Beauty - Cosmeceutical Skin Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . when sciencemeets
Whether it’s brightening, lightening, lifting, peeling or rejuvenating effects you’re after, the approach of today’s modern cosmeceuticals sees a harmonious marriage between results-driven science and luxurious skin care products that are a far cry from the once cold and clinical façade often associated with these types of products.
“The term cosmeceutical has created real buzz in consumer circles, but in reality most products these days contain some type of cosmeceutical ingredient,” explains Candice Gardner Education Curriculum Manager for the International Dermal Institute.
“Defined, this simply means the ingredient has the ability to influence the structure and / or function of the skin. It bridges between a cosmetic (which sits superficially on the skin and simply affects appearance of the skin) and a pharmaceutical (which through the drug action will change skin structure and function to target disease or disorder due to faulty processes in the skin).
“If your product contains vitamins, peptides, hydroxy acids, antioxidants, phytochemicals, or enzymes it can be classified as a cosmeceutical whether the product says so on the label or not,” adds Candice.
Why cosmeceuticals?
“Today’s consumer wants more than just a feel good factor with their facial, they want visible, measurable results,” advises Mariga Sheedy, of Skin Essentials by Mariga. “These results are obtainable only with advanced, clinically proven, cosmeceutical ingredients such as peptides, growth factors, acids and other skin-identical ingredients.
“Upgrading to a cosmeceutical brand [in] your salon allows you to effectively treat skin conditions such as Acne, rosacea,
44 sin car Ingredients to look
out for When it comes to ingredients, the list is now becoming endless, thanks to the extensive research and development that goes into cosmeceutical science, but there are still some key ingredients that you should look out for, as Tracy Tamaris Training Director at the International Institute for Anti-Ageing (iiaa) explains: “There is so much marketing hype out there that it is difficult for therapists to know what is effective and more importantly whether an active ‘cosmeceutical’ ingredient might do more harm. Cosmeceuticals should be used appropriately, as there are some that may actually increase rather than decrease pigmentation. For instance, certain peeling ingredients [may] leave skin vulnerable to UV exposure, or change the skin’s natural moisture barrier.
“[Of course,] there are anti-ageing ingredients which work and improve the
skin far beyond the capabilities of a simple moisturiser. Useful cosmeceutical ingredients include vitamin A, which is a proven anti-ageing ingredient with the unique ability to stimulate repair of DNA and restore damaged collagen and cells, thereby reducing lines and wrinkles.
hyperpigmentation and wrinkles. It also opens up your business to the male clientele as [cosmeceuticals] are much more clinical in look, usage and treatment than cosmetic lines. This can open up a whole new area for a salon.”
Noiren Carrigg of Carrigg Brady / Dermedique agrees: “Clients are now more educated and demanding and not happy [to settle for] a facial that will feel great and improve the skin within beauty’s standard limits. They now want to slow down the passing of time and minimise damage and restore health and vitality to our most beautiful asset, the skin.
“Serious skin care therapists must take the responsibility of achieving maximum results and that means treating skin that is sun damaged, ageing or suffering with Acne. Along with this, the skin, as the largest organ of the body, has needs that have to be met for it to function and look good. This is where treatments, [such as] peels etc come into their own – delivering fast effective results.
“The latest generation of penta-peptide ingredients like Argireline, Matrixyl, Dermaxyl, and more recently Vialox and Leuphasyl, work in synergy with vitamins A, C, and E to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, particularly around the eye area, and help prevent new lines from forming,” Tracy adds.
Alternatively, clients who have held back on exfoliation can amp up their skin renewal with hydroxy acids or retinoids.
“Retinoids are excellent at normalising keratinisation and desquamation which ensures not only smooth, but bright, luminous skin,” says Candice Gardner, Education Curriculum Manager for the International Dermal Institute. “Specific hydroxy acids like Lactic Acid not only promote cell renewal, but provide multiple benefits for [neglected] skins with boosting natural moisturising factors for improved hydration, and inhibiting the synthesis of Tyrosinase enzyme which is critical for melanin formation, thereby balancing skin colour and targeting darker pigmentation patches. All round skin will be softer, brighter and more hydrated.
“If [clients] are suffering from pigmentation issues look to also introducing a serum to penetrate deeper into the skin to the lower layers of the epidermis where melanocyte cells are active. Look out for peptides like Oligopeptide-34 to target the melanocyte, inhibiting melanin production and preventing melanosome transfer. There is no fast route to eliminating pigmentation issues. The process will take at least 8-12 weeks to produce a modest result, but general luminosity will be improved at a much faster rate,” adds Candice.
With so many different ingredients on offer it can be difficult to know which ones to focus on but thankfully some of our industry’s best product-houses have eliminated this problem by bottling some of the most effective formulas to ensure you and your clients see visible results fast.
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