2022 will see a rise in what’s deemed to become one of the biggest skincare trends yet: Clean Cosmeceuticals. While cosmeceuticals have long since been associated as a hero category of skincare, (thanks to their reputation for getting evidence-based results) now there’s a new hero in town. Below, Biologi’s Dermal Specialist Lucy Macdougald reveals everything you need to know about the skincare trend everyone is going to be talking about.
What Are ‘Clean Cosmeceuticals’?
Put simply, it’s a whole new category of skincare, and it's fast gaining traction thanks to its foundation in active, natural ingredients that have a cosmeceutical effect. It combines the best of both worlds because it offers natural ingredients that are also active (giving them that sort-after cosmeceutical effect, but without any harmful synthetics). These ingredients will penetrate the skin cells and fix the problems causing the skin concerns (not like their synthetic alternatives which only deal with the symptoms). Plus Clean Cosmeceuticals are kinder to our bodies and our skin and has been developed ethically and without harmful ingredients, whilst also containing active ingredients for a deeper, positive effect on the skin.
Biologi actually created the entire concept of Clean Cosmeceuticals because we were finding that our products really didn’t fit into a skincare category so we knew we had to create a new one! Yes, our products are 100% natural, but the term ‘natural’ often comes with a connotation that it isn’t functional or effective. However, what many people didn’t realise is that our natural ingredient serums contain 100% active ingredients without all the nasties. Thanks to our extraction technology we’ve been able extract plant serums and bottle 100% of the active ingredients, keeping it stable for the skin and allowing for it to deliver fast and effective results.
Just like regular Cosmeceuticals, our ingredients are active, backed by science and are highly effective on the skin, yet you have the added benefit of them being natural so there’s no risk of toxic build up over time. Biologi’s Clean Cosmeceutical products also tap into the theory of epigenetics by permitting us too ‘turn back on’ skin cells and allow them to work at their most effective level. This gives us the ability to work out how to make old genes act younger, and how to keep young genes from getting old by providing the skin with the phyto-active ingredients it needs.
How Is It Different To Regular Cosmeceuticals?
It’s likely most people have tried a regular Cosmeceutical in their routine, with common products like Glycolic acid, Hyaluronic acid, Retinol, Niacinamide, Salicylic acid, Lactic acid and Peptides all fitting within that category. The key difference is that Clean Cosmeceuticals should have very little—or in Biologi’s case for our serums—no synthetic ingredients added to get the active formulation. If we look at what a regular Cosmeceutical is—products that are active and backed by clinical evaluation for proof of their efficacy—Clean Cosmeceuticals are that too, but products are developed ethically and without harmful ingredients. Whilst Cosmeceuticals are known for getting results, they do contain the pharmaceutical actives derived from synthetic sources which can be harsh on the skin. So, many people have been searching for safer alternatives, especially people like pregnant women or those that might have skin sensitivities.
What Do We Need To Know About Implementing Clean Cosmeceuticals Into Our Routine?
Well firstly, know that Clean Cosmeceuticals contain active ingredients yet should be safer on the skin. So you do need to treat them like you would a regular Cosmeceutical and be wary when layering ingredients. There are many active ingredients in Clean Cosmeceutical formulations that don’t actually ‘like’ each other so you need to be mindful of that. A great example of this is our Bqk Radiance Serum Duo which contains a 100% active Quandong Serum and then a 100% active Kakadu Plum Serum. When we were developing this product we knew both of those plant extracts contained powerful phyto-actives that have incredible benefits for the skin, yet when we combined them the activity of the extracts diminished. That’s why we decided to create two separate serums for a morning and night routine, because we wanted to ensure customers were getting the most powerful delivery of those extracts. Therefore we advise against layering these products because they don’t work as well when mixed!
Another great tip for when thinking about adding in some Clean Cosmeceuticals into your routine is that less is best. You really don’t need a plethora of different products to get great results because the focus should be that you enhance what you already have—that’s enhancing the functions of your skin. The skin is a powerful organism that works incredibly well on its own and our skincare products should simply strengthen what it can do on its own. For any great skincare routine, you really only need a gentle cleanser, an exfoliant, a hard-working serum like Biologi’s Bf Restore Serum that contains the world’s only natural Vitamin C in skincare and does a multitude of things at once, and a sunscreen! For particularly dry skin you might want to implement a skincare oil in the evenings but beyond that, let your own skin do the hard work!
Next up, check out the best sunscreens for your face, all year long.
Image Credit: Urban List