Cellular Network
Beauty trends come and go, but the answer to lasting radiance may be buried deeper within
Lasting radiance comes from deeper within
From a “vampire facial” using your own blood to salmon sperm DNA injected into your skin, the beauty trends of the past decade may sound extreme, but they are indicative of how far skincare has come. Today, beauty is not even skin-deep but cell-deep. The power of cells and its effect on slowing down the signs of ageing have intrigued the beauty industry from as early as the 1930s.
A recent article published in
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology on the efficacy of stem cells, among other popular aesthetic treatments for cutaneous rejuvenation, highlighted that “ageing is itself associated with decreased melanocytes, fibroblasts and collagen synthesis in the skin”. (Melanocytes are pigmentproducing cells that protect against UV damage, while fibroblasts are cells of connective tissue responsible for the production of collagen, which forms the skin’s structure.) However, the review concluded that while “early studies have begun to demonstrate promise regarding the efficacy of stem cells in skin rejuvenation… it is too early to determine their exact role”.
Beauty brands have been infusing plant stem cell extracts into their skincare products for years, but scientists have debunked it as simply a buzzword due to the absence of actual live stem cells. In a study published in the Future Science OA journal in 2017, American researchers found these products to be “about as effective as all the skin creams without stem cells”, adding that “claimed benefits of smooth and firm skin are due to antioxidants and active extracts from stem cells”.
SELF-EMPOWERMENT
Dior Skincare is doing things differently with its latest Capture Totale C.E.L.L. Energy range. It has tapped on its 30 years of cell-focused research—20 of them on stem cells—to create a product range to nurture the skin’s innate stem cells instead.
Beauty brands have been infusing plant stem cell extracts into their skincare products for years, but scientists have debunked it as simply a buzzword
According to its research arm Dior Science, stem cells represent only 0.2 per cent of all skin cells. The research also shows that the number of stem cells does not decrease over time, but they lose half of their energy potential with age, resulting in vitality loss and the appearance of the signs of ageing on the skin.
To combat this, Dior has created a unique floral complex of Madagascan longoza, Chinese peony, white lily and Chinese jasmine—four flowers touted to restore the regenerative power of stem cells.
CELL TO CELL
For French beauty brand Clarins, the answer to radiant skin is lending it a “listening ear”. The eighth generation of its cult-status Double Serum, which was released in 2017, focused on improving communication between cells.
“We discovered that the number of lipidic microdomains of your cells may decrease over time,” shared Marie-hélène Lair, scientific communications director of Clarins, explaining that they act as sensors, “listening” to the skin’s needs in order to fulfil and provide for its vital functions. “The skin thus loses its luminosity and the first signs of age may appear.”
Known for its expertise in natural ingredients, Clarins’ formulas are developed via bioinspiration. The brand’s research led it to turmeric, a “talkative” plant that can “listen” to messages and also react to the environment by releasing volatile and aromatic molecules called turmerones, the key ingredient in boosting the listening capacity of cells. Turmeric, together with 20 other ingredients, including goji, quinoa and kiwi, boost the expression of cells for healthy skin in the Double Serum.
INNATE RADIANCE
German beauty brand Noesa takes a different approach to cell care. Founder and futurologist Gerd Gerken first began his study in the energising potential of macromolecules and biophotons— light particles emitted by cells in biological systems—in the 1990s before launching Noesa in 2004 and basing it on his team’s research in harnessing energy from healing plants.
Each ingredient is distilled to extract the biophotons at their optimal vitality. This composite of plant extracts is then fused by hand into a unique cocktail called Alchemetics, and delivered into the mitochondria of skins cells with Danadem, a complex of ingredients combined to mimic the skin’s internal structure.
There’s more to be discovered as scientists continue to study stem cells, but we can finally agree with the age-old saying: true beauty radiates from within.