Why We Built LAB33: A Note From Our Founders

Born in Seoul. Built on science.

We are Emma and Rebecca. Between us we have spent more than a decade building beauty brands. LAB33 is the most personal thing we have ever made, because we made it for ourselves.

We were tired

We didn't create LAB33 because we wanted another skincare brand. We created it because we were tired. Tired of spending hundreds of pounds on products that promised everything and delivered very little. Tired of chasing trends. Tired of being told that anti-ageing was the goal.

We are not trying to look 25. We are not getting older. We are getting better.

Our skin had changed

But our skin has changed. Hormones shift. Recovery slows. Sensitivity increases. Skin doesn't bounce back the way it once did, and no one seemed to be speaking honestly about that.

We looked at what was on the shelf and couldn't find anything made for the skin we actually have now. So we decided to build it.

Why we went to Seoul

We didn't build LAB33 from behind a screen. We travelled, we questioned, and we wanted to see everything for ourselves.

When we first walked into our laboratory in Seoul, we were overwhelmed by the precision and the discipline. Rows of scientists testing, measuring and refining every formula, every percentage, every interaction.

It wasn't marketing. It was real research and a real commitment to skin health. That moment changed everything.

It is also where we found PDRN, one of the most talked-about ingredients in Korean skincare, valued for helping support the skin's natural renewal and recovery. It became the heart of everything we make. Read our guide to PDRN.

What we believe

Skin doesn't need punishment. It needs support.
It doesn't need stripping. It needs strengthening.
It doesn't need to look younger. It needs to function better.

So we focus on PDRN, barrier-first thinking and calm, considered formulas. No aggression. No constant exfoliation. No ingredient overload.

Not younger skin. Stronger skin.

What we made

Collection 0.1 is two formulas, built to work on their own or together as one ritual:

• The PDRN Recovery Serum, for every fine line, every day.
• The PDRN Overnight Sleep Mask, for deep recovery, two nights a week.

Together they make The PDRN Recovery Ritual, the routine we use ourselves.

Our promise

We will always show you where your products come from. We will always respect the science. We will always choose quality over shortcuts.

Because trust is the ultimate luxury.

Emma Elston MBE and Rebecca McCann, Co-founders