No two people age the same way. A 35-year-old may have deep-set wrinkles, while a 40-year-old may have supple skin with very few visible signs of ageing. It doesn't matter if the younger person has followed a strict AM/ PM skincare routine for years or if the older person has barely used a moisturiser.
At first glance it's easy and also convenient to blame genetics. For decades, that's exactly what many scientists did. If your parents aged well, chances are you would too. If premature ageing ran in your family, there was very little you could do about it but recently, longevity science has actually changed our understanding of biological ageing. Today, researchers know that while our genes influence the skin we're born with, they don't solely determine how our skin looks, feels or functions over time.
The answer lies in understanding two of biology's most important concepts called genotype and phenotype.
Your genotype in simple terms is the complete genetic blueprint you inherit at birth from your family. It contains the instructions that influence everything from collagen production and skin barrier function to pigmentation, antioxidant defence, inflammatory responses & cellular repair. These genes remain largely unchanged throughout your life & while they may determine your biological starting point, they don't define the outcome.
Your phenotype on the other hand is the visible expression of those genes. It's the skin you see every morning in the mirror. Unlike your genotype, your phenotype is constantly evolving because it is influenced by years of interaction between your biology, your environment & the countless factors that influence long-term skin health.
This is where the science becomes truly fascinating.
One of the biggest breakthroughs in longevity science is the understanding that genes are not fixed instructions operating in isolation. They are continuously responding to biological signals from the environment. Scientists study this through a field known as epigenetics, which explores how environmental and lifestyle factors influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence itself.
Put simply, your DNA doesn't change. The way your body reads it does.
Perhaps the clearest demonstration of this comes from studies on identical twins. Since identical twins share virtually the same genetic blueprint, any visible differences that develop over time are far more likely to be influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors than genetics alone. One of the largest studies on facial ageing in identical twins, conducted by researchers at Case Western Reserve University, found that prolonged sun exposure, smoking, limited sunscreen use and several lifestyle factors were associated with an older facial appearance despite identical DNA.
The twins began life with the same genotype but what eventually changed was their phenotype.
That distinction tells us something interesting. Our skin is constantly adapting to the life we live. Every sunny holiday, every stressful period, every sleepless night and every environmental exposure leaves behind subtle biological signals that gradually influence skin health. Individually, these moments may seem insignificant. Collectively, they make the phenotype we see reflected in the mirror.
Tips to Support a Healthier Phenotype
- Wear sunscreen every day
- Protect your skin barrier
- Prioritise quality sleep for 7+ hours
- Manage oxidative stress with a longevity diet
- Avoid smoking
- Stay consistent with your skincare
- Nourish your body well with longevity supplements
- Manage chronic stress with meditation
At The Lab of Skin Longevity, we're fascinated by concepts like genotype and phenotype because they remind us that skin is never static. It's constantly responding, adapting and evolving. The more we understand those biological changes, the more thoughtfully we can formulate for them. That's the philosophy behind every Karmic Beauty formulation.
