From anti-aging to longevity. It's all about skin biology! Keep your cells healthy.
by Monique Lindeboom, BeautyJournaal
The latest innovation from the Dutch skincare brand Prescription focuses on a hot topic in the world of skin rejuvenation: zombie cells.
We all age, but not all our cells contribute equally. Some stop working but remain alive – like biological zombies. They accumulate in the skin, send out inflammatory signals, and prevent healthy cells from functioning optimally. They literally undermine the tissue without contributing anything themselves. Scientists call these cells ‘senescent’ or dormant, and experts worldwide are now finding ways to eliminate these silent disruptors.
From anti-aging to cellular health
Esther Litjens, founder of Prescription, was touched by a new scientific approach: the role of so-called zombie cells in skin aging. She read how these aged, yet still active, cells can fuel inflammation and skin deterioration — and how their removal paves the way for healthy cell activity.
Interest in this so-called senolytic approach is also growing in the medical world. Researchers are investigating how such cells can be safely removed — for example, in chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis or pulmonary fibrosis, where aged cells impair tissue repair capacity.
Supporting self-repairing capacity
"If you can cleverly remove such cells, it literally creates space for regeneration," she says. "With our new serum, you further enhance the skin's self-repairing capacity."
For Esther, this felt like a missing piece in the skincare narrative. No more superficial anti-aging, but truly working with the biology of the skin. The start of something new: skin longevity.
In her new Zombiecell Serum, she incorporates an active ingredient that does just that: ETERWELL™ YOUTH. It was developed by DSM-Firmenich and is the result of years of biological research.
Plant-based power: alpine botanicals with a mission
The active ingredient in the serum comes from a rare alpine plant: Epilobium fleischeri. The extract is standardized to the flavonoid myricitrin – a plant-based antioxidant that protects the plant from oxidative stress and UV radiation, and has an anti-inflammatory and regenerative effect on the skin.
In addition, scientific studies show that myricitrin has a senolytic effect: it activates programmed cell death (apoptosis) in zombie cells without harming healthy cells.
How does that work? Bypassing a safety mechanism
Zombie cells remain 'alive' by protecting themselves through so-called survival pathways. The active ingredient in ETERWELL™ YOUTH directly interferes with these pathways. You could say: it removes the protective safety vest — but only from zombie cells. This makes them recognizable to the immune system, which can then remove them through apoptosis. Esther: "This programmed cell death is a beautiful natural survival mechanism of the body: clearing away everything that is sick and unhealthy."
Measurable skin rejuvenation within weeks
DSM tested the ingredient at various levels, she explains. "In vitro, on isolated skin cells in the lab, a senolytic effect (cell death) of those zombie cells was observed, among other things. In ex vivo skin models, after removing those zombie cells, a 94% increase in type I collagen production in the tissue was seen after twelve days."
"In a clinical test on volunteers, the skin appeared an average of six years younger after two weeks, according to an AI skin analysis by Histolab. That six-year difference was not only due to collagen stimulation but a combination of factors: improved smoothness, more even pigmentation, and a refined skin surface. After three months of use, this even increased to an average of nine years of rejuvenation."
‘Skin longevity’ in your own routine
The serum is intended for anyone who wants to invest in skin longevity – keeping their skin healthy for a long time. Esther emphasizes in our conversation that she prefers not to talk about anti-aging anymore, but about healthy aging, with skin that maintains its resilience.
How does this serum fit into your routine?
You use the Zombiecell Serum as the first step after cleansing, possibly after a toner or essence. Apply one to two pumps to the face and neck, let it absorb, and follow with your usual hydrating serum or cream. Esther: "I recommend using it twice a day – morning and evening – for optimal effect. During the day, always finish your routine with sun protection."
The serum is suitable for all skin types and can be excellently combined with other active ingredients such as antioxidants, peptides, or acids. By removing zombie cells, these active ingredients can even better reach their target.
From science to beauty
It's no coincidence that Prescription is at the forefront of this development. The brand operates at the intersection of dermatology, aesthetics, and science. This means it can also be perfectly used in treatments by skin therapists and beauticians. Prescription guarantees effective ingredients with proven effects in easy-to-use formulas.
Internationally, her vision is starting to gain attention. Prescription is used in countless beauty institutes in the Netherlands, at Doctors at Soap locations, at Skins, and it is now also being introduced in Madrid, Paris, and New York. Cities where niche brands are picked up by professionals and connoisseurs. "We're going from K-beauty to D-beauty," Esther says with a smile.
Indeed, Dutch beauty: intelligent, pure, progressive.
Shop the Zombie Cell Serum here
LINK: https://www.beautyjournaal.nl/2025/09/25/prescription-verrast-met-hightech-zombie-cell-serum/
