Our Founder
Meet the Woman Behind the Science
Meet Patti Pao, Founder
Harvard MBA. 40 years in beauty.
The woman who brought glycolic acid to the world.
Before founding Restorsea, Patti Pao formulated over 400 beauty products for brands like Avon, Guerlain, and Elizabeth Arden. At Avon in the late 1980s, she was part of the team that commercialized glycolic acid, creating Avon Anew, the $1 billion brand that introduced AHAs to the mainstream skincare market.
In 2010, while touring a Norwegian salmon hatchery, Patti discovered an enzyme that baby salmon release at hatching. This enzyme only digests dead skin cells, leaving living cells intact. The enzyme had been patented for 12 years, but no one could formulate with it. Her lab solved the problem in one year, becoming the first to create stable formulations with a living salmon hatching enzyme.
Today, Restorsea holds 35 patents through 2032. At 64, Patti runs the brand with the same directness that made her "disruptive" in corporate America. She answers customer questions personally, refuses to make claims she can't back with clinical studies, and proves that science beats hype.
THE RESTORSEA STORY
How We Got Here
Restorsea started with a $10 million bet. After discovering the salmon hatching enzyme in Norway, Patti needed exclusive licensing rights. The team wired the full amount within 72 hours, without contracts, to secure a 20-year worldwide agreement. That investment funded the enzyme rights, 35 patents, and extensive clinical studies that would establish Restorsea's credibility.
The brand launched at Bergdorf Goodman in 2012, then pivoted to selling exclusively through dermatologists and plastic surgeons. For years, Restorsea thrived in the physician channel. Doctors required clinical studies published in peer-reviewed journals, and Restorsea had them.
In 2022, when the medical spa market shifted, Patti made another pivot: she'd become an influencer. On Christmas Eve, she posted a simple video of her and her 91-year-old mother Joanne getting ready to go to Trader Joe's. Within two hours, it had 1.1 million views. Joanne went viral, and Restorsea's direct-to-consumer transformation began.
Today, the brand sits at the intersection of clinical-grade science and consumer accessibility. It's backed by the same patents, studies, and dermatologist recommendations, but now available to anyone who values results over hype.
Patti & Joanne
Mother and daughter. 91 and 64.
Living proof that great skin is about consistency.
When Joanne went viral at 91, it wasn't because of strategy but pure authenticity. People saw a woman with impeccable style, glowing skin, and a lifetime collection of Chanel, getting ready for Trader Joe's with her daughter.
For over 12 years, both Joanne and Patti have used Restorsea every single day. Their skin is the best advertising the brand could ask for. It's proof that consistency with quality products delivers exactly what the science promises.
What resonates isn't just their skin. It's their relationship. They bicker. They laugh. Joanne tells Patti when her outfits don't work. Together, they prove that aging can be vibrant, stylish, and joyful when you refuse to let anyone else define what's possible.
Over 300,000 people now follow their journey across TikTok and Instagram. Not because they're being sold to, but because they see proof that investing in yourself (your skin, your style, your confidence) pays off at any age.
Follow Patti & Joanne
