INGREDIENTS TO WATCH
New ingredients – and the way they are delivered to our skin – are changing skincare for the better. Here’s what to watch for in 2019.
New ingredients – and the way they’re delivered – are changing skincare for the better. Here’s what to look out for in 2019.
BRIGHT SPARK
The way active ingredients reach skin cells is just as important as the ingredients themselves – and since the desire for radiant skin isn’t going to go away anytime soon, the secret to achieving a glowing complexion could actually lie in a new skincare delivery system. “One of the newest innovations is light-activated intelligent drone technology,” says Emma Hobson, education manager for Dermalogica Asia, Australia and New Zealand. But before you start daydreaming about drones soaring through the sky to deliver cutting- edge skincare directly to your doorstep, Hobson explains that skincare drones are very different to flying drones. The advanced skincare delivery technology is activated by visible light, which is then converted into cellular energy to help boost the skin’s luminosity. “This is achieved by using Chlorella vulgaris extract and various supplemental materials in a dual-layer capsule system that is referred to as [a drone],” Hobson says. Best of all, you may not have long to wait before you can experience this technology for yourself. Dermalogica is set to launch a game- changing product that uses these ‘drones’ in the not-too- distant future.
SUPERHERO HERBS
There’s been a lot of buzz about adaptogens in the wellness world for a while – and according to Katy Bacon, education manager for Murad Australasia Pacific, the beauty world is now recognising their benefits as well. Adaptogens are plants and herbs used in herbal medicines that are said to help the body deal with physical, chemical and biological stressors. “Essentially they’re medicinal herbs and botanical extracts used to restore balance in the body,” Bacon explains. “For example, ashwagandha is an adaptogenic antioxidant that has a relaxing effect on the adrenal glands, which can help to regulate cortisol production.” These adaptogens can either be ingested or applied topically, and Bacon says it’s definitely an area to keep an eye on. “We are seeing a lot of research into ingredients that support health, wellness and lifestyle. Watch this space.”
LESS IS MORE
If you’ve ever picked up a jar of moisturiser and been overwhelmed by the huge number of unpronounceable ingredients listed on the back, you’re not alone. Australian-born skincare brand Biologi has only been around for a year, but it’s already managed to flip the way we think about skincare on its head. Rather than load up the products with a heap of unnecessary ingredients, the founder of Biologi – Ross Macdougald – uses just a single ingredient in each Biologi product. Macdougald, who has worked in the industry for 30 years as a formulating chemist, says he became disillusioned by the beauty world’s obsession with how products look and feel. “There was no focus on the skin and results,” he states. “So I thought, ‘Why don’t we just put into the bottle the stuff that’s really good for the skin?’” Each Biologi product is formulated with 100 per cent active organic plant extracts – Davidson plum for the Luminosity Face Serum, Kakadu plum for the Rejuvenation Eye Serum, and finger lime for the Hydration Body Serum. “There may be one ingredient in, say, the Kakadu plum – but that has five or six different phytoactives in it,” Macdougald explains.
GOOD BACTERIA
Bacon says probiotic-infused skincare products are set to drive the newest beauty trend in 2019 – and for good reason. “For every one skin cell, we have 100 microbes in and on our body,” she explains. Jacob Stanley, head of education at MECCA Brands, agrees, and says that we are already seeing more formulas that encourage good bacteria on the skin to flourish. “We’re all drinking kombucha and popping probiotic pills as we wise up to the importance of gut health for overall wellness, so it’s making sense to us that we need to make sure we have the right environment of good bacteria on our skin – our largest organ – as well as in our internal systems,” he says. As dermatologist and founder of Murad, Dr Howard Murad explains, “Prebiotics work as a support system for our unique microbiomes, [so they] allow for a more universal approach to skincare than live bacteria or a probiotic. Prebiotics work by acting as food for the bacteria living on our skin – they are like a peacemaker, balancing the skin’s microbiome.”