Clé de Péau Beauté is changing the way beauty products are formulated
Clé de Peau Beauté’s new Intuitive Skin Theory can change the way all beauty products are formulated, discovers Nicolette Wong
As we all know, the skin is the largest organ of the body. It is one of the earliest facts we learn about the human body. But one thing we definitely didn’t know is that our skin can “think” for itself. According to scientists at Clé de Peau Beauté, the skin can produce the bonding hormone oxytocin in the epidermis in response to touch, and is also able to distinguish between chemically similar components and choose which ones they would prefer to absorb. This Intuitive Skin Theory, as the brand calls it, changes everything we know about how skincare is formulated. Theoretically, if beauty scientists were able to conclusively determine which components are absorbed into the skin, then better skincare formulas could be developed. Scientists in the Clé de Peau Beauté labs have done just that and used their findings to create the Essential Prime Complex, a blend of ingredients that they claim are preferentially absorbed by the skin. This complex is the main power source in the newly revamped Clé de Peau Beauté’s Le Sérum, which the brand affirms works with the skin’s natural intelligence to nourish it and bring it into its healthiest possible state. Previous versions of Le Sérum contained chai hu extract to promote collagen growth and the natural production of hyaluronic acid in the skin, cornflower extract to enhance the production of essential proteins in the basal membrane of the skin, and inositol to firm and plump up the epidermis. The new version of Le Sérum contains all of those, with added extracts of white lily and tormentilla, which are intended to strengthen and support the skin’s basal membrane. According to Clé de Peau Beauté’s laboratory director Takayuki Ishimatsu, epidermal stem cells function when they sit closely above the basal membrane, so if the basal membrane is healthier, more of the epidermal stem cells will be present. These stem cells are the ones responsible for the growth of healthy new skin, and decrease as we age—so if we want to maintain the youthful health of the skin, then in theory, encouraging the growth of stem cells is most definitely the way to go. Who knew that all of this would come from the realisation that our skin can think?