Save or Spend? YSL Forever Youth Liberator vs. Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10

Vichy Lift Activ Serum 10 (30 ml), £29.50 vs. YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum (30 ml), £60

L’Oreal is the parent company of both YSL and Vichy and has launched the new YSL skincare line to repeat the commercial success of  their make-up and fragrance products, eg. Touche Eclat.

Claims Comparison:

YSL – anti-wrinkle lift/plump/radiance vs.

Vichy – velvety texture/advance anti-wrinkle efficacy/long-lasting lifting effect.

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• Similar products in terms of the main ingredients, rhamnose and glycerol that benefit the skin by increased hydration.  Both products contain a small amount of hyaluronic acid (long-term hydration).
• The Vichy serum contains a ceramide derivative, salicyloyl phytosphingosine, with a potential anti-wrinkle benefit.
• The Vichy serum also contains less alcohol that can be detrimental to the healthy barrier function of facial skin.

I would expect the efficacy of the Vichy serum to be slightly superior – given the higher content of rhamnose, the additional ceramide derivative and less alcohol in the formulation. We are awaiting the clinical studies.

Sun Protection: Applying Enough?

Government recommendation that sunscreens with an SPF of 15 are sufficient to prevent sunburn – and the subsequent potential cancer risk -  is based on standard test conditions, not on how much the public use on their skin in reality!

During the testing, manufacturers apply 2 mg/cm² of the sunscreen to the skin but in real life people usually apply much less, only around a quarter to half of this amount (0.5 – 1 mg/cm²) and reduce the protection indicated by the labelled SPF. Therefore, a sunscreen with a high SPF such as 50 will only give an SPF of between 3 and 19.

To meet the government recommendation, an adult would need to use 35ml of sunscreen (SPF15) per application. If reapplied every two hours, as is also recommended, a standard 200ml bottle would be used up in two to three days. This is impractical and expensive.

Sunscreens carry the ‘Boots star rating system’, which indicates the ratio of UVA and UVB protection. As discussed in a previous blog, the SPF refers to the amount of UVB protection offered and the stars indicate UVA protection; more stars, more UVA protection. UVA makes up more than 95 per cent of UV radiation and contributes to ageing, UVB is the main cause of sunburn. A 5-star product at a lower SPF (SPF 15) could provide less protection than a 3-star product at a higher SPF (SPF 30), so apply higher factors to all unprotected areas. Spread sunscreen evenly rather than rub it in and re-apply regularly.

http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Market-Trends/Advice-on-sunscreen-not-so-NICE-for-UK-public-claims-DTB

Inadequate UVA Protection in Day Moisturisers

Research shows that not all daily moisturising creams that contain UV filters and claim to provide broad spectrum UV protection provide UVA  protection. Day moisturisers are an established part of our skincare routine and skincare manufacturers are increasingly adding UV filters to skin care products as the link between UV radiation and photo-ageing progresses has been proven.

A review of the ingredients of the 29 top selling day creams with claims of broad spectrum UV (using sales volumes from the US website Amazon) assessed the level of UVA protection that could be expected from the product,  looking for the presence of the UVA filters – avobenzone, octocrylene, ecamsule (L’Oreal patented Mexoryl SX) and zinc oxide.

• 6 of these 29 products contained no active ingredients that provide UVA protection.
• 7 of the remaining 23 contained zinc oxide but only 3 contained levels greater than 5 % required to provide ‘adequate’ UVA protection.
• 16 products contained avobenzone but only 3 had adequate concentrations of octocrylene necessary to stabilise the avobenzone, notoriously unstable on contact with UV rays.

Although the study notes that further research is needed to investigate the actual UVA protection provided by the products, the researchers conclude that many day creams do not offer long wave UVA protection.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21242349

Skincare Solutions for Hot Holiday Abroad

My clients frequently ask what to do if concerns occur when travelling abroad. Most often – apart from sunburn – they struggle with concerns related to a change in temperature, humidity and oiliness that result in weakened skin barrier and either breakouts or dry patches.  

Sunscreen Breakouts

Our facial skin can find hot and humid summer conditions a challenge,  due to a combination of factors: dirt and dust particles i.e. pollution increases due to travelling, sweating and higher sebum production (skin oiliness) and a protective layer of suncream – can result in summer breakouts. 

How to prevent the onset of spots on holiday:

• Use facial wipes frequently when travelling.
• If your skin is prone to comedone formation (blackheads), make an appointment for Deep Cleansing treatment a week before your travel.
• Apply a spot treatment with bacteria-eliminating actives at the first signs of inflammation (e.g. Dermalogica Special Clearing Booster (benzoyl peroxide), Aveda Outer Peace Blemish Relief (salicylic acid)) to reduce the spot size within hours.
• Use oil-free and non-comedogenic moisturiser that regulates oiliness in your facial T-zone.
• If your usual cleansing and moisturising products irritate you in summer, switch to products formulated for sensitive skin type (with a different emulsifying and preservative system) to soothe irritation and re-hydrate your facial skin. 
• Use mineral water or grape extract in a spray (e.g. Evian, Avene, Caudalie) to calm and cool your facial skin. 
• Keep your hair away from your face and rinse your sunglasses with soap frequently.

If prone to eczema-like dry patches due to the heat, try changing preservative system of your skincare (e.g. Ren, Caudalie) or apply light products capable to protect your skin barrier (e.g. http://www.it-evolve.com/whatisevolve.html) to ease itchiness and clear up dry patches.