Forget off-the-shelf, now you can have the skincare regime of a top celebrity
TECHNOLOGY is offering tailor-made solutions for managing our skin, and its ageing process, better than ever before, writes KATRINA LAWRENCE.
With the spring 2015 haute couture collections kicking off today in Paris, the made-to-measure chic is in the spotlight.
Ready-to-wear brands Burberry and Prada personalise some offerings, with monogramming and customisation services. But it’s in the skincare industry where personalisation is picking up serious buzz.
The human genome was mapped back in 2003, but the implications for how we manage our skin’s ageing process are becoming clearer, as more research is undertaken into the various skin genes.
“The possibilities are limitless,” says Stefan Mazy, founder of SkinDNA, an Australian skin genetic testing service.
“The personal genomics industry is still in infant stage because it’s not just about taking a test, it’s about understanding the information behind what the markers are all about.”
SkinDNA involves a cheek swab for a saliva sample, along with a questionnaire covering lifestyle factors. From here, the SkinDNA laboratory looks at 16 markers — or DNA sequences — within five categories: firmness, glycation, sun damage, free radical damage and sensitivity.
A skin therapist utilises this report to design a treatment program focussing on the categories in which a patient is medium or high risk, and the most suitable active ingredients.
“We’re always adding new markers to the test to understand more about the skin,” Mazy says.
An expanding database also means SkinDNA is able to conduct correlation studies and accumulate more data, and a greater understanding of the skin’s ageing.
“It took the guesswork out for our O Cosmedics salons,” says Marie Enna-Cocciolone, CEO of Inskin Cosmedics, distributor of SkinDNA and several cosmeceutical brands.
“We now know which products and dosage are required to preserve skin.”
Facialists who work in conjunction with a SkinDNA report have a clearer idea of where younger clients’ skin is heading; for mature clients, it allows therapists to focus on the most effective treatments.
“Some people think sugar they eat is contributing to their skin concerns, but then find their glycation levels are low,” Enna-Cocciolone says.
“However, if the high-risk is in collagen breakdown, you’d prescribe a program focussed on collagen synthesis.”
A personalised guide to skin ageing also allows the consumer to shop smarter.
“We’re overwhelmed with so much choice that we can make poor decisions,” says Mazy. “With DNA testing, we can recommend ingredients so the customer can look through their favourite skincare brands and match up those ingredients to the products that will be best for them.”
For Singapore brand Skin Inc, available at Sephora Sydney, personalised skincare comes in the form of My Daily Dose, a set of three encapsulated serums that are custom-mixed at home in a dedicated bottle; the trio of active ingredients is prescribed based on a questionnaire, and are ideally taken every three months.
“In life, we customise a lot,” says Sabrina Tan, founder and CEO of Skin Inc.
“Every morning we choose a different outfit and make-up palette. But what changes the most? The skin. So it’s important to customise skincare. This is not a trend. It’s a fact.”
COLOUR COLLECTIONS SPRING INTO NEW SEASON
THE final days of summer might be on the horizon, but in the world of beauty spring is beginning to blossom.
A number of international cosmetics brands are currently launching colour collections — capsule make-up ranges designed to capture a particular mood for the season.
From Lancome there’s French Innocence, a palette of dusky pastels inspired by the parks of Paris; Chanel’s Reverie Parisienne also celebrates the rosy gardens of the French capital; and Dior’s Kingdom of Colors is a dazzling, fun array of confetti-like shades.
All technically spring 2015 make-up stories, they’re hitting Australian counters at the same time as those in the northern hemisphere, where winter is thawing to a close.
“Don’t get stuck on it being only for spring,” says Victoria Baron, make-up artist for Chanel. “We’re individuals and, as such, can pick and choose our own look.”
Baron points out that La Romanesque, the magenta Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick, is easily winterised when worn with a black coat and boots.
Beauty collectors should also zone in on limited-edition items.
“Each collection has a star product, usually a palette, which tends to sell out first,” says Lara Srokowski, national make-up artist for Lancome.
Chanel’s hero buy, the floral-embossed Jardin de Chanel Blush, is also flying off shelves.
Another way to approach these ranges is to prioritise products within the brands’ colour stories that debuted on the catwalk. Case in point: Rouge Dior Baume in Belle de Printemps, the peachy lip balm that was swiped on models’ lips at Dior’s SS15 show.
“Make-up usually moves from the runway to real life, so these collections are the ideal way to update your look,” Baron says.
COUNTER CONFIDENTIAL
MEET five of our favourite local beauties — the products that should be in every patriotic beautyista’s bathroom cabinet.
Lanolips 101 Ointment, $17.95, Priceline
This medical-grade lanolin is a major multi-tasker; it softens lips, hydrates cuticles, calms skin stresses, tames eyebrows, glosses up cheekbones — and so much more.
Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, $35, Jurlique stores
Mist on before moisturiser for a skin-softening boost, or over make-up to refresh your complexion. The divine rose fragrance doubles as mood-enhancing aromatherapy.
Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon, $42, Sephora
You only need to blend a small amount of this liquid stain into cheeks for a healthy pinkish glow that will last all summer-day long.
Mecca Cosmetica In a Good Light, $50, Mecca Cosmetica
This tinted moisturiser, available in three shades, packs an SPF30 protective punch, while evening out skintone and infusing the complexion with a gorgeous glow.
Ultraceuticals Even Skintone Serum, $100, 1800 355 890
With sun spots a common Australian skin concern, this blend of hydroxy acids and bearberry extract works to remove pigmented cells, brighten skin and inhibit melanin production.
Originally published as Forget off-the-shelf, now you can have the skincare regime of a top celebrity
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