Science-forward skincare brands to know about

Skincare is serious business. Along with increasingly savvy consumers and the rise of scientific beauty vloggers (such as cosmetic formulator Stephen Alain Ko aka @kindofstephen, chemistry PhD graduate Michelle Wong aka @labmuffinbeautyscience, and Singapore makeup artist and cosmetic science graduate Larry Yeo aka @larryyeo), we just want to be thoroughly informed about what goes into our skincare products.

Kimberley Ho, founder of mum and baby skincare brand Evereden, agrees: “Consumers are much more sceptical these days. They are looking into the credentials of a brand that actually walks the talk and delivers the benefits it claims to offer – none of which can be achieved without science and true innovation in skincare.”

Science has never gone out of fashion

Prof Augustinus Bader, one of the world’s leading stem cell and biomedical scientists, and founder of Augustinus Bader skincare, says scientific knowledge allows brands create better and safer products. “It’s not about how the skin looks; it’s about how the skin works – beautiful skin is a reflection of health.”

For instance, Prof Bader’s expertise led to the creation of the brand’s proprietary Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8), which works with the skin’s own intrinsic repair needs. It contains the building blocks of amino acids, vitamins and synthesised molecules in an exact concentration and combination found in healthy young skin. ”

It functions like a GPS by utilising a novel transporting mechanism to navigate and deliver a complex of nutrient compounds to a specific location in the cellular micro-environment,” he explains. And when this happens, he says that you can “enable the body to fix your skin according to your own needs”.

It’s one of the reasons why Augustinus Bader products are so effective and count celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Naomi Campbell and Margot Robbie as loyal fans.

Similarly, new Singapore skincare brand Heure is an amalgamation of science and technology. Using the analogy of dripping coffee onto a table and expecting the liquid to pass through the table and collect in a cup below, Heure director Lim Ker Han says science and tech are what helped create the brand’s unique transdermal delivery system SPHR. The system helps the active ingredients in a formula permeate the skin.

“Our skin’s primary function is to act as a defence barrier against environmental toxins. However, that barrier also prevents much of your skincare from penetrating past the surface layer and into the cellular levels, which control the skin’s structure, tone and elasticity,” Lim explains.

At the same time, Lim says ingredients that are able to penetrate past the epidermis often have little or no depth-control, so they move through the skin’s deeper layers without making much of an impact.

In this instance, Heure’s SPHR works like “dermal drones”, seeking out areas in the skin where collagen and elastin reside, then releasing the actives homogeneously across the targeted region over 24 hours. The result, Lim says, is up to a 320 per cent reduction in surface wrinkles in one month.

This is why science is leading the way

So science is knowledge – and knowledge makes for more effective products. “Science is the only thing that heals and promotes your skin,” says Dr Barbara Sturm, aesthetics doctor, founder of Dr Barbara Sturm skincare, and the creator of the celeb-fave Vampire Facial.

For Dr Sturm, the focus on advanced ingredient science ensures that her skincare products are formulated with potent key ingredients that have been clinically studied widely for their properties and skin efficacy. “Skin has both overlapping and unique needs, and requires science and results-driven skincare to be healthy and functioning, while also looking good.”

According to Dr Grace Cho, dermatologist and founder of K-beauty brand Celloom, “Science-led skincare can promise the most benefits one can get from each product and its ingredients… skincare products have to purposefully deliver the effect that it strives to offer.

And the only way we can achieve that is by persistently pursuing scientific research and testing formulations with newly developed and established ingredients, based on profound knowledge of the skin and ingredient science.”

But that’s not to say that only science-derived active ingredients are best. “We loosely talk about science versus more traditional forms of beauty as if they were in competition with one another, but that’s not correct,” says Lim.

“Science is basically the measure by which we observe consistent and quantifiable effects, and apply that knowledge effectively.”

In fact, Evereden, with the help of its scientific advisory panel, has managed to combine two of the beauty industry’s biggest trends to date in its products – nature-derived ingredients with science-based results.

“Our doctors are able to step in and provide these insights from a science-based perspective, to help us truly determine what is safe, clean and effective to use.

We combine this with pure, plant-based ingredients – like sunflower seed oil, one of the most research-backed ingredients in skincare – that are at the heart of all our formulas. Combining science-backed research with the best of nature – that is when you get outsized results in your skincare,” says Ho.

5 science-forward skincare brands to know

What it is:

A South Korean vegan brand that combines the best of nature and science, using innovative plant-power actives and updated formulas. The brand ensures the products deliver optimum results, while allowing you to create a bespoke skincare routine that fits your ever-evolving skin needs.

At Society A; www.society-a.com

Try:

1. Celloom Rise and Shine Ampoule, $75

Vitamins B, C and E, and sea buckthorn extract even out skin tone and address pigmentation for an inner glow, just like your favourite K-drama actress.

2. Celloom Focus on The Essence Serum, $59

Strengthen skin against environmental aggressors with this barrier-restoring serum packed with centella asiatica, betaine, vitamin B5 and allantoin.

3. Easy Breezy Sun Serum SPF50/PA++++, $45

A lightweight sunscreen with antioxidant-rich idebenone and resveratrol to protect against free radical damage. Also doubles as a makeup primer.

Evereden

What it is:

The skincare brand tackles skin health from the perspectives of a mother and doctor. Its scientific advisory board consists of three female dermatologists: its chief scientific officer is a paediatric dermatologist and head of Stanford’s Pediatric Dermatology Department, and its two other general dermatologists are from Harvard Medical School.

“[Being mums] gives our doctors an edge to think through our formulas in a way that they couldn’t have if they were solely approaching it from just a hard, cold professional point of view,” says Evereden founder, Kimberley Ho. It’s also the only brand in the industry to be certified by five internationally renowned safety organisations and groups – National Eczema Association (NEA), EWG, USDA Bio Based, NSF Organic and Made Safe.

At www.ever-eden.com

Try:

1. Golden Belly Serum, $32

The newest launch, this multi-reparative oil contains a blend of 13 botanical oils, including centella asiatica, passionfruit seed, rosehip and marula oils, to nourish skin, increase its elasticity, and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. Also suitable for the hips and bosom area.

2. Nourishing Baby Face Cream, $24

A favourite of Ho’s for its gentle yet ultra-hydrating formula, the moisturiser is powered by nourishing jojoba, grapeseed and sunflower seed oils, to provide up to 72 hours of hydration as well as moisture-barrier strengthening.

3. Multi-Purpose Healing Balm, $22

With its nourishing organic oils – grapeseed, rosehip seed, sunflower seed and caster – the protective balm provides gentle healing, addressing dryness and irritation from top to toe, and is especially ideal for eczema-prone skin. You can even use it on the under-eye area to reduce the look of wrinkles.

Augustinus Bader

What it is:

Dubbed “smarter skincare”, the range, which started with the cult fave The Cream, is about skincare intelligence custom-built to fit every user. It uses the skin as a “natural bioreactor… [so that] formulas are naturally personalised, allowing for the flexibility to address everything from the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to redness and elasticity,” says Prof Augustinus Bader. This approach, he says, is able to achieve the best possible result for each person.

At Tangs at Tang Plaza and www.augustinusbader.com.sg

Try:

1. The Cream, from $130

The ultra-lightweight cream stimulates the skin’s natural rejuvenation process to manage the signs of ageing. It contains the brand’s proprietary TFC8 (a blend of amino acids, vitamins and synthesised molecules), vitamins A, C and B5, and hydrolysed rice protein.

2. The Rich Cream, from $130

The same powerful anti-ageing cream but with nourishing actives – evening primrose oil, squalene and vitamin E – to retain moisture and optimise hydration, and strengthen the skin barrier. For drier skin types.

3. The Essence Exfoliating Toner, $135

A post-cleanse essence that gently dissolves impurities, decongests pores and regulates sebum, plus attracts and retains moisture to keep the skin glowing. Over time, skin tone is more even and feels smoother and softer.

Dr Barbara Sturm

What it is:

High performance skincare built around anti-inflammatory ingredient science. “Everything we ingest or touch, including the air and water, contains inflammatory triggers. Combating inflammation has been a central target of my entire medical career,” says founder Dr Barbara Sturm. “It is the root cause of much of the body’s and skin’s dysfunction and disease, from acne to rosacea.”

At sg.drsturm.com and at #02-12E Ngee Ann City until June 30, 2021.

Try:

1. Dr Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum, $410

2. Dr Barbara Sturm Face Mask, $180

Calms and reduces irritation while giving skin intense hydration. Aloe vera, purslane, camomile and kaolin leave skin soft, supple and soothed.

3. Dr Barbara Sturm Face Cream, $285

An ingredient-packed moisturiser containing anti-ageing powerhouses skullcap and purslane to keep skin hydrated and firm, day and night. It also calms skin and reduces the signs of irritation.

HEURE

What it is:

An SG skincare brand built on science and innovation, and ground-breaking tech. Its proprietary encapsulation and transdermal delivery system is called SPHR.

Like drones seeking out targets, SPHR capsules containing the active ingredients are able to pinpoint problem areas within the skin, delivering the actives to where they’re needed, using a smart time-release formula for optimum results over 24 hours.

At www.heurebeauty.com

Try:

1. Heure Ageless Serum, $190

A supercharged serum that minimises the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while improving skin’s ability to retain moisture within seven days, thanks to a blend of three SPHR-enhanced peptides, hyaluronic acid and a vitamin C and E complex.

2. Heure Ageless Skin Booster, $130

A hydrating and soothing essence enriched with SPHR-enhanced peptides, camellia japonica flower extract and a blend of seven plant extracts, that help restore skin’s pH level and defend against environmental pollutants. Skin is stronger, healthier and more youthful looking.

3. Heure Ageless Night Treatment, $190

The night moisturiser restores skin’s radiance and vitality so you wake up looking fresh and youthful. Also contains vitamins C and E, retinol and sodium hyaluronate for a smooth and supple complexion.