — Ella Cressman (08:43)
• Advice for Estheticians:
  • “Don't be afraid to just buy one and try it yourself… in real life it could be different. In your climate, in your time zone, in your wherever.”
    — Ella Cressman (10:28 – 11:21)
• On Industry Shift:
  • “Cosmetic chemistry is shifting from just add this or add this protein to really have a conversation with the cell, regulate the cell's own protein making machinery.”
    — Ella Cressman (13:13)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:00] – Ella introduces RNA Active W and the episode topic
• [02:04] – Brief history of microRNAs and Nobel Prize for discovery
• [03:36] – Explanation of how the ingredient and its delivery system work
• [04:19] – “Silencing the silencer” mechanism and impact on skin
• [05:58] – Discussion on practical application in treatments and homecare
• [06:25] – How to identify the right concentration on the ingredient deck
• [08:43] – Cautions on ingredient compatibility and considering the source of clinical data
• [10:28] – Advocating for personal trials and climate-based differences
• [13:13] – The future of cosmetic chemistry and next-generation miRNA actives
• [14:33] – The importance of continued learning to earn client trust

---

Final Thoughts

The episode highlights RNA Active W as a cutting-edge, but still-developing, ingredient representing a paradigm shift from collagen addition/stimulation to directly regulating the skin’s own protein synthesis processes. Ella and Maggie urge professionals to critically assess new ingredients, prioritize education, and share personal as well as client experiences to stay ahead as the market expands.

Listener Call to Action:
Have you tried a product featuring microRNA actives? Seen or skeptical about this trend entering your treatment room? Reach out to Ella, Maggie, or ASCP through Instagram, Facebook, or email to share your thoughts.

---

For more info or to connect with the hosts, see the show notes.

Transcript

[Massage Envy Announcer]

Estes, your future looks bright and beautiful. The Massage Envy brand is focused on helping people not only feel their best, but also look their best. Would you like the opportunity to make a positive difference in your clients lives every day while growing your career in a supportive, nurturing environment? Join a welcoming team of like minded professionals at a Massage Envy franchise location near you. Visit massagenv.com sdcareers for more details and to apply today.

[Ella Cressman]

Hello and welcome to ASCP STTalk. I'm Ella Cressman, licensed esthetician, forever student of the skin and content contributor for associated Skincare Professionals.

[Maggie Stasik]

I am Maggie Stasik, licensed esthetician in ASCP's program director.

[Ella Cressman]

I'm excited about today. I say that every episode. I feel like I'm so excited, but really for this one because every once in a while an ingredient lands in my inbox which was what happened with this one particularly. And it makes me stop. Here we go. Biocogen's RNA Active W did just that. Basically the pitch is don't just add collagen to the skin, just stop blocking the skin's own collagen production. Different. Like we're stimulating and everything. But what about the blocking of it? Totally different.

[Maggie Stasik]

Makes sense in theory.

[Ella Cressman]

Yeah, but it's if it was so simple, right. So today we're going to break down what this ingredient actually is, where it came from, what to look for in a formulation and also how to talk about it without over promising. So let's quickly talk about a history of RNA in skin care. Have you ever heard of micro RNA or M I, R, N A? I feel like I have, but I'm

[Maggie Stasik]

not entirely familiar on what this is.

[Ella Cressman]

Me, I wasn't either but it's we started hearing more about this around the COVID vaccines, how it can get in and make real changes like by signaling. But Microrna was discovered in 1993 by a couple of scientists who were studying round worms. Gross of all things. And 1993, fast forward to 2024 they actually won a Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for this discovery. 31 years later. But great timing for the cosmetic market, right?

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah.

[Ella Cressman]

Micro RNA are tiny RNA fragments, as you would assume from that, that regulate which proteins get made and which don't in particular. So in skin certain micrornas ramp up with age and shut down like collagen, elastin and fibrillin production. Cosmetic chemistry has been quietly playing in this space with stopping that stop for a while since 2014. And there was a product at the time called Sederma Sensystem did you hear about that one? That was an early one. Essay. Lauders used a couple of extracts to influence. To try to influence it, and nobody's done it on this level yet. So RNA active W is the first actual ingredient that I've seen marketed this aggressively to the professional channel. So, Maggie, when you hear RNA based skincare, does it sound like science or science fiction?

[Maggie Stasik]

It sounds like science to me. I mean, it makes sense everything that you just explained.

[Ella Cressman]

Cool. Well, I'm glad. The. Let's talk about a little how this particular ingredient works. First of all, in the inky deck, you're not going to just see RNA active W. You're going to see a full combination and is salicylic acid, hydrogenated lecithin to feral acetate and S RNA 5, arginine and aqua or water. You'll see all of those together in the inky deck. These are delivery systems, if you will. Okay. That's what makes it. So obviously the active here is the S RNA 5. And then everything else is what makes it communicate with the skin. It makes it get in and down to where it needs to go.

[Maggie Stasik]

So every time, these five ingredients will be listed always.

[Ella Cressman]

And they have to be. But it's a little cocktail, if you will, of efficacy. And what this active part is, the S RNA 5 is it silences the wrinkle. In my RNA, there is something that says like, let's stop, let's slow down, let's quit producing as much. That molecule suppresses production of type 1 collagen, elastin. And then the part that makes your skin fibrous. The. In plain English, it's silencing the silencer. So instead of turning down, it stops its ability to turn down production. So they already know how to make collagen. They're just being told not to as we get older. That sucks.

[Maggie Stasik]

Interesting. Yeah.

[Ella Cressman]

Yeah. So it's like no sh. Sh.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah.

[Ella Cressman]

Can you imagine, like putting a finger on their lips going, shh? Yeah. So biocogents clinicals have shown improvement in skin firmness, elasticity, thickness, and then visible reductions in fine line, crow's feet, forehead lines. All of the lines. So, Maggie, silencing the silencer is genuinely different from anything else on our shelves where we've been really more promoting collagen production or stimulation instead of just stopping. Stopping it. So really different from anything else where we've been focused mostly on collagen induction therapies. Right?

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah.

[Ella Cressman]

Or collagen stimulation with peels or with peptides that we're going to have them use in home care. So where could you see this fitting in with treatments like compliments home care and such like that?

[Maggie Stasik]

Well, I think that if I'm understanding this right, this would, to your point, be great for in treatment room treatments as well as home care. And I'm seeing this as your finishing step or perhaps it's an add on that can be tacked on to any of your anti aging facials, things of that nature.

[Ella Cressman]

I think so too. And I think it's going to be most successful as a home care product. So I'm, I'm curious to see where the price point will land.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah.

[Ella Cressman]

As far as having this ingredient in something, and speaking of having this ingredient in something, it's important to note that the studies that they performed on their efficacy that we mentioned, its use is encouraged to be 1 to 3% of the finished product. So look for that. If you do see this ingredient coming out, ask for the percentage. It's not uncommon to say, oh, we have it in there, but it's.05%. Right. So 1 to 3% of the finished product. Look on the inky for the full carrier complex. All of those little ingredients that we talked about, they're gonna appear in the little group. And let's just say it again, let's just repeat what those are. It's salicylic acid, hydrogenated lecithin and tol acetate, S RNA 5 and arginine and aqua. They're gonna just come just like that all in, in a row. And it's really important to understand where that is when you're looking on the ingredient deck because if it's lifted after fragrance or down at the bottom, it's probably really below that efficacy level. So really important consideration, especially because as we're seeing these other ingr there and this influx of we'll just call it what it is that like PDRN serums that's coming out. Um, is it trend verbiage or do they really have something that can work and deliver the pdrn same is going to come up with this ingredient too. So make sure it's at the right concentration and then it will work. Hold that thought. We'll be right back.

[Massage Envy Announcer]

Calendar gaps, clients skipping your highest margin. Treatments, clients that never rebook. Sound familiar? When you're running your own practice, money slips through the cracks because you don't have time to chase it all down. That's why we love Gloss Genius. The all in one platform that captures every booking and dollar with automated rebooking. HIPAA compliant charting buy now, pay later, low flat rate payment processing and more. Use code ESTEE E S-T [e-mail] for 50% off your first two months. Gloss Genius. More growth, less busy work.

[Ella Cressman]

Okay, here we go. Let's get back to the podcast. Speaking of who it plays well with, it's a red flag if they're pairing this ingredient with a high percentage of L ascorbic acid specifically or high strengths of alpha hydroxy acids or any kind of aggressive preservatives that could degrade the active. The active in a formulation that's going to be effective should just sit on its own. It doesn't need a high concentration of vitamin C or a H A, just let it sit on its own clinical data. Something else to mention is great but it is a supplier funded so also grain of salt, the supplier of this ingredient is going to sell it to the skincare company who's going to then formulate something with it. So ask for their clinicals. Also, they should have clinical evidence of efficacy. Whether it's eight people or 80 people, they should have something in there. So Maggie, when you hear about like I'm excited about this ingredient and to see where it comes, but obviously, you know, I approach everything with a little skepticism. How do you personally evaluate a new ingredient when the only data is from the company selling it?

[Maggie Stasik]

That's tough because I think that always comes with a little bit of bias. But I think exactly what you have done here is digging in, doing your research, understanding what makes that ingredient effective, what encompasses that ingredient. So for instance, this one here it is that ingredient coupled with a slew of others to be a carrier, drive it in, understanding who it's for, so on and so forth. So fully understanding its features, its benefits and how it penetrates the skin and makes change in the skin and then just your intuition as an esthetician, speaking

[Ella Cressman]

of intuition, also your personal experience, I say this. We get caught up on these product launches and you buy 12, we're you know, they're the brands are going to ask you to buy as much as possible because they're very excited for you and they're going to have a successful launch. They need that. I get it. But don't be afraid to just buy one and try it yourself. Have a personal experience or you know, buy couple and have your clients try em for you and you know, offer a little discount for their personal testimonial before you have to invest heavy. I think that's key. I did that recently with a line that Encourages NAD plus love it. But I was like, let me try it. I bought five, had it, brought it in and then I had five people test well, four because me. But that's the best way too because in real life it could be different. In your climate, in your time zone, in your wherever. Right. In your environment it could be different. So it's really important to.

[Maggie Stasik]

That all those things are a factor too. Like you just said, climate for instance, is a big one that people don't take into consideration.

[Ella Cressman]

Yeah, ever. And the other thing to think about, like I mentioned with this one, make sure it's not a kitchen sink product. Like there's not just a little bit of everything in it. It's okay if it's a simple, very intentional when I want to try this, like I want to find out who's formulating with this so I can try it specifically because I'd want to turn down the. Turn it off voice in my skin.

[Massage Envy Announcer]

Right.

[Ella Cressman]

So how do you talk about it with clients is obviously to speak about it from personal experience and see what the formulation is first. And where this category is going is exciting. I, I mentioned PDRN taking off. We've been talking about it for like a year and a half now. But oh my gosh, there's so many different serums and creams and boosters on the market now. Not all of them are great, but I'm excited to hear about how this micro RNA is going to also explode and targeting actives. I bet it's going to be in the next two to three years. There's other micrornas being studied. One is MIR 146A, that's for inflammation and circadian rhythms, which circadian rhythms for the skin is super important. So it knows when to like protect and then it knows when to restore and we don't really talk about that too much. And then another one is MIR 29, that's a collagen breakdown. So not just stopping the slowing of the production but stopping the breakdown. I can't wait to hear that one. And then MIR 34 is intended to stop UV wrinkling and MIR 30e and M I R 181a for cellular senescence, which is cool. So we'll see. I think what's cool is that cosmetic chemistry is shifting from just add this or add this protein to really have a conversation with the cell, regulate the cell's own protein making machinery. That's really what this ingredient is and I think that's kind of cool. What do you think about that?

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, I do agree with you. It's very cool. I do see that shift in cosmetic chemistry, but I don't know that the aesthetic industry is catching up to that. And what I mean is our products may contain these ingredients, but the people applying them are not yet fully understanding it.

[Ella Cressman]

Yeah, totally. I think it's a lot to learn and I think what you should think about is that in our scope of practice, like, we always have to educate ourselves, stay in the know what's happening. And especially in an industry where actives are fastly evolving. Right. There are always new things coming out. This one I'm excited about. Some of them I've seen in the last couple years have been like, really? But it's interesting. So I'm excited to see where this one goes. If you're using a product that has us in there now, write in and let us know what it is. We want to understand more about it. I'm definitely going to be looking for this, especially, you know, at these events we're going to and such. But I'm excited to see. Could be a big game changer for sure. We could never age.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, we will get to that point.

[Ella Cressman]

Well, the science is real, the delivery system is impressively engineered and the mechanism is a meaningful step forward. It's not a miracle by any means, and it's not necessarily hype, but it could be a credible new category. This is exactly the kind of ingredient story that reminds me why I push our community so hard on clinical reasoning. In two years, when every brand has launched an RNA serum, the estheticians who understand this category will be the ones the clients trust. So read up and do some research if you will. Now, listeners, we really want to hear from you. We're so excited about that. Have you tried a product featuring an RNA active W or any other microrna targeting active? Are you seeing this category show up in your back bar yet? Skeptical, intrigued, or somewhat in between? Reach out via Instagram, Facebook or send us an [e-mail] we want to know all the details. In the meantime, thank you for listening to ASCP STTalk. For more information on this episode or for ways to connect with Maggie or myself, or to learn more about ascp, check out the show notes and stay tuned for the next episode of ASCP stdoc.