Smarter skincare

We can’t stop our skin from ageing but we can avoid premature ageing and maintain a youthful radiance – when the science behind our skincare products is sound. Dr Travis Badenhorst of New Zealand skincare brand Snowberry explains…

How do you prevent premature ageing of your skin?

There are three key strategies: 1. Reduce oxidative damage. This is largely about the damage done to the collagen and elastin in the skin’s cellular matrix by the sun’s UV rays. Avoid excessive exposure to the sun – a hat and a good sunscreen are imperative. 2. Avoid persistent inflammation. Inflammation is the skin’s natural response to anything invasive, such as pollutants, micro-organisms and allergens. Many women suffer from chronic, low-level inflammation, which presents as redness, breakouts, contact dermatitis or rosacea, and this inflammation may have been triggered by the use of cleansers and toners that contain harmful ingredients that strip the skin barrier of its lipids. Many foaming agents such as sodium lauryl sulphate and volatile alcohols such as isopropyl and ethanol can quickly degrade the skin’s natural acid mantle and phospholipid protective layers. 3. Choose skincare with genuine anti-ageing capability. If we define ‘anti-ageing’ as the visible reduction of the appearance of lines and wrinkles, then we need to look for products that contain collagen and elastin-boosting peptides… The challenge for any skincare manufacturer is that the skin, as a natural barrier, is remarkably efficient at preventing even the minute molecules that are peptides from entering the skin. It is for this reason that Snowberry invested in nearly five years of university research to find a way to convey highly effective peptides into the dermis, and this technology is world-first. It is the CuPEP™ technology in Snowberry’s New Radiance Face Serum, and it is this that led to the New Radiance Face Serum being the only anti-wrinkle serum in the world to be invited to be presented to the 23rd World Congress of Dermatology.

Snowberry is developing a ‘Super Serum.’ How will it differ from the New Radiance Face Serum?

The New Radiance Face Serum is an extraordinary anti-wrinkle product, proven by gold standard clinical trial (the only measure of scientific proof for products). For us though, the challenge is to do more and better, so we’ve continued our research to find ways to deliver more beneficial ingredients. While the New Radiance Face Serum will successfully deliver copper tripeptide-1, which is a wonderful skin remodelling peptide; the Super Serum will deliver a wider range of benefits including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and cellular matrix-boosting activity. Our Super Serum will be available in May.