We all wonder what really is the ultimate secret to perfect skin — is it 2 liters of water every day? Plenty antioxidant foods? A 10-step, expensive skincare routine combined with 8 hours of beauty sleep? Because for many of us, despite doing all these aforementioned things religiously, our skin is still nowhere near how we want it to be.
Luckily, we do live in a modern world where scientists have been working tirelessly to find that secret for us, and these, listed below, are the innovative brands that will give you an extra boost atop of your current good works and keep you face looking fresh as ever.
Ingenious Collagen
We have all seen collagen products in the market, but Ingenious is different — it is a challenger brand in the ingestible beauty space that is revolutionizing collagen supplementation. Dr Luigi Martini, professor of Pharmaceutical Innovation at King’s College tells me: “Ingenious involves the use of ground-breaking technology to optimize the delivery of collagen, which has been independently verified in the clinic by experts in their field.” Researches show that the Ingenious’s enteric capsule (£88 for 60-day supply) stays intact as it passes through the body and only dissolves when it reaches the small intestine and delivers the triple active formula of marine collagen, hyaluronic acid and astaxanthin in to the bloodstream.
Unlike most other supplement brands which rely on either consumer surveys or small scale studies carried out by manufacturers on individual ingredients, Ingenious has commissioned its own clinical trial and then made the data public — 98% of the group experienced statistically measured skin improvements in wrinkle reduction (by up to 85%), hydration (by up to 79%) and elasticity (by up to 83%).
Pupinder Gahtora, cofounder of Ingenious says: “Ingestible beauty brands are having to become much more accountable as consumers are actively seeking evidence based, scientifically-proven beauty products… Science and proven efficacy is at the heart of future innovation in beauty.”
Medik8
Medik8 is a British-based brand with its own in-house and manufacturing facilities that specialize in vitamin C, vitamin A and SPF. The brand has gathered a cult following over the years and its regular users swear by the results delivered. Medik8 is also known for its clever use and combination of active ingredients.
Sleep Glycolic (£35) is one of Medik8’s star products. Often acid-based products claim a certain percentage of acid, but the true acid content can often be much lower. Sleep Glycolic has been formulated with 10% true glycolic acid content, representing a true innovation in acid delivery systems. Daniel Isaacs, Medik8’s Director of Research tells me: “Every exfoliating acid (AHA or BHA) can exist in an active form (aka free acid), or an inactive form. Only when an acid is in its active form, will it be able to make its way easily into the skin to have an effect on stubborn skin concerns like hyperpigmentation. In Sleep Glycolic, we have optimized our free, active acid content by lowering the pH to 3.5 to achieve a free active acid value of 10%. This gives us a truly powerful glycolic acid formula. Crystal encapsulation and bi-weekly usage helps us to control this power, reducing irritation from the formula to maintain a healthy skin barrier.”
Crystal Retinal (from £39) is another Medik8’s innovative product that has gained popularity. Retinal is one step closer to the form of vitamin A your skin actually needs. It’s incredibly difficult to stabilize, but Medik8 have cracked it by encapsulating it in a crystal-shaped shell which when applied to the skin, breaks and drip feeds retinaldehyde to the skin overnight. The result of this is minimal irritation, but brilliant results. It is also available in 5 strengths meaning there’s something for everyone.
For those that want everyday exfoliation, but don’t want to upset their skin barrier, Medik8 created Press & Glow (£25): a PHA-based toner that gently exfoliates and can be used daily, without any adverse impact on the skin. Isaacs says: “We use Gluconolactone in Press & Glow. When applied to the skin, it converts to gluconic acid — an active acid within the skin. This conversion acts as a form of time-release — slowly releasing the acid into the skin, meaning irritation is unlikely. It’s also incredibly hydrating thanks to its chemical structure.”
Esse Skincare
Esse Skincare was one of the first movers in the microbiome space, with its first live probiotic product having been launched in 2015. The innovative brand is all about restoring the lost ecosystem of the skin and “seeding and feeding” the skin with nutrients to bring it back to life. Think of it in the same way as looking after you gut by eating fermented foods.
Esse’s products are tested for efficacy in Germany and results have shown that live probiotics can have a meaningful anti-aging effect. “Who would have thought that putting live bacteria on your face would firm your skin by an average of 16% in 28 days?” Trevor Steyn, founder of Esse, says with a smile.
Esse is also looking to disrupt the current skincare industry, as “the industry has been built for profit and has largely ignored the best interests of the consumer.” Steyn continues: “Esse looks to sustainable, long term skin health, and we offer biotech solutions for skin in an ethical framework.”
“Our approach is to minimize disruption of the skin’s microbiome and to do what we can to build barrier function.” Steyn’s advice is to start with the Esse Sensitive range, which includes some of the most popular Esse products such as Sensitive Toner (£40), Resurrect Serum (£98), and Protect Oil (£55).
