In a world where we are spoilt for choice with beauty products, there can be a tendency to overdo it. Add to that technology that’s racing ahead with in-clinic treatments, and there is the very real issue of pushing our complexion beyond its limits. What does that mean? It means more of us than ever before are ending up with sensitised skin and a compromised barrier.
If you feel like you are hearing about your skin barrier a lot these days, you’re not wrong. Suddenly, doctors, aesthetic nurses and clinicians are seeing patient after patient coming in with inflamed, red and irritated skin (indicating a compromised skin barrier) that can no longer seem to tolerate anything being put on it at all.
Orveda, a new luxury line of biotech skincare by global beauty company Coty, promises to bring back calmer, more resilient skin while helping to slow the signs of ageing. marie claire attended the global launch of the brand in Cannes in the South of France recently, and the range is now available for shipping to Australia.
Starting as an idea 10 years ago, with four years on the drawing board and near-endless research into biotech and what makes our skin tick, this launch is a big moment for Coty. Co-founded by Coty CEO Sue Nabi and Orveda CEO Nicolas Vu, Orveda heralds a new moment in skincare. Why? Because it promises the holy grail: effective and efficient skincare that won’t irritate or inflame skin.
First the crib notes on biotech. “Biotech essentially is a biological process that aims to amplify the natural potency of plant molecules,” explains Dr Shimei Fan, the Chief Scientific Officer for Coty. “We used three methods of biotech to target the three axes of longevity: fermentation, enzymatic catalysis and plant cell culture. We believe biotech is the dawn of a new skincare age, offering unprecedented efficacy.”
The ethos of Orveda is to work with skin – not against it – while addressing past damage (which can translate to inflammation), to create a nourishing environment for healthy, present-day skin that’s then more resilient in the future. The brand says that thanks to new scientific discoveries around the phenomenon of senescent cells (where dead cells linger, becoming toxic “zombie” cells that can contaminate healthy cells and bring on premature ageing), as well as its own research into finding the best possible ingredients (and enhancing them with biotech), Orveda skincare can help slow down the signs of ageing to help keep our skin looking younger.
This sounds like a lot to expect from a skincare line but Nabi and Vu, in association with renowned plastic surgeon Dr Patrick Bui, believe they can achieve it. How exactly? By offering higher-than-required concentrations of actives in formulas that are bioengineered to be compatible with (rather than irritate) the skin.
Promising to simplify your skincare routine and cut out everything you don’t need, Orveda’s product lineup aims to help address the appearance of all the usual skin concerns – redness, pigmentation, fine lines, irritation, laxity and dullness. If you’re wondering where to start, the brand already has a few cult-status products you might want to invest in first.
The award-winning Vital Sap, for example, is an “essence-toner” that works as a precursor to the skincare routine and promises to boost hydration when used twice daily. Or try the game-changing Eye Unveiler, a multi-tasking eye cream that helps improve the look of the eye area, adding hydration to that delicate skin, as well as lashes and brows.
The brand’s newest launch, the Omnipotent Concentrate, helps support healthy cells and reduce the signs of ageing caused by senescence. The result is better hydration and glow, and more resilient, youthful looking skin. Being completely biotech has its advantages. Able to be re-created in the lab under controlled conditions, each ingredient in Orveda’s lineup (such as the skin regenerating saccharomyces cerevisiae or the biofermented adenosine, which were chosen from hundreds of possible ingredients) is able to be made more potent that anything we see in nature. In terms of size, ingredients can also be micronised to be completely compatible with skin, so it easily absorbs them, while also allowing for higher levels of concentration without irritation.
An adjunct to Orveda’s efficacy on skin is its low footprint on the earth. Its human-made element means each ingredient is easily reproduced – and without depleting the planet’s precious reserves. Lab-created ingredients also stamp out inconsistencies that can crop up (pun intended) with natural harvests.
What’s more, the science has beautifully refined the texture of formulations and each product comes with an application tool, which adds to the indulgence when performing your skincare routine morning and night. In a world awash with claims that “natural is best”, biotech might take some getting used to. But it makes a lot of sense, both from a skincare point of view and for the planet. And we can certainly do without the irritation.
Orveda is available at orveda.com
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