THE CLIMATE WILL CHANGE OUR COMPLEXIONS
BIBA DE SOUSA, AESTHETICIAN AND FOUNDER OF BIBA DE SOUSA SKINCARE
Biba de Sousa is a Los Angeles-based aesthetician with a roster of well-known clients (think Miley Cyrus, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Billie Eilish). She’s also the mastermind behind her eponymous product line, a range that’s risen to cult status by those in the know. Despite shying away from traditional media to an extent (de Sousa is very much client-focused), her skin philosophy is highly regarded, especially when it comes to conditions such as acne, dermatitis and pigmentation.
Her predictions are environmentally focused: she believes that the conditions we live in will affect our skin. “The future of skincare will be centred on the undeniable effects of climate change, elevated temperatures and the associated impact on the complexion,” she says. “We’re going to see water evaporation and barrier breakdown, which opens the door to pathogens.” According to de Sousa, this means an uptick in conditions such as dermatitis, and infections such as malassezia folliculitis, which is a type of fungal overgrowth that presents as acne and thrives in humid conditions such as those under a surgical mask.
De Sousa predicts that environmental defense and barrier protection will continue to grow as sub-categories in beauty. “We’re going to see even more SPF in skincare and haircare, and formulas that counter the effects of pollution,” she says.
We’ll also become more interested in our facial microbiome. “There’s more bacteria than us, and we need the bacteria for skin health,” explains de Sousa. “But the future will be more about finding a balance between good bacteria—the kind that keeps our skin strong—and the bad—those that cause acne.”
In terms of topicals, de Sousa thinks this will translate to more clinically-backed brands, and a reliance on plant ingredient innovation. She’s a big fan of zinc and sulfur to nourish the microbiome while decreasing the risk of acne (her Zinc Mask formula just relaunched), as well as peptides and lipids for barrier integrity (the Biba de Sousa Cream Barrier was a first-of-its kind formula, and a product Hailey Bieber relied on before launching her brand, Rhode). As someone who informs and educates those starting trends, de Sousa’s forecast is about as good as it gets.