THE NEW NATURALS Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate is a form of vitamin C that, when applied to the skin, works with the enzymes to absorb the vitamin C into the skin, says Egide, with the benefits having long-lasting penetration way after application. It’s pe
Update your skincare arsenal with natural cosmeceutical options
In the never-ending quest for youthful, plump-looking skin, sometimes we overlook the goodness that mother nature supplies. We spoke to Stacey Kelly Egide, who, as the founder of Andalou Naturals, is equipped with a wealth of knowledge on all things botanical. There are so many natural brands on the market, but what sets the new players apart is the introduction of plant and fruit stem cells. Our skin is naturally made up of stem cells, but as we age (that old chestnut), the production and the turnover slows down, leaving skin exposed for longer, resulting in dry skin desperately searching for moisturising products. Previously, the real anti-ageing ingredients were synthetic, lab-created peptides, definitely outside the realm of natural formulations. This was until the day Egide read an article with former first lady Michelle Obama promoting the $250 skincare cream she used that utilised plant stem cells, which planted the seed for developing a new line of naturals. Andalou’s patented fruit stem cell science is a key player adding a point of difference to the natural market.
THE NEXT BIG THING?
According to Egide, it’s hemp. “Hempseed oil has the perfect ratio of omega-3s and omega-6s that are really skin-friendly—antibacterial, anti-inflammatory—so again if you can protect your moisture barrier and have really good skin defence, your skin is going to retain moisture, helping all of the environmental stressors and really help nourish your skin.”
TOP INGREDIENT WHY THEY WORK
These cells are like super-energised antioxidants. “The way you apply them and the way they’re manufactured is like they’re in a liposome. If you’ve ever used a time-released product, that’s capsulated in a liposome. Depending on the thickness of the cellular wall, that liposome is how quickly it takes for it to melt into your skin,” says Egide. What you would do in a time-release is put ingredients in that have different liposomes, different thicknesses, so that each would dissolve at different stages, explains Egide. “Take the magic of this bio-active ingredient and you can now put it into water-based products like skincare and it will maintain its efficacy until it’s applied to skin and comes into contact with the enzymes in your skin,” says Egide. “The liposomes release the ingredient and that energised antioxidant goes to work as a defence system.”