There is little doubt that the size and the influence of the beauty industry creates challenges for anyone seeking to get to the truth about the products it makes and promotes. Most recently the sector has seen a surge of viral trends with the rise of skin-fluencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
While some of these DIY hacks and beauty regimes are harmless, there is a growing awareness around the rise in ineffective, counterproductive, and even dangerous information.
However, Dr Judey Pretorius - one of South Africa’s leading skincare scientists and Founder of BioMedical Emporium is deeply concerned that the dubious claims of so many skincare influencers and brands. Most of which go unquestioned and untested,
“For many beauty products, there seem to be either no data or only small studies produced by proponents of the product,” she says.
With a master’s degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology and a Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Dr Judey has dedicated her life to understanding and treating the largest organ in the body – the skin. As such, she believes there is an urgent need to start sharing accurate evidence-based information with consumers.
“The beauty industry is rife with misinformation, and it’s led to mass confusion about what we should, and more importantly shouldn’t, be putting on our skin. I believe consumers have a right the truth, so they can make clear, informed decisions.”
Dr Judey put some of these top beauty trends under the spotlight for a scientific review.
Sculpting roller
A sculpting roller or dermal roller is a device with short and sharp needles of approximately 0.25-0.5mm long which one can manually roll over the skin. For best results, Dr Judey recommends applying with a good quality serum with active ingredients such as Retinol, Vitamin C and Hyaluronic acid. Most importantly, you should only use a dermal roller once every seven days;
“overuse may cause the epithelial layer to thin,” she says.
Caffeine
Caffeine is used in skincare to treat the scalp of individuals suffering from hair loss or thinning to stimulates static follicles to grow hair again. The other common use is to treat stretch marks and cellulite also known as
“striae distentia”.
Dr Judey suggests applying a serum or cream base daily after bathing or showering over the affected areas.
Bakuchiol
This ingredient is known as a more natural version of retinol. It is often used as an alternative to retinol for individuals concerned about the irritation to the skin that pure retinol may cause. Dr Judey informs, this ingredient is commonly used to start clients on before preparing their skin for retinol.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide is also known as Vitamin B3. It’s suitable and gentle to use for all skin types and concerns:
“This ingredient is usually added from two to five percent in products to address concerns of ageing, acne, pigmentation and sensitive skin. This is a phenomenal ingredient in skin care,” she says.
Retinol
Retinol has stood the test of time as an ingredient to fight the seven signs of ageing. It is also commonly known as vitamin A. This ingredient stimulates cell division and increases faster cell turnover rates. It improves the texture of the skin, reduces fine lines, and wrinkles, and dramatically shrinks enlarged pores. Dr Judey advises to only apply retinol at nighttime as it can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun if applied during the day.
“We grow skin cells for research and development purposes, and we culture cells to get a better understanding of how ingredients respond, react and absorb into skin cell before we pursue a new product formulation for a dermatological applications. Ultimately, we only choose ingredients that stimulate a biological and therapeutic response and that adhere to safety, quality and efficacy standards.”
The crux of the matter is question what you are being sold and told.
“Everyone’s skin is different, so the most important thing you can do is consult a certified professional to develop a science-backed treatment plan based on your skin’s particular needs,” she ends.
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