"I don't know how many times I've been asked whether a certain cream is natural or not," Johanna begins and continues, "What we often associate with natural today is what is taken in ready-made form from nature, such as natural oils or butter from sunflower or coconut. But are these ingredients really 'natural' for our skin?"
The skin speaks its own language
A common misconception in the beauty industry is that if an ingredient is natural, i.e. taken from nature, it is by definition good for the skin. On the contrary, the ingredients extracted from nature are not always gentle and beneficial to our skin. Botanical extracts can often contain more than 1,000 different molecules and a lack of knowledge of the content can lead to skin reactions. Several plants can also cause more serious skin reactions, including hogweed, giant hogweed and plant juice from parsnip. Nature's ingredients are simply not always as mild as you might think.
The skin's defenses consist of various immune cells located superficially in the skin. These react with inflammatory processes if they come into contact with molecules that do not belong there and have an allergenic potential. Fragrances of natural origin are often linked to skin reactions, e.g. Cinnamal, Cinnamyl alcohol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene and Linalool. Also preservatives allowed in natural and eco-certified skincare are associated with irritation e.g. potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate or benzyl alcohol.
Skinome's skin expert Dr. Johanna Gillbro says: "The most natural approach is to use the fats that are already in the skin and that the skin is used to. The skin does not produce sunflower oil, olive oil or shea butter, but substances such as squalene, ceramides, cholesterol, triglycerides and many different fatty acids." This unique composition of substances in the skin has been sought by skincare manufacturers, both by using natural oils with interesting lipid compositions and by isolating individual substances from these oils for use in different formulations.
Natural ingredients: not always synonymous with health
It is common to confuse the term 'natural' with something being healthy, but it is important to understand that not everything natural is good for us. Although cannabis, tobacco and alcohol have their origins in nature, as we know, they are not necessarily healthy or safe to consume. In the world of skincare we need to understand this, as a love for natural products does not always result in positive effects on the skin.
Biotechnology creates cleaner ingredients
In today's progressive and scientific landscape, we have the ability to move beyond traditional methods and harness the power and precision that biotechnology offers. One of many examples of this is the extraction of squalane, a vital oil for skin care.
Squalane is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids known for its emollient and moisturizing properties. Historically, squalane was often extracted from shark liver, but due to environmental and ethical considerations, new extraction methods have been found, such as extracting it from olive oil. However, these methods can lead to contamination with other oil residues, reducing the purity and effectiveness of the product.
By using a biotechnological fermentation process, we at Skinome can ensure that our squalane is not only ethically sourced, but also of a superior pure quality. The process involves the use of microorganisms and natural raw sugar under controlled laboratory conditions, where we can create a precise, pure and high quality squalane. This enables us to produce an ingredient that is supremely pure, fully mimicking the skin's natural squalane.
Mimicking the skin's own substances: the key to effective skin care
Since the beginning, we have focused on creating skincare products that speak the skin's own language. Instead of relying solely on the market's natural skincare trends, we have delved into the research behind the skin's own biology and ability to take care of itself. By understanding and respecting the skin's own processes and the substances it naturally produces, we can create products that truly complement and support its natural ability to care and repair.
The skin simply feels best with substances that it is accustomed to. By utilizing the skin's own built-in "recipe", we create products that actively support the skin's own ability to protect, repair, and renew itself.
