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Does your skincare actually work? We did the maths.
Aelon IQ applies health technology assessment principles used in evaluating prescription medicines to analyse your skincare products.
SKINCARE. EVIDENCE REQUIRED.
The Problem with the Skincare Industry
Ingredient lists tell you what's in the product, but the efficacy is a hidden property exploited to make exaggerated claims that require little evidence.
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Existing ingredient checker apps fear-monger using the 'precautionary principle' but tell you nothing about the formulation's efficacy.
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Influencer and expert reviews are inherently subjective, often sponsored, and lack any robust and standardised method of assessment.
Billions are wasted on hyped-up products that end up half-used in our landfills and oceans because they are hardly required to prove they work.
We are changing that.
Our Solution
Aelon IQ models skincare formulation quality, clinical efficacy, skin-type compatibility, and personalised cost-effectiveness using formulation science, peer-reviewed evidence, multi-criteria decision modelling, and pharmacoeconomic evaluation frameworks.
1
In-Silico Formulation Modelling
Aelon IQ reconstructs the formulation in silico by executing deterministic rule-based modules that estimate ingredient concentrations and identify patterns of chemical interactions.
This predictive modelling evaluates formulation quality across attributes like active efficacy & delivery system, hydration & water loss prevention capacity, UV filter system quality, irritation & comedogenic potential, and more.
2
Clinical Efficacy Assessment
For every active ingredient, Aelon IQ synthesises peer-reviewed literature to establish what concerns the active targets, optimal concentration ranges, evidence strength, and synergy with other actives.
Our model then determines if the active is present at clinically effective doses, whether its use is supported by robust evidence, and if the formulation environment is optimal for the active to actually do its work.
3
Multi-Attribute Value Modelling
Formulation modelling and clinical efficacy outputs are weighted and aggregated into a personalised score using our purpose-developed Extended Hierarchical Multi-Attribute Value Model.
The model applies skin-type-dependent functions, so the same product scores differently across 14 skin profiles.
4
Economic Appraisal
Aelon IQ performs cost-effectiveness analysis by calculating how much you pay for each unit of personalised skincare benefit, allowing products to be compared on a single value-for-money metric.
Our model calculates Average and Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratios, telling you exactly how much you pay for each additional unit of benefit.
The Aelon IQ methodology is patent-pending. It applies multi-criteria decision modelling and pharmacoeconomic evaluation principles to analyse non-prescription skincare products.
The Science Behind Skincare
UV Filter System Quality
How well a sunscreen performs in real life depends not only on its stated SPF but also on 6 critical formulation factors - from broad-spectrum coverage to photostability and film durability.
Hydration & TEWL Prevention
Keeping skin hydrated requires drawing water in, sealing it in, and rebuilding the barrier. We explain the factors Aelon IQ analyses to determine the product's potential to hydrate.
Barrier Lipid Replenishment
Replenishing the skin's barrier requires the right lipids, in the right molecular forms, in an appropriate ratio, and delivered so that the skin can incorporate them. Each is a distinct requirement, set out below.
Active Efficacy
The presence of an active on a product's INCI list does not guarantee its efficacy. We analyse the factors that determine an active's efficacy in a formulation.
Sensitisers & Acne Triggers
All skincare products on the EU/UK markets are required to demonstrate safety. Yet many (even the 'natural' ones) contain ingredients that may cause a skin reaction. The reality is complex and nuanced.
Cosmetic Elegance
Cosmetic elegance describes a product's residue, texture, and finish. Distinct from functional performance, it can determine whether a product is used as intended, and thereby the benefit it ultimately delivers.
About
Anna Ohanjanyan, Founder
MPhil in Bioscience Enterprise, University of Cambridge
Hi! I am Anna, founder of Aelon IQ and Aelon Life Sciences, a pharmaceutical consultancy. For ten years I advised pharmaceutical companies on drug development, evidence generation, and value assessment.
Despite a few high-profile integrity lapses in drug assessment we have all heard about, on the whole, the life sciences industry is built on rigorous scientific evaluation principles.
In contrast, the world of skincare is noisy, overcrowded, poorly regulated, and driven by marketing, not efficacy evidence. Which is why every other day yet another celebrity skincare line launches that literally no one asked for.
Aelon IQ was born out of my own frustration as a consumer spending hours researching skincare, cross-checking sources, and still wasting money on disappointing products.
I wondered if it was possible to analyse skincare products using the same robust scientific evaluation principles we employed in life sciences, so that I could stop wasting time and money and quickly find high quality and cost-effective products that worked for my skin.
I am now fully focused on building Aelon IQ and helping people like you make evidence-based skincare decisions instead of being constantly deceived by marketers.
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