A small family business born in a kitchen is challenging the beauty industry’s status quo with peptide-based skincare and haircare products that promise molecular-level results rather than surface-level fixes.
Lab of RAD, founded by Riley, Angela, and Donovan, emerged from the trio’s frustration with products that failed to deliver on their promises. Each founder brought distinct expertise to the venture—Riley’s ingredient obsession, Angela’s push for clean functionality, and Donovan’s scientific vision—creating a brand built on what they call “molecules that matter.”
The company has launched an Indiegogo campaign to bring their flagship products to market, including RADical Revival, a concentrated peptide serum, and the StrandTheory haircare line.
“We didn’t make this brand to fit in. We made it because nothing else did,” the founders state, reflecting their dissatisfaction with an industry they believe peddles “watered-down formulas repackaged in different bottles.”
At the heart of Lab of RAD’s formulations are copper peptides, specifically GHK-Cu and AHK-Cu, molecules with extensive research backing their regenerative properties. GHK-Cu accelerates wound healing and contraction, improves the take of transplanted skin, and also possesses antiinflammatory actions. The peptide naturally occurs in human plasma but declines from about 200 ng/mL at age 20 to 80 ng/mL by age 60, a decrease that coincides with reduced regenerative capacity.
For skin applications, GHK-Cu stimulates blood vessel and nerve outgrowth, increases collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycan synthesis, as well as supports the function of dermal fibroblasts. Clinical studies have shown that topical application of copper tripeptide complexes in aged skin confirmed an increase in skin thickness in the range of the epidermis and dermis, improved skin hydration, a significant smoothing of the skin by stimulating collagen synthesis, increased skin elasticity.
The brand’s haircare line incorporates AHK-Cu alongside GHK-Cu, targeting scalp and follicle health. Research indicates that AHK-Cu promotes the growth of human hair follicles, and this stimulatory effect may occur due to stimulation of the proliferation and the preclusion of the apoptosis of DPCs (dermal papilla cells). AHK-Cu is a powerful copper peptide that enlarges hair follicles and increases scalp blood flow, two essential factors for new hair growth.
Lab of RAD pairs these clinical actives with what they describe as clean, high-performance botanicals and biomimetic ingredients designed to support barrier repair, hydration, and long-term results. The founders emphasize their hands-on approach, hand-testing and hand-pouring products while maintaining what they call an obsessive attention to detail.
“We didn’t invent peptides. We just gave them a platform,” the founders explain, positioning their peptide-forward formulations as a departure from conventional beauty products.
The company’s philosophy centers on functional beauty rather than cosmetic coverage. “If your serum isn’t telling your cells what to do, it’s just expensive water,” they assert, emphasizing their focus on cellular-level skin and hair health.
The Indiegogo launch represents Lab of RAD’s bid to scale their kitchen-born operation while maintaining their commitment to concentrated, peptide-based formulas. The founders describe their journey as fueled by “late-night research” and “a whole lot of grit, heart, and hustle,” driven by necessity rather than ease.
“The glow-up is molecular,” they claim, encapsulating their science-first approach to beauty in a phrase that distinguishes their brand from competitors focused on immediate visual effects rather than long-term cellular health.
As consumers increasingly seek transparency and efficacy in beauty products, Lab of RAD’s emphasis on research-backed ingredients and concentrated formulations positions them within a growing movement toward evidence-based skincare. Their crowdfunding campaign will test whether their molecular message resonates with beauty consumers tired of what the founders call “marketing” over “molecules that matter.”