Raaie Rebrands as Raeso

Raaie, the New Zealand-born brand known for marrying UV-resilient botanicals with clinical-grade actives, has rebranded as Raeso.

The evolution signals not merely a new name, but a sharper commitment to skin’s biological timing.

That commitment centres on circadian science — the idea that when you apply your skincare can be just as important as what you apply. ‘Ra’ is drawn from the Te Reo Māori Rā (ray of light) and the Egyptian sun god, referencing light’s role in regulating circadian rhythms. ‘Eso’ comes from the Greek esō, meaning ‘within’. Together, they reflect the interplay between external light and the body’s internal clock, a theme that now sits at the centre of its philosophy.

While much of the industry still revolves around the neat binary of day protection and night repair, Raeso is getting more specific. Chronobiology — the study of the body’s 24-hour biological rhythms — shows that more than 1,400 genes follow circadian patterns, influencing barrier strength, antioxidant activity, DNA repair, inflammation, and cellular turnover. In short, your skin at 8am is not your skin at 8pm.

To reinforce its scientific credentials, the brand has partnered with molecular biologist Dr Dan Yarosh — a leading authority on DNA repair and advanced delivery systems, and former Chief Technology Advisor at La Mer and Estée Lauder. Together, Raeso and Dr Yarosh co-authored a peer-reviewed paper in the Journal of Cosmetic Science, set to be published in late summer 2026. The paper found that while awareness of circadian skin rhythms is still emerging, consumers are highly receptive to time-of-day guidance. The appetite for smarter timing, it seems, is already there.

“Understanding the effect of the circadian rhythm on skin is one of the most important recent advances in skin biology,” says Dr Yarosh. “We now understand that timing is a powerful lever in skincare, sometimes as influential as the formula itself.”

For existing customers, there is no need to stockpile your favourites. No products are being discontinued, and the formulas remain unchanged — they were developed with biological timing in mind, even before it became a defining focus of the brand’s identity. Raeso’s encapsulated retinal, designed to release in line with the skin’s heightened nighttime permeability, and its proprietary Aqua-Dermal Encapsulation technology, which helps sustain hydration across daylight hours, reflect that long-standing timing logic.

“Science tells us: when you apply is as important as what you apply,” says founder Katey Mandy. “The skin does not function the same way at every hour. Barrier strength, permeability, DNA repair, inflammation control and cellular turnover all follow predictable circadian patterns. If we ignore those rhythms, we lose efficiency. If we work with them, we gain it.”

Education is central to the next phase. Alongside the relaunch, Raeso will publish Circadian Skin Science — The Bible, co-authored with global chronobiology researchers, translating cellular science into real-world routine guidance. A companion white paper, Biohacking the Skin’s Biorhythm: What to Use When for Healthier Skin, developed with Dr Yarosh, further outlines how shifts in permeability, repair, and metabolic activity across 24 hours can influence product performance.

Born under one of the harshest UV environments on earth, the brand’s New Zealand roots remain core to its identity. With an estimated 80 percent of visible skin ageing linked to UV exposure, Raeso continues to blend UV-resilient native botanicals with advanced actives, including biomimetic peptides, encapsulated delivery systems, and plant stem-cell-derived technologies, to protect and repair skin in sync with its natural rhythm.

Looking ahead, the brand is teasing a pipeline of chrono-intelligent launches, from multi-phase nocturnal release systems to next-generation encapsulation and biomimetic carriers engineered for the skin’s evening “Power Hour” of repair. In an industry often captivated by the ingredient of the month, Raeso is making a more strategic play, aligning skincare not just with trends, but with time itself.

Raeso is now available online at raesoskin.com, with prices from £62 ($85), shipping to the UK and US.