Youth, Reconsidered: Inside Youth & Earth's Longevity Vision.
A Conversation with Edward van Harmelen, Founder.
credit: Youth & Earth
*YOUTH & EARTH
*YOUTH & EARTH
Longevity is having a moment. But few brands approach it without shortcuts borrowed from beauty marketing. Youth & Earth is one of them.
Founded by Edward van Harmelen, Youth & Earth grew from a personal frustration with how fragmented, inaccessible, and age-coded the longevity space had become. The science was there. The language wasn't. Neither was a brand speaking to people who don't feel old, don't want hype, and don't want to wait for something to break before paying attention to their biology.
What makes Youth & Earth interesting is not one ingredient or product, but a system-level way of thinking. Energy before aesthetics. Repair before performance. Education before supplementation. Edward van Harmelen speaks about ageing the way an engineer talks about a complex machine: not as a single failure point, but as a gradual loss of synchronisation across multiple systems. His "orchestra" analogy is structural. You don't fix longevity by tuning one instrument.
In this conversation, we explore the philosophy behind V14 Longevity Reds, NMN, spermidine, calcium AKG, red plant polyphenols, and why bioavailability is a design constraint, not just a marketing claim. We talk about epigenetic ageing, mitochondrial energy, autophagy, sleep as the ultimate longevity lever, and why Youth & Earth insists on reducing friction rather than adding complexity to daily life.
I'm thrilled to share this conversation with Edward on Future of Skincare, in partnership with Youth & Earth. As the brand enters the French market this year, this interview sits exactly where skin, longevity, and culture now intersect. Not topical beauty. Not wellness as lifestyle theatre. But longevity as a long-term commitment to cellular function, repair, and resilience, the kind that doesn't shout on social media, but compounds over decades.
This is not about living forever. It's about staying aligned, energised, and biologically capable for as long as possible. And that, increasingly, is where the future of skincare begins.
If this article resonated, come inside the Future of Skincare newsletter on Substack. Beauty Signals is the deeper layer within it, weekly patterns where skincare meets culture, for skin intellectuals, beauty anthropologists, and the cosmetics curious. Read the opening free, full access at latte with me level.
You began Youth & Earth after a simple blood test made you re-examine your own energy and resilience. When you look back at that moment, what shifted for you, and how did it evolve into building a longevity brand?
Well, the ability to order a test myself and have it delivered to my home was probably the first time I'd ever seen my health laid out so clearly. In the past, a doctor might run a test if something was wrong, and you'd hear only one or two numbers, whatever was flagged. You never saw the whole picture, and certainly never understood how everything connected. This was different. I started testing regularly, every three to four months, and for the first time I could see trends, patterns, and the story my biology was trying to tell me. At the same time, I was struggling with low energy and stamina, so I began looking deeper into what creates energy in the first place. That's how I found that NAD+ declines over time, as so much of our vitality quietly declines over time. The fundamental shift for me was recognising that you don't have to wait for a medical issue to understand your own health; you can take control long before that. I did that when I started taking the NAD+ precursor NMN and saw how quickly my zest returned. But at the same time, I didn't feel there was a brand out there speaking to people my age, and many of the ingredients, like NMN, were only available in the USA. I didn't feel old or over the hill; internally, I still felt like I was in my thirties. Yet nothing in the market reflected that mindset. So, Youth & Earth grew out of that gap: the desire to feel informed, energised, and empowered, and to build a brand that speaks to people who still feel young inside and want to stay that way on the outside too.
The name "Youth & Earth" suggests a balance between biological vitality and grounding principles. How does this duality shape your philosophy as a founder?
For me, youth is about feeling like your old self again. More energy, better recovery, youthful function. It's not about living forever per se; it's about extending health span and the body's ability to repair, adapt, and perform. If you can stay free of morbidity, then, by its very nature, lifespan will follow. Earth keeps us grounded through sleep, food, movement, and respect for nature and ancient medical wisdom. Supplements should support that biology, not override it. You need to do the basics, for sure, and then build on that foundation. Together, Youth & Earth uses modern science and the most bioavailable, evidence-based ingredients to create products and educational content that fit into daily life by extending health span without hype. We want customers to feel that we offer the most potent, pure, and beneficial products on the market.
You've compared longevity to "playing a piano." What does this metaphor reveal about how you design your formulations and your multi-pathway approach?
Yes, the piano analogy, or even better, an orchestra, is the best way to explain how I think about longevity. When you're young, everything is in harmony. Every instrument is in tune, every note lands perfectly, and the whole system flows without you even noticing. But as you get older, you start to hear the odd bum note, and something goes slightly out of sync. Over time, more of those systems become misaligned.
What changes is that the body's ability to auto-correct, almost like software that could once auto-repair a scratched CD or auto-tune a note, becomes less effective with age. And that's essentially what ageing is: a gradual loss of synchronisation and repair across multiple pathways. Scientifically, we knew there were nine, now twelve core reasons we age. They are called the "Hallmarks of Ageing". So when we design formulations, we don't target just one. We look at how each of those pathways contributes to the overall 'music' of the body and then choose ingredients that have been scientifically shown to support or improve those pathways. The orchestra metaphor captures the philosophy behind our multi-pathway approach: you can't fix an orchestra by tuning just one violin. You need to support multiple systems so the whole symphony plays in harmony again.
Longevity can feel exclusive. How do you ensure Youth & Earth remains a tool for many, not just early adopters?
For me, longevity never started with products. At 17, it was gym sessions, water, better food choices, and drinking less than my friends, simple habits anyone can adopt at any point in life. Youth & Earth leads with those fundamentals and education first, using products only to support biology, not replace it. Longevity shouldn't feel elite; it should feel doable.
Could you walk us through Youth & Earth's full universe, from NMN to liposomal blends, and explain how you see customers navigating the range?
We guide customers through a simple online quiz to help them start in the right place. For many, V14 Longevity Reds is the easiest entry point to an all-in-one longevity formula that covers the key ageing pathways without unnecessary complexity. Beyond that, our universe is built on proven longevity staples: NAD precursors such as NMN, supported by sirtuin activators; metabolic support to help maintain healthy blood sugar and weight as metabolism slows with age; and ingredients like spermidine that activate autophagy and mimic the benefits of fasting. We also develop more targeted innovations, from advanced cognitive support for brain ageing and neuroplasticity to ingredients that support stress and sleep, bioidentical lactoferrin for immunity and iron balance, and next-generation GLP1 collagen designed to support metabolic signalling. These ideas are chosen with clarity, guided by education rather than hype. We have many blog posts that also support the products.
For someone new to longevity, routine-building can feel daunting. Do you see Youth & Earth as a progressive system, or is it designed to be accessible from the very first step?
It's accessible from the first step, but progressive by design. V14 Longevity Reds provides a simple foundation, and from there, people can personalise as their needs evolve, as ageing can affect people at different times and in different ways.
We're very deliberate about reducing friction, not just in what people take, but also in how they take it. That's why we focus on formats that fit into daily life, such as sachets that they can take with them outside the home, and why we're developing future formats, including chewables. But none of that replaces the fundamentals. Sleep, nutrition, movement, and hydration come first. Our products are there to support those habits, not to complicate them.
Your range aims to work across several hallmarks of aging. Which biological pathways do you consider the most foundational, and how do you create synergy across ingredients rather than isolated effects?
I tend to view ageing as a system problem. Energy is the starting point; without it, it's hard to do anything else well. Then there's repair and recovery, not just in the short term but also the body's ability to recover consistently over time. That's a big part of staying resilient as we age. Metabolic control is another key pillar, because as we get older many people become less insulin-sensitive and don't handle glucose as well, which affects energy and body composition. Finally, stress and sleep, which we mentioned earlier, quietly influence all of this. We focus on supporting these systems together so the body can function well day after day, rather than chasing isolated effects. This gives us the consistency and compounded effects we are looking for.
Bioavailability is one of your core commitments. What does "high-absorption" really mean in practice?
For me, bioavailability is about how much of an ingredient the body can actually use, not just what's on the label. Many supplements are broken down in the stomach or metabolised by the liver before they reach circulation or the cells where they're meant to work. So you might take a gram of something, but only a small fraction is actually absorbed. When we talk about high absorption, we're looking at formats and delivery systems such as liposomal, chelated minerals, cyclodextrin, and ingredient forms that help more of the compound survive digestion and reach the body in a usable form.
V14 Longevity Reds brings together 14 longevity molecules into a single daily ritual. What was the initial insight that made you realise this formula needed to exist?
V14 was born from listening to our customers. We were already offering many of these ingredients individually, but it became clear that most people didn't want the complexity of managing multiple products each day. The insight was that longevity only works if it fits into real life. By compounding these ingredients into a single daily ritual, we could also include essential vitamins and minerals that support the system as a whole, removing the constant mental friction of wondering whether you've taken everything before leaving the house. The result is a simple, consistent foundation that lets people get on with their day.
NMN and Spermidine are central pillars of V14 Longevity Reds. How do these two pathways complement each other at the cellular level?
NMN and spermidine work on complementary aspects of cellular health. NMN supports NAD⁺ levels, which are critical for cellular energy, mitochondrial function, and signalling pathways such as sirtuins (the longevity gene). In simple terms, it helps cells produce and manage energy more efficiently. Spermidine works differently. it supports autophagy, the cell's clean-up and recycling process. This helps remove damaged components, allowing cells to function more effectively. Together, they create a natural synergy: NMN supports energy and performance, while spermidine supports repair and renewal. You're not just fuelling the system, you're also keeping it clean and resilient.
The Superfruit Matrix bridges clinical molecules with nutrient-dense plants. How do you see the collaboration between traditional botanical wisdom and modern longevity science?
We know red fruits and vegetables offer unique benefits because they're especially rich in polyphenols, which act as cellular signalling molecules rather than simple antioxidants. These compounds help activate healthy stress-response pathways, support mitochondrial function, and buffer excess oxidative stress. Many well-studied longevity compounds come from red plants, for example, resveratrol from red grapes or ellagic acid derivatives from pomegranate. We also see benefits in nitric oxide signalling and blood flow, which support vascular and metabolic health. There's been a lot of focus on greens, which are important, but many of the plant compounds most closely linked to longevity are found in red fruits and vegetables. That's why we felt it was important to include them as a foundational part of the formula.
Calcium AKG has been linked to epigenetic rejuvenation. How do you explain this concept to consumers who want to understand the science without being overwhelmed?
When I talk to people about epigenetic ageing, I always start by making one thing clear: this isn't about the DNA you inherit from your parents, the part that decides your height or your eye colour. That genetic code doesn't really change. What we're talking about is your epigenetic DNA, which is essentially the layer that sits on top of your genes and tells them how to behave. And that layer is heavily influenced by your lifestyle, environment, stress levels, sleep, and all the things that shape how you age, the points we have talked about earlier.
Several years ago, geneticist Steve Horvath developed one of the first epigenetic ageing clocks. By analysing small chemical markers on DNA, it estimates biological age rather than calendar age. Today, epigenetic clocks like this are widely regarded as one of the most accurate indicators we have for assessing biological ageing and tracking change over time What I find so interesting about Calcium AKG is that several studies suggest it can help slow some of these epigenetic shifts. The way I explain it to customers is this: your biological age is a bit like software running in the background of your body. When you're young, it runs smoothly. But over time, it accumulates minor glitches and becomes less efficient. Ca-AKG seems to help keep that software running more smoothly, which is why people link it to epigenetic rejuvenation. You don't need to understand every scientific mechanism to appreciate it. What matters is that Ca-AKG delivers calcium alongside alpha-ketoglutarate, which sits at the core of cellular energy metabolism and the ageing-related repair pathway that may help your cells behave more like they did when you were younger.
How do you see V14 Longevity Reds influencing skin quality, radiance, texture, resilience, from a longevity perspective?
With V14, we didn't aim to create a topical beauty product in powder form. Instead, we focused on supporting the core longevity pathways that naturally affect skin texture, elasticity, and resilience. Ingredients such as NMN, Calcium AKG, Glycine, Vitamin C, Astaxanthin, Spermidine, antioxidants from red superfoods, carotenoids, and methylated B vitamins all play distinct roles in reducing oxidative stress, supporting collagen, improving cellular energy, and helping the skin renew itself more efficiently. From my perspective, healthy, radiant skin is a by-product of better-functioning cells. When you improve mitochondrial output, reduce inflammation, and support pathways such as autophagy, your skin tends to look smoother, brighter, and more even, not because V14 is a beauty supplement, but because you're nudging the body back into a more youthful state of repair. So, I see V14 improving skin quality and resilience in a very natural way. We're not trying to 'treat' the skin, we're supporting the longevity systems underneath it. And when those are working well, the surface tends to glow.
How do you personally maintain a sense of balance when travel, time zones, or demanding schedules challenge your rhythms?
I'm a creature of habit, so I have a few core protocols I try to maintain wherever I am, especially around sleep. When travel or time zones disrupt my rhythm, my focus is on getting back into a routine rather than on chasing perfection. I travel with simple essentials such as V14 sachets and my PM product to reduce friction, and depending on the situation, I may use short-term melatonin to help regulate sleep. If it's a short trip, I often stay on my home clock; if it's longer, I adapt gradually. For me, balance comes from having anchored routines that help me return to a rhythm
Beyond supplementation, which daily practices do you feel create the strongest foundation for cellular health?
Sleep is the strongest foundation for cellular health. It's when repair, recovery, and brain function really happen. When sleep suffers, everything else tends to follow. Beyond that, investing in your sleep environment and routine makes a huge difference: keeping the room cool and dark, sticking to regular sleep times, avoiding food and alcohol close to bedtime, and investing in a good mattress and bedding. We spend around eight hours a day asleep, yet most people under-invest in it. I was told early on to invest in sleep continually; it's the single most effective thing you can do for long-term health.
France is a discerning wellness market grounded in ritual, pleasure, and moderation but your entry into France comes at a time when longevity is becoming more mainstream here. What conversations do you hope to spark here?
I don't believe longevity is about perfection. Life should be enjoyed through shared meals, pleasure, and experience. We don't react to every indulgence with guilt or restriction, but I do believe in conscious restraint over time. For me, longevity is about strong daily rituals that anchor you, while still leaving room to live well. You won't be perfect every day, and that's fine. What matters is balance and consistency over decades, not controlling every moment. This takes the fun out of life and experience.
Which emerging molecules, technologies, or delivery systems excite you most for the next chapter?
What excites me most is purity and precision, not just new molecules but also better ways to deliver and use them. Peptides are an interesting and growing area, particularly for longevity, but they also highlight the importance of regulation and responsible use. I'm also very interested in fermentation and bioidentical ingredients, which enable us to create highly pure compounds that closely match human biology. Another area to watch is the crossover from sports performance into longevity. Ingredients such as protein and creatine have been used for performance for decades before becoming mainstream health staples. We're starting to see similar potential with compounds like BHB ketones, and others may eventually find a place in longevity protocols. It feels like we're still at the very beginning of a more mature, science-led phase of wellness. Likely Youth & Earth will be the first to introduce some of these ingredients into the mainstream.
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Editorial in partnership with Youth & Earth.
