How Jasmin EL Kordi Built Mblue Labs and Bluelene, a Biotech Skincare Brand Born From Childhood Aging Research

There are beauty founders who launch a brand around a trend. There are biotech founders who launch a company around a discovery. Jasmin EL Kordi launched both, in the same business.

Jasmin EL Kordi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mblue Labs, a biotechnology-driven skin health company that spun out of the University of Maryland. The team discovered a new ingredient that reverses cellular aging during research on Progeria, a rapid aging childhood disease. They patented Methylene Blue, a powerful mitochondrial healer that targets aging at its biological source, and brought the discovery to market as the skin and suncare brand Bluelene. In May 2026, they extended the research into hair growth and launched the first alternative to Minoxidil and Finasteride, the Hair Density Renewal Serum.

"It has been an amazing ride building a company from biology laboratory research into a consumer brand."

Mblue Labs holds three patents, ships to 42 countries, has a community of 206,000+ social followers, and is preparing for a Series A.

The Operator Who Spent Thirty Years Earning the Right to Found

Before launching her first start-up, Jasmin spent more than 30 years in the tech industry leading global sales organizations for companies like Cisco, Sprint, and NCR.

"I had always dreamed of being in a start-up, but was afraid to take the risk while raising two boys as a sole support single mother," she says. "When the stress of my last corporate job started to affect my health, I knew it was time to reinvent my career."

She moved into the start-up world in two new industries, Health and Beauty, and Food and Beverage. A year later she was connected serendipitously to become CEO of Mblue Labs, the biotech she and her co-founder Dr. Cao would spin out of her alma mater, the University of Maryland.

The Co-Founder Match That Made the Company Possible

Jasmin's first start-up was with two male partners who were social friends.

"What I didn't realize was that their values in business were very different from mine and that caused a lot of stress," she says.

The next time around, she did the alignment work upfront.

"When I met Dr. Cao, we did a little mating dance for 2 months while we prepared for the seed fund raise to start the company. We really got to know each other and learned that we are both mothers of two boys, very family oriented. We are both immigrants. Hardworking and smart but with complimentary skills."

The advice she gives new founders is hard-earned.

"Make sure your values match in business. You will spend more time with your business partner than your husband or partner, and if you are not aligned, it is hard to be successful, never mind the extra stress."

How a Lean Beauty Brand Cracked a Crowded Market

Bluelene entered a brutally crowded skincare market in 2019.

"At the time, new beauty brands needed at least $2M to enter the market," Jasmin says. "We did it with a novel ingredient story, a $150K seed investment from Maryland's investment fund TEDCO, and a lot of grit."

The channel choice was unconventional.

"We launched our product on Amazon, not a platform most beauty companies embraced then, with the intent of meeting customers when they are ready to buy anti-aging skincare. This strategy allowed us to meter our ad spend daily and grow efficiently."

By year two, the brand expanded its own e-commerce store and leaned into social media advertising. The plan had been to enter retail then, but Covid intervened.

"We buttoned down on DTC and grew our online channels."

The pivot looks obvious in retrospect. At the time, it required holding a strategy loosely enough to redirect when the market changed underneath it.

The Customers Bluelene Now Serves

The customer base has expanded as the brand has grown.

"Our customers range from 25 to 80+ years of age, 65% are women and 35% men," Jasmin says. "Bluelene is currently sold DTC across the United States and Canada, and ships to 42 countries worldwide."

The product portfolio has expanded to 12 SKUs, supported by a community of more than 206,000 social media followers. The metric Jasmin highlights is the one most beauty founders would brag about loudest.

"The most exciting KPI is our return customer rate of 65.2%, which is 3 times higher than industry average and speaks volumes to the efficacy of our products."

In a category where most brands hemorrhage customers after the first purchase, a 65% repeat rate is the strongest possible argument that the science works.

The Accomplishment That Means the Most

Asked what she is most proud of, Jasmin names several layers.

"The Beauty market sees around 300 new entrants every year, and yet we have on-goingly carved out and expanded our place as a science driven brand in this very crowded category. Not only are we growing profitably, we have also consistently outperformed industry benchmarks."

She moves to the research next.

"I am extremely proud of our primary human aging research and our 3 patents for age reversal in human skin, a new coral reef safe UV filter for sunscreens, and most recently our hair follicle stem cell rejuvenation technology."

Then she lands on the part that matters most.

"I love reading our customers emails, testimonials, and hear their phone calls. We are bringing so much joy and confidence to people, it makes my heart sing."

Two Launches, Two Different Markets

Two recent product launches have expanded Bluelene's footprint.

In September 2025, the team launched the Fit and Firm Skin Density Renewal Serum in Times Square. The product helps GLP-1 users avoid skin deflation, the so-called Ozempic Face, as well as anyone experiencing rapid weight loss or age-related loss of skin structure and density.

"In March 2026, we were invited to be in the Oscar Gifting Suite," Jasmin says, "and it was an amazing testament to our unique place in the Health and Beauty market."

The May 2026 hair growth launch is the next chapter. The Hair Density Renewal Serum is positioned as the first alternative to Minoxidil and Finasteride, opening a category most beauty brands cannot enter because they lack the science to back it.

The Mamaprenista Who Built a Village

Jasmin raised her boys while working in corporate.

"I think I used every single minute twice and slept not enough hours," she says. "I tried very hard not to miss a birthday or sports event, but it happened."

Without local family, she built a network of friends with same-age children who took turns watching each other's kids during commitments and travel.

"I embraced it takes a village to raise a child."

The arc of that effort has come full circle.

"They now both work with me. One in my company, the other runs the digital marketing agency we partner with. I love that everything has come full circle and I get see how I inspired them to become entrepreneurial adults."

The Two Lessons for Aspiring Founders

The advice Jasmin gives is anchored in her own arc.

"Find your passion. I have been curious my whole life. My parents gifted me the Encyclopedia Britannica for my 16th birthday with a note that said now you have someone new that you can ask all of your many questions."

She continues.

"Curiosity leads us to find our passion, and when we work from the source of passion, it is no longer work but a purpose. When obstacles arise, that passion carries me through."

The second lesson is about how to handle setbacks.

"Learn and move on. There have been many obstacles along my journey. What I learned is that most of the time the results were situational rather than personal. Debrief with yourself or your team to see if there were any weaknesses in your approach, learn the lessons, and move on. Don't fall into the death spiral of taking it all too personally and spending your precious energy on self-loathing."

What's Next for Bluelene

The next move is capital.

"We have been able to grow organically with a lean start-up mentality," Jasmin says. "We are now seeking a Series A round of investment to take our new hair growth product to market in a much bigger way."

The ambition is concrete.

"I envision that we will become a household name for healthy, safe hair growth."

Given the science underneath the product, the global distribution Bluelene already has, and the 65% repeat customer rate, that ambition is not aspirational. It is the next logical chapter of a company that has been earning its credibility for seven years.

If Jasmin's approach to building a science-driven brand with discipline, alignment, and durable customer relationships resonates, the Entreprenista League is a community of women founders who value connection, shared experience, and practical business insight as they grow.