Space: the new skincare frontier

Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for take-off, the latest skincare offerings harness research that’s quite literally out of this world

LOGIC WOULD DICTATE that without gravity you would remove skin’s tendency to sag. But NASA studies show, in fact, that microgravity weightlessness (experienced by astronauts) accelerates the decline of everything from bone density to skin elasticity. Combine that with pollution at high altitude and rapid temperature fluctuations and astronauts are left dealing with dry, dehydrated and uncomfortable skin, as well as increased sagging and wrinkles.

It’s for this reason that major beauty brands have turned their attention to the heavens. ‘Space has become a laboratory for skin and body ageing,’ says Harley St plastic surgeon Dr Yannis Alexandrides.

Indeed, since 2015, Lancôme has forged a scientific partnership with a European lab researching Space Biology on-board the International Space Station. ‘Space provides appropriate conditions for the study of cell ageing, helping us test the efficacy of our active ingredients,’ explains Dr Veronique Delvigne, Lancôme Global Director of Science. ‘ Young and old cells were cultivated under microgravity conditions, allowing us to develop Up Cohesion, a tech which is capable of acting on skin firmness and density.’

The result? A skincare line that can achieve out-of-this-world results.

Likewise Dr Alexandrides’ own research led him to a study about astronauts’ skin healing slowly in space. Fascinated, he forged a partnership with former Soviet space scientists and they created a molecule called NAC Y2, which protects astronauts from extreme sunburn and speeds up the healing process post-surgery. The molecule NAC Y2 forms the basis of Alexandrides’ own reparative skincare brand, 111SKIN.

Meanwhile, in its Effaclar K[+] range, La Roche-posay has harnessed Airlicium, a molecule with an intricate internal mesh structure used by NASA to capture interstellar dust. Added to skincare, it captures unwanted sebum in its net, making it highly effective for oily skin.

Expect a flurry of further skincare launches linked to space science in 2018. Until then, try our edit of the skincare products that harness space-age tech.