Philosophy
Founder Story
After more than a decade shaping beauty and fashion brands, Rachael founded Arbor to bring a more cerebral approach to skincare to life.
With a career path that crossed design, brand strategy, formulation, and cosmetic-chemistry consulting, Rachael houses a point of view shaped by many disciplines.
While writing her MSc thesis on how light and energy influence the mitochondrial respiratory chain, she returned to a question that had followed her throughout beauty: what if skincare could think beyond the surface? Beyond formulas designed only to create more glow, toward an understanding of the mechanisms that shape how skin responds, repairs, and renews.
She dove into the literature, examining hundreds of studies across skin biology, oxidative stress, circadian rhythms, mitochondrial function, and topical delivery— searching for combinations that should coexist.
The result is a formulation philosophy that brings redox-active molecules, barrier lipids, targeted amino acids, and research-led botanicals into smarter alignment with skin’s nightly restorative processes.
A night serum with a redox-conscious complex, peptide technology, amino acid–rich botanicals, and smarter antioxidant support. Hundreds of peer-reviewed studies informed the ingredients we chose; the idea behind their composition is simpler: what works together matters.
Our Standard
The Process
The formula begins with inquiry through peer-reviewed research findings. Every component, from molecular weight to texture design, is guided by empirical evidence and sensory precision.
The Materials
Biocompatible actives integrate with cultivated botanicals through renewable, biodegradable rheology systems. Every ingredient is selected for its performance, purity, and compatibility with the skin’s structure.
On The Journal
Rethinking antioxidant skincare through systems, not single ingredients Most of us grow up understanding antioxidants as a sort of shield. They intercept damage, neutralize free radicals, and (once...
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If AHAs are the headline act, polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) are the editor’s note...precise, restrained, and gently effective. Chief among them is gluconolactone (you may also know its cousin, lactobion...
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Oxidation & Its Countermoves When skin looks tired, uneven, or less luminous, oxidative stress is often part of the picture. UV exposure, visible light, pollution, and ordinary cellular metabol...
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