Consumers want Results – immediately!

COSSMA: In your opinion, what have been the greatest advances in facial care in recent years and decades?

Hagen Döring: Let me start with a little provocation by asking: have there really been any advances? I mean, are today’s face care products really better than the ones developed 50 years ago? I guess it depends on your definition of “advances”, but I would like to give you an example. I personally used a cream for my face that contains paraffinum liquidum, an ingredient that most of our customers have banned over the past years. My feeling was that it took very good care of my skin which had been over exposed skin to the sun and needed hydration and a bit of soothing. In fact, many companies speak about discoveries made in the 1930s or 1950s that are still successfully promoted today. My mother keeps complaining that a product that has helped her years ago with a specific skin problem does not exist anymore. I guess my point is that, when it comes to efficacy not all formulations from the past are bad and not all formulations available today are good. But, for sure, they are different.

In what regards are formulations different today?

Today’s formulations have more possibilities for being efficient and to having a good sensoriality. While it is true that some ingredients have been lost along the way, we have also gained many new ones that are easier to use and more user friendly. Today, we can formulate nice and stable texturisers with just a few ingredients. This improvement is more evident with natural ingredients where we can find many nice texturizers, emulsifiers and other functional ingredients. Speaking of natural cosmetics, formulations have also become a lot greener. Botanical ingredients are replacing ingredients from other sources wherever possible. At Provital, we have been offering botanical extracts1 and botanical actives² for more than 40 years now and the demand keeps growing. However, we also see that adding a plant extract just for marketing purposes is no longer good enough. People ask for efficacy and want to understand better why they should use one cream instead of another.

You mention the consumer. In what way has the consumer changed his demands?

Oh – in many ways. Consumers are more sophisticated than ever due to social media. Because of that, there is a growing mistrust in claims that are not supported by science. If we look at formulations again, the modern consumer is asking for more “entertainment” when using a skincare product. They don’t just want to apply a product. From opening the packaging to the moment of application, they want a unique experience. Consequently, formulations have become more creative. Lately, we have developed some surprising formulations to inspire our customers – from bubbling masks to creams whose texture changes upon application³. Modern consumers also want a “wow!” effect on the skin – and they want it now! Instragram cannot wait, however, biological processes need time to adjust before you see an effect on the skin. Another  important challenge for the industry is the personalisation of products. And we perceive cosmetics as part of our daily routines. Yes, the shower gel must clean our skin, but we also want a nice fragrance and respect for our skin barrier while reducing water consumption as well. The formulations are now more sophisticated, in terms of properties, focused on our specific needs. It means we need to personalize the formulations, something special for every customer and special for everybody’s skin concern.

Where do you get the ideas for new active ingredients?

There are different sources – one is our client base. Our clients are experts in their markets and know what consumers are demanding. We also look at recent scientific findings and translate them into cosmetic ingredients. And sometimes it is coincidence. A colleague was reading an article about the restoration of the Great Wall of China. Modern analysis has shown that the addition of amylopectin in mortar results in a special organic-inorganic compound where the inorganic component is calcium carbonate. Interestingly, this compound is stronger and more flexible, and has greater water retention and less shrinkage when curing. Inspired by this organic-mineral combination, we developed an active ingredient⁴ for the skin’s protective “wall.”

Why are so many different active ingredients and care products necessary “only” for the face?

From a dermatological point of view the face, even though a relatively small area compared to the rest of our body, has many different zones, for example, the famous T-zone. It makes sense to apply products with different actions in these zones: where the skin is oily, it should get a sebum regulator, where the skin is dry it should get a moisturizer. There are also areas in our face that are much more fragile – the eye area for example. In this area the problems can be multiple – droopy eyelids, crowfeet and dark shadows. We have developed an active ingredient⁵ to treat all these problems even though the causes are totally different. When someone asks for an anti-aging ingredient the symptoms and the causes vary. If a consumer doesn’t like age-spots, he needs an ingredient for depigmentation. Wrinkles? Try an anti-wrinkle ingredient but be careful how to choose because there are different types of wrinkles which require different types of treatment. Wrinkles may appear because of your epigenetics or because cells go into senescence early. To make a long story short, the skin is a very complex organ, humans have different skin types and consumers living in different parts of the world may have different challenges (climate, pollution, ...).

What is the biggest breakthrough for you right now?

Our active ingredient inspired by the Great Wall of China, which I mentioned earlier. It uses upcycled material and is a multifunctional active that brings 120 hours of hydration. This is what I call a breakthrough!

What is the challenge in developing face care ingredients?

You know, when I speak with some friends they would say “Come on Hagen, cosmetics is just marketing, just hot air with no science behind it”. This is telling me that proving the efficacy is clearly an important challenge. Scientifically

proving that efficacy of the product and communicating the science behind the claims. A good example is a new active⁶ which we recently developed. We wanted to study the impact the active’s use would have on people’s emotions. Since emotions are directly linked to the subconscious, the goal was to measure objectively what people felt about the treatment subconsciously.

The evaluation consisted in a neurostudy based on the biometric analysis of the facial expressions through a Facet based artificial intelligence algorithm with the Mindlogics technology using applied neuroscience and other cognitive sciences. This technology is to understand the decicion-making process, the whys behind people’s decisions. It is based on five mind dimensions, three subconscious (referent, enablers and experience) and two conscious (inhibitors and disinhibitors). Cutting-edge science with very surprising results!

Looking ahead: Where do you see active ingredients and the market in a few years?

Multifunctional ingredients with more than just one benefit will continue to be important. Also, we will see a stronger integration of beauty routines with IOT devices. I am referring to technologies that allow end users to track their progress (home diagnostics). I already mention the personalization of products and this will gain even more speed. Science is also advancing. Today, we have a much better understanding of the skin (and the hair) compared to 20 years ago. More metabolism pathways are discovered which means we can develop more focused active ingredients. We will also advance in our understanding of the microbiome. Biotechnology is also a big trend. Consumers’ comfort level with biotechnology is on the rise. Biotechnology will become the “new organic”. It offers even more sustainable alternatives to today’s offerings. 

References:

^1. CareMotives

^2. CareActives

^3. More information: www.wearprovital.com

^4. Hydrafence

^5. Eye’fective

^6. Wonderage