Ourskin is a fascinating, complex organ with a mind of its own.The real secret to a healthy glow is all about understanding itWe’ve been seriously underestimating just how smart
our skin is. By taking a scattergun approach to our beauty
regimes – throwing on every serum, cream and mask at the first
sign of a wrinkle or spot – we’ve neglected its real needs and fallen
short of cultivating the complexion of our dreams. That’s all set to
change. ‘For the first time, we’re seeing skin as a third brain [the
second being your gut] rather than just a protective wrapper
covering the body,’ says Magali Moreau, principal scientist for
Lancômeat L’Oréal’s Advanced Research centre. ‘Your skin has a
nervoussystem within it and nerve endings that are in constant
contactwith the brain. That’s why you feel pain and pick up on
changesin temperature.’ It also has an immune system. When the
skin’s microbiome – a community of bacteria that lives on it – is
balanced and healthy, it uses friendly microbes to stop bad bugs
from triggering inflammation. Your microbiome also prevents
your skin’s immune cells from causing conditions like acne.
Clever, no? The trouble is, ageing and environmental aggressors
sabotage this communication and the overall health of our skin.
Fortuitously, there is a new raft of high-grade products designed
to ramp up skin’s intelligence and make a big difference to its
well-being. Think of it as the beauty equivalent of brain training
to cajole a slothful complexion. These are the questions you
need to answer if you want to improve its performance...
WHAT IS YOURSKIN FEELING?Yourskin is a huge sensor chock-full of nerves that
keep the brain in touch with the outside world.
It detects feelings of heat or cold, for example,
and it can produce neurotransmitters (chemical
messengers) that influence emotions. One of these is
serotonin, or ‘happiness molecule’. Shiseido,
together with the Tokyo Metropolitan University,
discovered that when skin is introduced to a new
cream or serum that it finds sensorially pleasing, the
brain releases serotonin, behaving in the same loved-
up way as during the first stages of a relationship. So
using products that smell and feel satisfyingly good
will pay dividends in the long run if you want truly
happy skin. Elemis Ultra Smart Pro-Collagen Aqua
Infusion Mask, £120 (Fabled.com), has an addictive
cooling sensation. Meanwhile, Shiseido’s Ultimune
Power Infusing Eye Concentrate, £ 58 (Fabled.com),
employs aromachology – where scent influences
human behaviour – its green floral fragrance of rose
and lotus creating both a sense of relaxation and
renewed energy. And six oils, including lavender,
lemon balm and geranium, collude to purge pores
and calm the senses in Caudalie Vinopure Purifying
Gel Cleanser, £16.1.BOOST YOURSKIN IQ