TRIED IT: The Starter Set With Collagen Boosting Hydrofiller

In the ever-evolving skincare multiverse, topical collagen has become something of a mythical solution. Depending on who you ask, it’s either the holy grail or, well, kind of a waste of your time. And while I hate to be the one to break your heart, countless doctors and scientists say it’s likely the latter.

While oral supplements can help your bones and joints, the proteins in most collagen creams are simply too big to be absorbed into your skin. But it’s that exact issue that two MIT scientists, Madhavi Gavini and Rathi Srinivas, had in mind when they developed a new and innovative approach to collagen use that promises 90% more effective results: Droplette Collagen-Boosting Hydrofiller. And, as women of color, they used both their knowledge of how the skincare industry continues to underserve melanated consumers and their personal experiences to develop the innovative technology.

“When you apply traditional collagen topically, there is just a zero shot it’s going to get in [to your skin],” co-founder Madhavi Gavini tells HelloBeautiful. And the same goes for the proteins and peptides that are being marketed to us. “When you apply a collagen lotion, it’s just going to get sweated or wiped away.”

The Droplette system transforms the ingredients into a steam or a mist, which is absorbed much more efficiently by your skin because it changes the size of the molecule, allowing it to penetrate your skin’s barrier 20 cell layers deep.

“We give you the right building blocks to make your own collagen at the right ratio so your body can produce it more efficiently and we deliver it directly into your skin, which is where it needs to go,” Gavini said.

When you invest in the Droplette system, you begin with the “Starter Set,” which includes a handheld, steamer-like device and small capsules that contain the product itself. The process is pretty simple—you insert the capsule, allow the device to release the mist and hold it close to your face while it’s blowing out, making sure to move it around your preferred target areas such as your forehead, cheeks, chin, etc.

Collagen Boosting Hydrofiller

Now when I say it’s an investment, I mean it—right now, the starter kit retails for around $340 USD. But while it may be cost-prohibitive for many, when you consider how most products on the market (ranging from $15-100 USD), are not designed for melanated skin and are therefore a waste of money, the price tag starts to make more sense. As Gavini tells me, most products that are clinically relevant for lighter skin are simply not going to work for the rest of us.

“Let’s say I have a hyperpigmented spot. I have 10,000 times more melanin on that spot [than a person with light skin],” Gavini said. “So the creams and lotions that are clinically relevant for her are not going to work for me, and that’s a huge problem.”

That’s because we need higher concentrations or doses for most products, including some of the most beloved or prescribed treatments like niacinamide or arbutin. And when you consider that many prescribed dark spot treatments like hydroquinone may cause cancer or other skin issues if you use them long-term, this becomes especially dangerous and problematic for brown skin.

The Droplette system, however, is designed with concentrations that serve melanin-rich skin, meaning it delivers safe and effective levels in a way that can be absorbed properly across multiple layers.

“What works for melanated skin is also going to work for non-melanated skin, but the inverse isn’t true. So we’re formulating it with that in mind.”

The Droplette founders also took into account that many of the beloved skincare treatments—things like microneedling—can actually increase hyperpigmentation on brown skin. But Gavini and Srinivas designed their product in a way that will not damage skin in a way that creates additional melanin production, which is what leads to dark spots.

The bottom line is that so many of the skincare treatments available to us are simply a “gamble” for melanated users, Gavini says. “People don’t want to play roulette with their face.”

It was a personal motivator for the duo, who were both frustrated with the limited options that cosmetic companies were offering. Unsurprisingly, it often comes down to money.

“It’s expensive,” she says, adding that very few products will even invest to match the clinical trials. They’ll have the ingredient in name but won’t produce the product with the same concentration that was used in the trials. So if they won’t even match the concentrations used, there’s little hope that companies will make the extra investment with melanated users in mind.

But while most businesses are not willing to take on that financial risk, Gavini tells me that Droplette is one of the few that are, because they are an advocacy-first business that is built on technology with darker skin in mind.

Still, while everyone wants to look their best, cost can be an issue. So, I asked the Droplette founders how someone unable to commit to the financial investment long-term can still reap the benefits of the product.

“If [it is prohibitive] for financial reasons, my recommendation would be to try to commit to at least three months of using it every single day, instead of doing it once a week or trying to similarly space it out,” Gavini said. “And then support it with lifestyle choices like staying hydrated, eating well, exercising and wearing sunscreen.”

The Droplette system is available on Amazon, the Droplette website, and will be coming to Nordstrom soon.

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