INTERVIEW
ELISABETH BOUHADANA BREAKS DOWN THE SCIENCE OF ANTI-AGING
In this interview, L’Oréal Paris International Scientific Director Elisabeth Bouhadana illustrates the science that powers the new Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum. She discusses the three causes of skin-ageing, the impact of Mother Cells on skin renewal and how the new serum can help turn back the clock on mature skin.
INTERVIEW
ELISABETH BOUHADANA BREAKS DOWN THE SCIENCE OF ANTI-AGING
In this interview, L’Oréal Paris International Scientific Director Elisabeth Bouhadana illustrates the science that powers the new Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum. She discusses the three causes of skin-ageing, the impact of Mother Cells on skin renewal and how the new serum can help turn back the clock on mature skin.
The Moodie Davitt Report: Tell us more about L’Oréal Paris’ latest innovation – the Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum
Elisabeth Bouhadana: L’Oréal Paris has a huge Advanced Research Group, with 4,000 scientists dedicated to the study of skin and hair. This innovation relies on the latest findings from our Advanced Research Labs where we studied the effects of oxidative stress on the skin and the ways to fight them. Oxidants can come from external and internal sources. External sources include UV exposure and pollution, while internal stressors include stress, anxiety and lack of sleep and unbalanced metabolism. Our research found that if you don’t sleep well or live a deregulated life, then you have less antioxidant defences in your skin. We compared the cells of women who don’t get enough sleep, like nurses and flight attendants, to women who had regular sleep cycles and discovered that the first group’s cells had less defences. We saw that their mother cells, which are responsible for renewing skin cells, reproduced less intensely and this was a major scientific discovery for L’Oréal Paris. This was where the idea for the Midnight Serum was born. We wanted to develop a product that would not only protect the skin from pollution but also help recover the skin’s inner defences, so that it can continue to renew itself on a new path.
Women today live stressful lives. For them, L’Oréal Paris skincare laboratories have formulated the next generation of night serum, to protect and reveal their inner strength and radiance.
“The Midnight Serum is proof that you can deliver plenty of nutrition and moisture without a greasy texture, and this is a big breakthrough in this category.”
L’Oréal Paris International Scientific Director Elisabeth Bouhadana
What are Mother Cells and how do they influence skin’s recovery?
Mother Cells are located at the deepest part of the epidermis. They are pro-regenerative cells which are responsible for giving birth to all the cells that will migrate to the top layer of the skin. If the mother cells can’t divide properly, then the skin can’t renew as fast and will look and feel older. After fifty years of age, mother cell division rate decreases significantly. So, it is fundamental to protect their activity. Our goal at L’Oréal Paris is not to accelerate or stimulate the activity of the mother cells, but simply favour their natural functions so they can perform in an optimal way. We don’t want to push them or overstimulate them because this will eventually lead to problems with skin quality and homogeneity and even abnormal cells.
What are the three main causes of decreased skin vitality?
The first cause – whatever your age – is oxidative stress which can happen whenever and wherever. While the Midnight Serum is part of the Age Perfect range, I believe that even a 20 year-old woman would benefit from this product. The second cause is age, because cell renewal rates decrease by 50% between the ages of 30 and 70 with a real drop in cell energy after 50.
The third cause is the deregulation of circadian rhythms which can disturb our internal clock and impact skin regeneration. With the Midnight Serum, we want to provide women with the tools they need to protect their cell energy and vitality. It has also been infused with the Antioxidant Recovery Complex and a host of other nutrients that help boost skin vitality.
Tell us more about the science behind the formula’s performance. What are the key ingredients and how do they impact skin vitality?
The selected Antioxidant Recovery Complex of Age Perfect Midnight Serum has been proven to act like a shield to preserve the precious regenerative role of mother cells while they divide at night. You may think that any antioxidant could do the job, but we saw that there were differences in the capacity of the cells to regenerate when you protect them with a certain combination of antioxidants. We used NeoHesperidine & Vitamin E, a combination that boosts the skin’s natural defence system and ensures optimal cell renewal. NeoHesperidine is proven to be an efficient mother cell protector, while Vitamin E protects the skin against free radicals. In addition to the Complex, the formula has also been infused with six Skin Vitality Boosters. These are Adenosine, Micro Hyaluronic Acid, L.HA, Black & White Truffle Extract and Fermented Black Tea. All these ingredients were added for their biological activity and ability to stimulate skin function and combat the signs of premature ageing.
With the Midnight Serum, millions of new cells arise faster. Week after week, skin quality improves significantly and radiance is revealed. The very sensorial serum formula wraps the skin in a relaxing recovery for the night, leaving it radiant and better equipped to face the next day.
What are the sustainability credentials of the new serum – and how do they fall in line with company’s ‘Beauty for Tomorrow’ ethos?
Our goal at L’Oréal Paris is to source ingredients which are obtained in a sustainable way. We don’t take ingredients directly from nature and we always make sure that we don’t take too much. For example, the Hyaluronic Acid in the formula is obtained through a bio-fermentation process which is great from an eco-friendly standpoint. The glass of the jar is recyclable too. Our aim is to increase the sustainable credentials of our products. Particularly in sourcing, we plan to source 95% of our ingredients through sustainable methods by 2030 and today we are already 60-62% towards reaching that goal.
The Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum is the latest addition to L’Oréal Paris’ Age Perfect collection. Could you tell us more about the other products in the range?
The Age Perfect range tries to answer more mature women’s skin needs. Hormonal changes after 50 can really influence the skin and a lot of cosmetic products that cater to this market are very rich and have an overly greasy texture. The Midnight Serum is proof that you can deliver plenty of nutrition and moisture without a greasy texture, and this is a big breakthrough in this category. We worked a lot on the sensoriality of the product for six to seven years and tried to adapt our formulas to deliver a non-greasy yet effective product. We conducted a study and learned that one of the core problems of mature skin is not only age-related wrinkles or loss of firmness, but also a lack of colour and radiance which really impacts how the skin looks. To address this, we developed a rosy cream for the Age Perfect range which brings instant radiance and brightness to the skin whatever the skin tone.
How is the science of beauty communicated to consumers today and how can the industry do better?
I think we need to communicate more scientifically what specific products can do for the skin. We need to properly communicate how various products can help women address their specific skin needs. The Midnight Serum, for example, was inspired by regenerative medicine studies and technologies and women want to know about that. Women today are very discerning. They are interested in medicine and biotechnologies. Older women in particular are very interested in the science of the skin and how to keep their skin looking youthful. I think the beauty industry needs more transparency to shed light on the science that powers the products.
“Women today live stressfull lives. For them, L’Oréal Paris skincare laboratories have formulated the next generation of night serum, to protect and reveal their inner strength and radiance.”
Elisabeth Bouhadana
