What do climate changes mean for the future of skin care?
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How does our world’s gradual trend toward more extreme temperatures stand to affect how we care for skin’s barrier?
Chemists are hard at work answering this question. “Severe weather shifts and pollution are affecting our skin, without a doubt,” says Murad’s Jennifer Fredette. “We’re researching higher-performance ingredients to match these climate changes, which is why we’ve started adding a proprietary agent called RepleniCell to all our moisturizers. It helps skin attract water, facilitates its binding within the skin’s surface and strengthens the skin’s barrier to help it retain this water.”
Phytomer’s Angela Eriksen-Stanley reports that her company’s chemists are focusing on the potential of algae extract and pheohydrane formulas, which lend added protection against increasing amounts of external aggressors. “Algae fibers sit on the skin, like a mesh, but also get sucked into the skin, where they help reinforce the barrier,” she explains.
Armeria maritima, a plant that grows along the seashore near industrial sites, is another growing power player. “It can capture heavy metals in carbon from the air and water and help clean up the environment,” says Eriksen-Stanley. “In skin care, we’re turning to these extracts to help create an anti-pollution shield. Armeria absorbs into the surface and helps neutralize pollution as it comes into contact with the epidermis.”
Climate-cognizant skin care appears to be a new and growing field within the industry—stay tuned for more on this front!
