Mitochondrial UV Defence · by Sunumbra®
Our planet's shield
is failing.
Your cells need
to be ready.
OCHRE™ is the world's first transdermal lotion engineered to power your skin cells' innate UV defence — from within. Not a sunscreen. The biological layer beneath its logic.
From Sunumbra® — grounded in 18 years of topical sunscreen formulation research transitioning to radiation recovery skincare for cancer patients in January 2014. OCHRE™ applies that science to everyone living under a weakening magnetic shield.
The Planetary Threat
The invisible shield
above you is
thinning
For the duration of life on earth, including the last 200,000 or so years since ‘modern’ humanity evolved, Earth’s geomagnetic field has shielded life from the full force of cosmic and solar UV radiation. That shield is now measurably weaker — and it is weakening faster.
ESA's Swarm satellite data confirms the South Atlantic Anomaly — a vast region of magnetic weakness stretching across the South Atlantic — grew by nearly half the size of continental Europe between 2014 and 2025. In 2025 alone, it expanded a further 8%, according to the NOAA World Magnetic Model Annual Report (January 2026).
The northern magnetic pole is drifting toward Siberia at 36 kilometres per year. The weakening is not localised. It is global. And it has a direct consequence for every human being alive today: greater UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface.
9%
Weakening of Earth's magnetic field over the past 170 years
89%
Increase in melanoma risk per 1 W/m² rise in UV radiation (males)
8%
South Atlantic Anomaly expansion in 2025 alone (NOAA WMM 2026)
36km
Annual drift of magnetic north pole toward Siberia
Scientific Reports (2025): Every 1 W/m² increase in surface UV radiation is associated with an 89% increase in melanoma incidence in males, and 69% in females. Global UV radiation is trending upward. The trend has no natural ceiling in sight.
The Film
Two minutes that explain everything.
41,000 Years Ago
Our ancestors
faced this before.
Ochre was their answer.
During the Laschamps geomagnetic excursion — 41,000 years ago — Earth's magnetic field collapsed to approximately 10% of its current strength. Cosmic radiation surged. UV levels spiked to levels unrecorded in modern human experience.
Early Homo sapiens did not sit passively. They applied ochre — an iron-rich mineral pigment — to their skin as a topical UV defence. They retreated to caves. They adapted. Research from the University of Michigan (2025) documents the population bottleneck and behavioural shifts of this period, with ochre use emerging as a deliberate survival technology.
We are entering a new magnetic excursion. Not as severe — not yet — but measurable and accelerating. The human body's defences have not kept pace. OCHRE is the modern answer to an ancient problem.
Formulated by Sunumbra®
OCHRE is the result of 12 years of topical formulation research that began in January 2014 — originally developed as restorative skincare for cancer patients recovering from radiation burns. That work established the deep evidence base for what UV radiation does to skin at the cellular level, and what topical actives can do to address it. OCHRE applies that science to everyone living under a weakening magnetic shield.
41,000 BC — Laschamps Excursion
Earth's magnetic field drops to 10% strength. UV radiation surges globally. Early humans use ochre as topical UV protection and seek shelter in caves.
1850–2024 — Modern Weakening Begins
Earth's magnetic field weakens by 9%. The South Atlantic Anomaly forms and accelerates. Global UV radiation trends upward. Melanoma rates climb in parallel.
Today — The Cellular Imperative
Conventional sunscreen filters UV at the surface. But your cells' UV repair capacity is energy-dependent. OCHRE powers that energy — at the mitochondrial level.
Ochre — iron oxide pigment used by Homo sapiens as UV protection during the Laschamps geomagnetic excursion, 41,000 years ago.
The Cellular Mechanism
UV radiation does not
just burn the surface.
It fragments your mitochondria.
Groundbreaking research published in Nature Scientific Reports (Kim et al., 2024) used STED super-resolution nanoscopy to observe, in real time, what UV radiation does to dermal fibroblasts. The mitochondria — your cells' energy generators — fragment under UV exposure.
Fragmentation means reduced ATP production. Reduced ATP means your cells cannot power the processes that protect and repair them: DNA damage repair, collagen synthesis, inflammatory regulation. A feedback loop of cellular decline begins.
This is the mechanism conventional sunscreen cannot address. It blocks UV at the surface. But the UV that penetrates — and some always will — enters a cell whose mitochondria are already compromised. OCHRE changes that equation.
UV penetrates the epidermis
UVA particularly reaches dermal fibroblasts. Conventional filters reduce but cannot eliminate this.
Mitochondria fragment
UV triggers mitochondrial fragmentation in dermal cells — directly reducing ATP output and increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Energy-dependent defences fail
DNA repair, collagen synthesis and inflammation control all require ATP. Without it, the cellular cascade of UV damage accelerates.
OCHRE restores the energy base
Ten transdermal actives deliver mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, ATP precursors, mitophagy inducers and biogenesis stimulators — equipping your cells before UV arrives.
A complete regeneration cycle operates inside your cells
OCHRE contains the only antioxidant network your cells need: Active 04 regenerates Vitamin C, which regenerates Active 09, which scavenges the mitochondrial ROS triggered by UV. Every plant and every animal that survives solar radiation runs this same cycle. OCHRE delivers it transdermally, where it is needed most.
The Formula
OCHRE™
Ten actives.
One precise purpose.
Ingredient identities are withheld pending patent application. Each active is referenced by number and mechanism only.
Every ingredient in OCHRE is chosen for one reason: clinical evidence of mitochondria-targeted UV defence. No filler. No trend-chasing. Each active works at the subcellular level — some at concentrations measured in hundredths of a percent, because that is where efficacy lives. Together, they form the only complete mitochondrial defence system in any topical product — combining antioxidant protection, autophagy activation, DNA repair, biogenesis, and direct UVB cellular protection.
Active 01
OCTN1 Mitochondrial Transport · Nrf2 Pathway
A rare amino acid found in fungi, transported directly into mitochondria and the nucleus via the OCTN1 transporter. Activates the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 UV protection pathway. One of the few antioxidants the body cannot synthesise — and one of the most potent.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published OCTN1-mediated uptake and Nrf2 pathway activation studies
Active 02
Autophagy / Mitophagy · mTORC1 Pathway
A naturally occurring polyamine — present in wheat germ, soybeans and human cells — that activates the selective clearance and recycling of dysfunctional mitochondria via mTORC1 inhibition. Active 02 has been shown to activate cytoprotective autophagy and extend healthspan across multiple model organisms. Fully public domain; no patent encumbrance. The expired Giuliani cosmetic use patent confirms its prior art status in topical skin formulations.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published mTORC1-mediated autophagy induction and cytoprotective studies
Active 03
mTOR-Independent Autophagy · Direct UVB Protection
A natural disaccharide that activates autophagy via a mechanistically distinct, mTOR-independent pathway (TFEB nuclear translocation) — providing complementary coverage to Active 02. Critically, trehalose has direct, published UVB keratinocyte protection evidence: pretreatment increases autophagosome formation 4.7-fold in UV-irradiated keratinocytes, reducing UV-induced cell death and inflammatory signalling. A dual-function active with both mitophagy and direct photoprotective effects.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published TFEB-mediated autophagy induction and UVB keratinocyte protection studies
Active 04
Mitochondrial Membrane Antioxidant · Vitamin Regeneration
The primary antioxidant embedded in the mitochondrial membrane itself. Nano-encapsulation ensures dermal penetration at therapeutically relevant depths. Critically, Active 04 regenerates Vitamins C and E after they have been oxidised — amplifying the effect of the entire antioxidant network.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published mitochondrial membrane antioxidant and vitamin regeneration studies
Active 05
Carotenoid · Minimal Erythema Dose Elevation
The most potent antioxidant carotenoid known to science — exclusively from Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae. Clinically demonstrated to increase the Minimal Erythema Dose (MED), meaning more UV energy is required to cause visible damage. Works across the full length of the mitochondrial membrane.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published Minimal Erythema Dose elevation and bilateral radical scavenging studies
Active 06
Mitochondrial Biogenesis · New Mitochondria Formation
A redox cofactor that stimulates PGC-1α, the master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis. PQQ does not just protect existing mitochondria. It signals the cell to create new ones. This is the only active ingredient that addresses mitochondrial quantity, not just quality.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published PGC-1α activation and mitochondrial biogenesis studies
Active 07
Mitochondrial DNA Protection · Sunburn Cell Reduction
Extract from a tropical fern with a remarkably well-evidenced UV-protective profile. Reduces UV-induced mitochondrial DNA damage and has demonstrated an 80% reduction in sunburn cell formation when applied topically. A systemic photoprotective agent with over 30 years of clinical research.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published mitochondrial DNA protection and sunburn cell reduction studies
Active 08
NAD⁺ Precursor · Mitochondrial Energy Restoration
Vitamin B3 in its most bioavailable form — the direct precursor to NAD⁺, the coenzyme that drives mitochondrial energy production. UV radiation depletes NAD⁺ rapidly. Active 08 replenishes it. Simultaneously strengthens the skin barrier, reducing secondary UV damage from trans-epidermal water loss.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published NAD⁺ replenishment and barrier-strengthening efficacy studies
Active 09
Intramitochondrial ROS Scavenger · Superior Vitamin E
The intramitochondrial fraction of Vitamin E — structurally superior to standard alpha-tocopherol due to its unsaturated side chain, which allows faster mobility within the mitochondrial membrane and more rapid neutralisation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the source of their generation. Regenerated by Liposomal Vitamin C (Ingredient 10) — completing the antioxidant cycle.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published intramitochondrial ROS scavenging and antioxidant cycle studies
Active 10
Antioxidant Regeneration Cycle · Transdermal Dermal Delivery
L-ascorbic acid encapsulated in negatively charged phospholipid liposomes — the only delivery form proven to achieve 5.1× higher dermis retention and a 7-fold increase in transdermal flux compared to free Vitamin C. This is the missing link in OCHRE's antioxidant network: Active 04 regenerates it, and it in turn regenerates Active 09, closing the regeneration cycle. A 2024 study of liposome-encapsulated antioxidant complexes showed 39% reduction in UV-induced IL-6, 50% reduction in IL-8, and 39% reduction in MMP-9 in human skin explants — effects not seen with the free antioxidant form.
Evidence basis: Formulated at concentrations consistent with published liposomal dermis retention and antioxidant cycle efficacy studies
The Product
Mitochondrial Defence Lotion
OCHRE is not a sunscreen. It works alongside any UV filter you choose to use — as the biological layer beneath it. Apply daily to face and exposed skin. The transdermal delivery system carries all ten actives below the stratum corneum, where your dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes live.
From there, the actives work at the mitochondrial level — powering the energy systems your cells need to mount a full UV defence response. The protection sunscreen cannot give you. The biological readiness it assumes you already have.
Each 100ml bottle contains ten clinically-evidenced actives delivered in a dual-phase emulsion with phosphatidylcholine liposomes — designed to carry the active payload past the stratum corneum and into the viable dermis where your fibroblasts and keratinocytes live.
Airless pump dispenser — 100ml, polypropylene with EVOH barrier
10 clinically-evidenced mitochondria-targeted actives
Not a UV filter. Not a sunscreen replacement
Protection that doesn't wash off, sweat off, or rub away — once absorbed, it's working inside your skin
Developed for all people, all skin types the world over
Fragrance-free. No endocrine-disrupting filters
Matte soft-touch finish · Brushed gold zinc alloy actuator
DTC (direct to consumer) optimised — lightweight, impact-resistant, ships globally
Launch Price
$95
Per 100ml. Register below for priority access and founding-member pricing.
Why $95?
Timeline's Skin Clock Reset Serum — widely cited as a longevity benchmark — retails at $200 for 50ml. One active. $4.00 per ml.
OCHRE is 100ml. Ten actives, each sourced at pharmaceutical-grade purity from primary manufacturers — Blue California, Kaneka, AstaReal, Hayashibara, Carotech, Lipoid — delivered transdermally via a phosphatidylcholine liposome system.
You are not paying a premium. There is no product in any category that delivers a comparable level of targeted bioactivity.
Ten actives. Not ten products.
Ten actives working together is not ten times one active. It is a system.
Actives 04 and 06 restore the electron transport chain — the energy machinery UV degrades first. Actives 01 and 05 neutralise the reactive oxygen species that escape it. Active 02 triggers mitophagy, clearing damaged mitochondria before they accumulate. Active 03 stabilises cellular protein architecture under thermal and oxidative stress. Active 07 suppresses the downstream inflammatory cascade. Active 08 feeds the NAD⁺ pool that fuels DNA repair. Actives 09 and 10 protect the lipid membrane and extracellular matrix that house the system.
Remove any one and the sequence has a gap. That gap is where UV damage takes hold.
This cannot be replicated by layering individual serums. The ratios, the delivery system, and the phase architecture are designed as a whole. One bottle. One application. One complete biological cascade. That is the premium.
OCHRE’s active development is nearing completion. Register below to receive launch notification, founding-member pricing, and access to the full scientific dossier.
No spam. No data sold. One email when OCHRE is ready, with intermittent progress reports.
Scientific Foundation
Selected References
OCHRE's formulation philosophy and brand narrative are built on peer-reviewed science. Every claim made on this site has a reference.
01
Kim et al. (2024). UV-induced mitochondrial fragmentation in dermal fibroblasts visualised by STED nanoscopy. Nature Scientific Reports.
02
ESA Swarm Mission (2025). South Atlantic Anomaly growth analysis: Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors. Anomaly expanded by nearly half the size of continental Europe since 2014.
03
NOAA World Magnetic Model Annual Report (January 2026). South Atlantic Anomaly expanded 8% in 2025 alone. Magnetic north pole drifting at 36 km/year toward Siberia.
04
Scientific Reports (2025). Association between surface UV radiation intensity and melanoma incidence: 89% increase per 1 W/m² increase (males), 69% (females).
05
University of Michigan (2025). Behavioural and demographic responses of early Homo sapiens during the Laschamps geomagnetic excursion (41,000 BP), including ochre use as UV protection.
06
Multiple sources (2020–2024). Active 03 activates autophagy in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes (LC3-II +4.7×, PMC9018197, 2022). Active 02 activates cytoprotective autophagy (PMC6287690, 2018). Active 07 extract reduces sunburn cell formation by 80% (topical). Mitochondria-targeted antioxidants demonstrate significantly superior UV protection vs. standard antioxidants.
07
Rodrigues et al. (2019). Ascorbic acid encapsulated into negatively charged liposomes: a promising approach for cutaneous application. Scientific Reports (PMC6345870). Negatively charged liposomes achieve 5.1× higher dermis retention and 7-fold increase in transdermal flux vs. free ascorbic acid. In vitro: increased fibroblast collagen synthesis; UVA-induced keratinocyte damage repair confirmed.
08
Pinnell et al. UV photoprotection by combination topical antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E. Duke University Scholars. Combined topical Vitamins C and E: 4× antioxidant protection factor vs. either alone.
09
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology (2024). Liposome-encapsulated antioxidant complex (containing astaxanthin) vs. free form in irradiated human skin explants: 39.3% IL-6 reduction, 49.8% IL-8 reduction, 38.5% MMP-9 reduction. Free antioxidant form: no significant effect.
