Smooth operator
Swiss skincare powerhouse, La Prairie, has uncovered yet another facet of its star ingredient in its most game-changing formula to date. By Remy Rippon.
Swiss skincare powerhouse, La Prairie, has uncovered yet another facet of its star ingredient in its new formula.
Bread and butter. Netflix and chill. La Prairie and caviar. Some things just go together. “Skin Caviar Collection is our most iconic collection, to the extent that some people see the brand via the lens of Skin Caviar,” says La Prairie chief marketing officer, Greg Prodromides via Zoom from the brand’s Swiss base.
Indeed, La Prairie’s pioneering caviar-infused collection – which now boasts 13 products – has been the cornerstone of the European skincare stalwart for more than 30 years. Purchases of the cobalt-blue packaged collection make up half of all of La Prairie’s sales, which has continued to grow as the brand’s in-house scientists uncovered fresh ways to reap the game-changing benefits from the luxe ingredient.
Yet one key ingredient remained elusive: retinol. “We’ve developed several extracts from caviar itself to use in skincare, but one element that we know exists in caviar but is difficult to capture, is retinol,” says
Dr Jacqueline Hill, La Prairie’s global director of strategic innovation and science who led an A-team of researchers to a breakthrough in the form of the brand’s newest elixir, Skin Caviar Nighttime Oil.
“This is an achievement in formulation and from a development point of view, which we’re very proud of,” adds Hill of the brand’s first formulation boasting exclusive Caviar Retinol. Extracting retinol from natural sources can be challenging for a few reasons. Firstly, the vitamin A derivative is a ‘delicate molecule’ according to Hill, and its finicky nature when exposed to light, air and water are the reason most skincare companies rely on a lab-made retinol substitute.
Still, La Prairie persisted in finding innovative ways to infuse caviar-derived retinol into its skincare. And like all good science experiments, a few surprises emerged along the way. “There’s what I call ‘positive components’ of caviar that are also extracted along with the retinol,” says Hill of the discovery which was two years in the making. “There are essential fatty acids like omega-3, 6 and 9, vitamin D and the retinol, of course. So what we have with Caviar Retinol is the combination of all these things, coming from a natural source.”
Likewise, the golden oil base – another masterstroke from the labs – serves to be not only deeply nourishing on application, but also a neat vector for the prized ingredient. “We’ve done various formulation tests with different ways to protect retinol, and we’ve found that the most efficient way is to put it in an oil environment,” says Hill.
Lab testing aside, the biggest question is how caviar-derived retinol stacks up in real life. Within a few weeks of usage, you’ll notice a smoother skin surface and a reduction in fine lines (thanks to accelerated cell turnover). And as well as promoting collagen (the juicy ‘plumping’ skin protein), the oil formula creates a solid skin barrier to lock in hydration and prevent moisture loss. Another upshot? Skin Caviar Nighttime Oil works in tandem with the rest of the Caviar range, which targets lifting and firming.
The golden retinol rules still apply. Introduce Skin Caviar Nighttime Oil into your regimen slowly – once or twice a week to start – to curb flare-ups and irritation, which can be associated with actives. “You’re also accelerating epidermal renewal and getting rid of the dead cells on the surface, which could otherwise be a little bit protective,” warns Hill. “In the case of using retinol, I would recommend sun protection even more strongly.” And as luxurious as the oil slip may feel, don’t be tempted to apply it in the morning. Perhaps the best thing about this formula is that you reap the rewards while adhering to another self-care essential: sleep.