Latest skincare trends

Vitamin C to prevent wrinkles

Patients at dermatology clinics around the world can now buy skincare products developed by the experts on skin conditions themselves, giving the product ranges more credibility.

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is one of the few topical agents whose effectiveness against wrinkles and fine lines is backed by scientific evidence.

Potentially, vitamin C can benefit skin in two ways. Firstly, vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen, a key structural protein of the skin. Adding vitamin C to a culture of skin cells dramatically increases collagen production.

Secondly, vitamin C is an antioxidant and can help reduce skin damage caused by free radicals. So, when properly delivered into skin cells, there is a good chance it can reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture.

However the practical use of vitamin C in skin care presents some difficulties due to its lack of stability (unless it is in a dry form). When exposed to air, vitamin C solution undergoes oxidation and becomes not only ineffective but also potentially harmful as oxidized vitamin C may increase the formation of free radicals. Only highly concentrated preparations (10% or more) deliver enough vitamin C to the cells to be topically effective.

Some skin care companies offer stabilized vitamin C products, which oxidize less rapidly. However, these products are usually very expensive (especially the ones concentrated enough to be effective) and may still be excessively oxidized by the time you use them.

Apparently you can easily spot the oxidation of the active ingredient (when exposed to light and air) by its yellowish-brown tint.

Advanced anti-ageing skincare

The Dr Sebagh range, named after Dr Jean Louis Sebagh, plastic surgeon to the stars, includes an innovative Pure Vitamin C powder cream which is indicated for the prevention and treatment of skin aging.

The product comes in five test tubes each containing 1.95grammes of white powder. When you puff the powder onto the face it turns into a cream. Dr Sebagh claims that this formulation is the best way to overcome the stability problem of the absorbic acid molecule.

Celebs travel miles for Dr Sebagh’s anti-wrinkle injections and anti-ageing creams, so now that his range has been launched in the UK I decided to try two of the products for myself.

To start with, the understated packaging is like nothing I’ve ever seen before in the beauty cabinet. The tubes look like something out of the science lab!

You can apply the powder directly onto the face with a puff or fingertips, or alternatively mix in into your moisturiser. I applied it directly the first time to see the effect. It’s amazing how the powder turns into the softest of creams. It felt like velvet on the skin and penetrated immediately. The aim is to apply it to moist freshly cleansed skin to protect it from free radicals in the environment – pollution and the sun, for example.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant in the fight against free radicals, but loses 85% of its potency once you’ve opened the jar. That’s why Dr Sebagh patented this new innovation. The product is said to reactivate collagen and revitalise the skin. My complexion was luminous and translucent after a few applications. And the test tube packaging makes the product a handy size for travelling as they easily fit into the cosmetics bag.

Less is more!

The second Dr Sebagh product I tested was Crème Natural Hormone-Like Effect, which is said to bring immediate improvement to prematurely aged skin damaged by environmental factors, such as smoke, sun and pollution.

The fact that these treatments have been tried and tested by an expert over many years is reassuring as is the fact that the product does not contain hormones, but plant substitutes. The aim is to replenish the skin, so it acts as skin food.

I was pleased with the results as, despite looking so creamy and rich, it did not feel greasy at all when applied and absorbed really well.

I had a mild skin rash on one cheek from over-zealous use of L’Oréal’s derma expertise wrinkle decrease night cream the previous week, so this time I applied with caution.

I have to agree with the old adage ‘less is more’! The skin irritation disappeared after a few days and the products left my skin clear, smooth and glowing – and that’s even before applying foundation and make-up!