Droplette

Droplette Inc. is a Boston-area skincare technology company that sells a handheld delivery device (marketed as a Microinfuser, current model "Droplette Device Ultra") together with single-use serum capsules. The device aerosolizes serum into a mist of particles under five microns in diameter and accelerates them so that active ingredients pass through the skin barrier without needles; the company attributes this to the pairing of a piezo element that reduces droplet size with a pump that further reduces size and increases velocity, a combination it describes as patent protected (US Patent #US20170274159A1). The company states the system delivers ingredients roughly 20x deeper than topical products, citing research that more than 90% of conventional serums and moisturizers do not penetrate beyond the outermost skin layer.

The product line consists of the device plus color-coded capsule types: Collagen Boosting Hydrofiller (hydrating/plumping), Retinol Renewer (anti-aging), Glycolic Illuminator (resurfacing), Tranexamic Eraser (dark spots/redness), Growth Factors / Stem Cell Concentrate with Exosomes and Growth Factors (advanced anti-aging), a hydrating Lip Plumper that requires the Droplette app, and device cleaning capsules. Bundles include an Ultra Starter Set with Collagen Boosting Hydrofiller ($350), a Reset & Resurface Duo ($200) and dermatologist-developed Prescriptive Regimens ($100-$115). The device is engineered to work only with Droplette capsules; the company states other products cannot be used because of viscosity requirements and safety considerations at greater infusion depths.

The company positions the technology as originating in medical research rather than cosmetics, citing peer-reviewed publications (FASEB 2018; Pharmaceutics 2022; Biomedical Engineering Technologies 2022), validation by NASA and the National Institutes of Health, and a partnership with the Walter Reed Army Institute to apply the device to blast-wound treatment. Its founders have also described longer-term ambitions to deliver medications such as antibiotics and steroids through the skin.

Founding story

Droplette was founded by Madhavi Gavini and Rathi Srinivas, both trained as chemical engineers at MIT. Srinivas was completing a PhD at MIT while Gavini had developed an algorithm for predicting protein structures and an associated anti-fibrotic drug compound. The pair learned about epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition causing extremely fragile skin, at a medical conference in London, and considered whether missing genetic material could be sprayed back into the skin; topical creams were ineffective or painful for EB patients and intravenous delivery distributed drugs systemically. They set out to build a needle-free, non-irritating transdermal delivery method, prototyping at Gavini's kitchen table in Cambridge, Massachusetts using pumps, humidifiers and electronic components ordered from eBay, then filing patents and iterating through at least 11 or 12 prototypes with consultants, aided by NASA grant funding.

Business model

Direct-to-consumer sale of a durable device plus recurring consumable serum capsules, with capsule subscriptions offered at a 20% discount. The site also lists authorized practices and stockists searchable by ZIP code, indicating a professional/retail channel alongside online sales.

Hardware sales (Droplette Device Ultra $250; Ultra Starter Set with 28 Collagen Boosting Hydrofiller capsules $350) plus repeat purchases and subscriptions of capsules priced from $15 for cleaning capsules to $300 for the Stem Cell Concentrate with Exosomes and Growth Factors pack; regimens at $100-$115. Free shipping is included with orders.

Traction

The site reports over 7 million treatments sold and aggregates thousands of product reviews (e.g., 758 reviews at 4.8/5 for Collagen Boosting Hydrofiller, 242 at 4.9/5 for Retinol Renewer). Claimed clinical outcomes include hydration improvement of up to 94% and fine-line reduction of 87%, with visible results reported as soon as two weeks; for the exosome formula, 100% of users agreed skin was more hydrated, 76% that skin looked younger and 75% that skin looked more resilient. Media coverage includes Vogue, Allure, InStyle, Time and Skin Anarchy. Headcount was 16 at the time of the 2020 launch.

Latest developments

The product catalog now includes a Stem Cell Concentrate with Exosomes and Growth Factors capsule ($300) and the Droplette Device Ultra, alongside prescriptive regimens; the site promotes an exosome-based regenerative formula featured in Skin Anarchy, a companion app used with the Lip Plumper capsule, and a practice/stockist locator.