Dermaviduals and the Corneotherapy Concept

People are becoming a lot more concerned, and rightly so, about skincare ingredients that can do us more harm than good. Generally referred to as 'nasties', the most common ones include Parabens (preservatives), Synthetic Fragrances, Synthetic Colours, Talc and Mineral Oil. However, there's a growing believe that there's another commonly used group of ingredients that should be added to the nasties list and these are emulsifiers.

Dermaviduals is a skincare range whose products are free of all the usual nasties AND emulsifiers.  It's a German brand and, while not wanting to resort to national stereotyping, it is extremely efficient and no nonsense.  It's already very popular in Australia, America and the rest of Europe and it's now gaining firm fans in the UK as more people experience it's benefits.

So, what's wrong with emulsifiers? Their job is to blend unlike ingredients together, such as oil and water, to form an emulsion. Therefore, you will find them in most moisturisers and cleansers. The problem with them is that they cause what is known as the 'Wash Out Effect'. When an emulsion is put on the skin, the water and the oil are absorbed but the emulsifier is left on the skin surface which is fine until you next add water to the skin. This re-activates the emulsifier making it want to capture oil, which it does by drawing it out from your skin leaving it feeling dry and this can start a vicious circle as you then apply more moisturiser. If you're suffering from dry skin anywhere, including your head, this could very well be the reason why. 

The Wash Out Effect could also be responsible for the tight feeling you get after cleaning your face. This is caused by strong emulsifiers knowns as a surfactant that can be found in gel or foaming cleansers.

For those real skincare geeks out there these are the most common emulsifiers:
Butylene Glycol, Polysorbates, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl, Cetyl, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, PEG, Triethanolamine, Palmitates Ceteareth 20, Laureth-4, Lecithin, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Carbomer

As well as being free of emulsifiers and the usual nasties, the Dermaviduals products are formulated to be similar to the skin and this allows them to be quickly absorbed without leaving a greasy residue.
In place of emulsifiers, the products contain Phosphatidylcholine which is a phosopholipid, a major component of all cell membranes. Phosphatidycholine assist in the manufacture and repair of cells and research also shows that it can help other ingredients penetrate. The term Dermaviduals use to describe their emulsifier-free and skin-like formulations is Derma Membrane Structure or DMS.

Another really interesting thing about Dermaviduals is that it's the only range that has been developed to adhere to the principles of Corneotherapy, a proven approach to skincare. I don't want to overwhelm/bore you with too much sciencey stuff so I'll save the longer explanation of Corneotherapy for the end of this post for those, like me, who like to know the how, what, why of skin health. In the meantime, I'll stick to the headlines which are that it's a method for dealing with issues such as acne, rosecea, sensitivity and dry and ageing skin by first and foremost fixing the skin barrier function.

An Image Showing How A Normal Skin Barrier Prevents Harmful Substances From Penetrating Compared To A Disrupted Skin Barrier

The Dermaviduals range is actually made up of a vast array of products that falls into six catorgories: Cleansers and Toners, Face Range, Body Range, Actives, The Bespoke Range and The Professional Range. 

Because it's a very results driven line, it's only available to buy from medi-spas and dermatologists so a routine can be worked out for you based on the current condition of your skin and the issues you want to tackle. Also, some of the products contain a high concentration of actives which aren't suitable to be sold online without a consultation. However, it's not as expensive as most professional lines. For example, the Cleansing Gel (150ml) is £16.95 and the Prescriptive Serum (50ml) is one of the dearest products at £55.

I've been using the Cleansing Milk and DMS High Classic and find them both very pleasant to use. Most importantly they definitely make my skin feel less dry and tight. In fact, I'm so impressed with the Dermaviduals' general approach to skincare I'll be repurchasing them and trying out some of the others. The Aloe Vera and Green Tea Extracts look particularly tempting.

I think it's important to understand that Dermaviduals isn't about hype and marketing and it's not made to appeal to the senses in the way skincare ranges found in department stores are. It's about improving the condition of your skin over the long term which, in my opinion, is a highly commendable aim.

Dermaviduals is available from Face The Future. You can also find a stockist in your area by looking HERE or calling 020 8341 6967.

The Dermviduals Cleansing Milk And DMS High Classic Face Cream

Ok, now back to Corneotherapy. This is a term that was coined in the nineties by Professor Albert Kligman, a dermatologist who co-invented Retin A, as well as coining the terms cosmeceuticals and photo-ageing. The aims of Corneotherapy are to support the maintenance of healthy skin by improving the outer most layer of the epidermis (Stratum Corneum) and the function of the skin barrier. For a long time it was thought that the Stratum Corneum was dead or 'inert' but the more recent view is that it's very complex and the key to healthy skin, not least because it has an important influence on regenerating skin processes of deeper skin layers.

Skin problems occur when the skin's barrier is disrupted ie. becomes leaky and permeable and can no longer protect and defend itself from environmental stressors and pollution. The nasties in skincare products further exacerbate the problem. The initial aim of Corneotherapy is to return the skin barrier to optimal health and condition and this will rid the skin of problems such as redness, acne, sensitivity, etc. Only after that should more active ingredients be used.

For more information and lots of fascinating articles have a look on Corneotherapy.org

*This post contains PR Samples

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