As an editor for over 6 years and doctor by profession, I am always cautious about information being presented, especially pertaining to ingredients. Ingredient research has reached such new levels of technology, that product ingredients are changing daily, sometimes resulting in the clients becoming confused and concerned with each new launch, especially when it involves changing a product they have become comfortable with. The question is why are they concerned and why are they so attached to a product, which logically has been replaced with an improved product.

The main conern: allergic reactions. We cannot ignore the facts about ingredients and the increased number of allergies and increasingly sensitive skin. Allergies are the biggest disease of the 21st millennium and statisticians are predicting that in 2015, 50% of the population of Europe will be allergic.

An even more alarming thought is the concept of “body burden”, which by definition refers to the total amount of toxic chemicals that are present in the human body at a given point in time. Toxic chemicals, both naturally occurring and man-made, often get into the human body, through inhalation, consumption through contaminated food or water, or in some cases, absorbed through the skin.

Concerning statistics:
52% of the consumers see skincare as a potential danger for the skin
52% of the consumers do not repurchase products of the same brand
44% of the consumers believe that skin sensitiveness is increasing
55% of the consumers demand “No chemical ingredients, but natural”

This opens the question up about ingredients. Not only the active ingredients in a product, but also the additional ingredients, such as perfumes, preservatives and mineral oils, even the water. Surely, not all these ingredients are bad. But, how do we distinguish?

As aestheticians, our clients are looking to us for answers to these questions. It is equally frightening to think that only 5% of all cosmetics sold are purchased from salons/ spas / institutes, and perhaps ingredient knowledge, together with information regarding compatibility, allergic hazards and in effect the knowledge to judge the long term health effect, are the aestheticians keys to attracting these clients to your salon, for both treatment and retail purchase, for home use.

Dr Baumann Cosmetics has been one of the companies at the forefront of ingredient analysis, and consequently introducing the Bionome Quality Standard, briefly described as skin friendly, animal friendly and environmentally friendly. Les Nouvelles Esthetiques - Spain, represented by Mirella Pulido and Les Nouvelles Esthetiques - South Africa, represented by myself, Dr Nadine de Freitas, had the opportunity in October to visit the Dr Baumann Cosmetics factory in Siegen, Germany and meet with the founders of this progressive company, Dr Thomas Baumann and Dr Ernst Henrich, escorted by Avi Konigsberg, Export Director of Dr Baumann Cosmetics, to find out more about Bionome and the importance of ingredient knowledge from an aestheticians perspective.

Recognising cosmetic ingredients

In order to protect the consumer, it is a legal requirement in South Africa and throughout the world that the ingredients of cosmetic products be indicated on the packaging. (“INCI declaration”). However, consumers very often know very little about the terms or what they mean, further complicated by the terms often being stated in Latin.

To assist aestheticians in answering these questions posed by the consumer, Dr Thomas Baumann and Dr Ernst Henrich have written an extremely user-friendly book: Identification of Cosmetic Ingredients in accordance with the INCI-designations. This is a manual for the independent identification of cosmetic ingredients regarding compatibility, allergic hazards and effectiveness. (Copies are available from Dr Baumann Cosmetics – South Africa)

Unfortunately with each client’s individual physiology there is no absolute guarantee that allergic reactions will not occur, but by selecting ingredients on the basis of scientific knowledge, can minimise the risk of such reactions and lay the foundations for a range of products that are tolerated by all skin types. Perfumes or fragrances in particular and a number of chemical preservatives are some of the most common causes of allergies to cosmetics. Allergic skin reactions can also appear after months or even years of repeated use. Much has been written to this effect in specialist literature, such as, The “Blue List”, written for cosmetic chemists, and classifies the ingredients of cosmetic products according to their “allergenic risk potential”. The Blue List is published by the following authors: Dr. H.P. Fiedler, Prof. Dr .H. Ippen, Prof. Dr. P .H. Kemper, Prof. Dr. Dr. N.-P. Lüpke, Prof. Dr. K.H. Schulz, Dr. W Umbach.

Here is a selection of the most common chemical preservatives used in skin care preparations. Benzoic Acid, Methyl-Paraben, Ethyl-Paraben, Butyl-Paraben, Propyl-Paraben, 2 –Brom-2-nitroprop-1.3-Diol, Triclosan, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Diazolidinyl Urea, Chlorhexidene, Cetrimonium-Bromide, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.
 

Another example of the importance of ingredient knowledge is the ingredient Octyl Methoxycinnamate. (OMC). This ingredient is a chemical light-protecting filter with cell toxic effects according to the latest scientific findings by the University of Zurich assessed that Octyl Methoxycinnamate and according to the Norwegian radiation protection authority has a potential cell-damaging effect even if applied in low quantities. Unfortunately OMC is used in 90% of sunscreen lotions worldwide and also in many face creams and foundations.

Ingredient Responsibility

The individual assessment always relates to the particular utilisation of the ingredient, with the most important criteria for every raw material being, skin compatibility. Then second important criteria, is the functionality within the cosmetic preparation.

With the above in mind and a commitment to skin health, all Dr Baumann cosmetics are skin compatible, functional and fragrance and preservative free. Careful research and the use of synergist ingredients have ensured a pleasant fragrance and shelf life of all Dr Baumann cosmetics.

Skin compatibility through the Naturalness of Liposomes

Liposomes are small hollow vesicles whose double layer membrane is built of a double layer of phosolipids. These phosolipids consist of a ball shaped water-soluble part and a tail shaped fat-soluble part. In an aqueous solution the phosopholipds form a ball, with the water-soluble part facing outside and the fat-soluble part facing inside. The result being that a liposome can carry both water-soluble ingredients, such as Vitamin C, as well as fat-soluble ingredients, such as Vitamin E.

This transporter function of the liposome is very advantageous with substances that have a positive effect on the skin, as the liposomes have the ability to reach the deep layers of the skin. However liposomes also have the ability to transport preservative (water soluble) and fragrances (fat soluble), to the deeper layers, if included in the skincare preparation, thus increasing the possibility of an allergic reaction and should be avoided. Therefore the application of liposomes requires an increased sense of ingredient responsibility on the part of the aesthetician, along with well-founded knowledge of skin physiology, to prevent the client from being exposed to danger.

Phospholipids of which the liposome is built are identical to the phospholipids present in the cell membrane. Thus allowing liposomes to perfectly substitute missing phospholipids within the cell membrane, in the cases of injury or damage.

According to the most important criteria of ingredient responsibility, phospholipids are exceptional ingredients for skin compatibility, as their structure is identical to that of a cell membrane. Under normal circumstances allergic reactions are far less likely if the skin is treated with natural active substances identical to those of the skin itself.

In the case of Dr Baumann cosmetics, multilamellar liposomes are uses, as are even more effective, thus fulfilling the second criteria of responsible ingredients, being functionality. Multilamellar liposomes consist of a number of unilamellar liposomes of different sizes that are interlocker. In other words, a smaller liposome enclosed in a larger liposome and so continuing. So resulting in anything from 5 – 12 layers and allowing the liposome to penetrate further into the deeper layers of the skin, as there is a direct relationship between the size of the liposome and the penetration level in the skin, so ensuring a supply of active ingredients to all layers of the skin.

Multilamellar liposomes additionally supply the skin with more moisture than any other substance in cosmetics, with research showing an increased skin moisture level of 100% in 7 days of treatment. Research has also shown for the best effect ceramides, evening primrose oil and Vitamin E, should be combined with the multilamellar liposomes.

In conclusion

It is the our responsibility as aestheticians to be well versed in cosmetic ingredients and the effects on the skin, both immediate and long term, as this is one of the key differences in the role of maintaining your clients skin health or selling them a cosmetic product, as would happen in a retail chain.

Be conscious of the basics: compatibility, functionality and skin physiology, while additionally limiting the exposure and risk of harmful ingredients, such as mineral oils, preservatives, harmful UV filters and fragrances.

Lastly advise your client, the importance of a healthy whole food diet, preferably vegetarian, in keeping with the support against animal cruelty, as a healthy body is the best foundation for a healthy skin.iii