The Other Skincare Company expands
Quality products are geared toward supporting the skin's immunity and barrier functions
What began as a solution to personal skin problems, The Other Skincare Company has expanded to include a range of salves, serums and solutions that address a growing number of concerns.
The focus of its products is supporting the skin's immunity and barrier functions and restoring epidermal homeostasis — ultimately achieving stronger, healthier and more resistant skin.
“We started with a line for acne-prone skin and aim to launch a line for skin prone to redness and inflammation,” says Elitsa Milanova, the founder of the Vancouver-based brand.
We caught up with Milanova to learn more.
Q: For those who aren't familiar, what is The Other Skincare Company?
A: The Other Skincare Company offers small batch, 100 per cent natural, high performance skin care for women with problematic skin types. We are based in Vancouver and formulate in house and in small batches to ensure minimal waste, utmost freshness and longest possible shelf life.
We work with skin-identical ingredients, advanced actives and phytonutrients in our holistic skin care approach. All of our ingredients are naturally derived, naturally occurring or skin-identical, and we pick every single active ingredient based on scientific research and medical studies.
Q: What makes the brand unique?
A: We are pioneering a whole new segment in the clean beauty space utilizing skin-identical ingredients that strengthen the skin's own defence systems against common skin aggravators. Skin-identical ingredients are compatible with the structure of the human skin. They work with the physiology of our skin tissues, repairing the skin barrier function, reducing inflammation and increasing skin hydration.
These ingredients are naturally part of the structure of our skin. A few examples are ceramides, cholesterol, free fatty acids, hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, glycerol, squalene and certain proteins.
A great deal of scientific data show that applying these compounds topically results in an improved barrier function and a restored skin integrity and health.
Q: Who is the target customer?
A: Our customers are modern, freethinking, health-conscious women with problematic skin types like adult acne and skin susceptible to hormonal fluctuations, dehydration or rosacea who are looking for natural solutions but are not willing to compromise performance.
Q: How did your personal struggles with skin concerns influence the product line and development?
A: About 10 years ago, I desperately needed products to calm and care for my rosacea-prone skin and I wanted to use all-natural skin care, which was a lot harder to find then. I was at the point where I couldn't use anything but water on my face without feeling extreme discomfort and irritation, my skin was breaking out, it was constantly flushed, very dry and very irritated.
So I started researching skin care ingredients, lifestyle changes and nutritional impacts on the skin and began experimenting making may own products. I loved working with herbs, botanical extracts and plant oils but no matter how good my formulas were, I felt that something was still missing.
It wasn't until I started studying corneotherapy that I finally realized that I needed to fix my skin barrier function, if I wanted to get permanent results. Addressing the skin barrier function and innate immunity and its ability to self-repair and self-protect instead of only trying to treat separate symptoms is the key to every successful skin care formula for problem skin.
My research showed that the most powerful skin barrier boosting ingredients are also naturally part of the stratum corneum.
These skin-identical ingredients make the skin stronger, more resilient and resistant to bacteria overgrowth, external stressors, UV radiation, dehydration, inflammation and premature aging. This is how skin-identical ingredients became the focus of the brand and what sets us apart from other clean beauty companies.
Q: Is there a “hero” product in the range? If so, which one and what makes it so popular?
A: No doubt our most celebrated product is Plant Voodoo clarifying serum concentrate. This product is a fast-absorbing, oil-based serum perfect for dehydrated, acne prone skin that needs decongesting, calming, nourishing and a good punch of anti-aging action.
Q: What is the price range for the products?
A: Our full-sized products range between $41 and $77, but we also offer mini sizes from $19 to $32 for those who want to try the line first.
Q: Lastly, where can people check them out?
A: Our website and online shop is the best place to discover more about our products, as well as to find free resources about skin health, ingredients, and common skin concerns. Theotherskincare. com.