In August I will start working for Allergan Ltd. and thereby go from skincare to medical esthetics. Thus, I have decided to discontinue my skincare blogging. If you would like to contact me please do so via my Linkedin account.

/Malena Lagerhorn

Dr. Fallick has founded a company called Fallene that develops sun protection formulas, focusing primarily on physical sun filters (my favourite). Now, sun protection is something completely different from conventional skincare. Whereas skincare products and their actives are supposed to be absorbed into the skin, sun protection products should and must stay on the skin surface. Firstly, there wouldn’t be any sun protection if they disappeared into your skin, and secondly, I promise you, you don’t want that stuff into your skin. In fact, sun protection is so different that a company specialising and excelling in skincare formulas does not necessarily excel in sun protection formulas. Instead of trying to do everything in-house, and perhaps come up with a second best solution, I think it is better to cooperate with external companies when you have to go outside of your area of expertise.

As I’m always on the look for new interesting technologies, and Fallene has some patented things, back in Sweden I contacted Dr. Fallick for some testers. As Q-Med recently has been bought by Galderma, and I’m not staying with either company much longer, I will not take any future sun protection formulation, or any skincare formulation, further. But anyhow, here in Sweden, with summer (at last), I had the chance to try the Fallene Solar Protection Formulas myself.

So today I tried TiZo3 Facial Mineral Fusion. As you can se on the picture it is tinted. The sun protection comes from micronized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. As it is tinted it’s like a foundation. I have to be honest; I really hate foundations, I think they make your skin look really fake and tend to make your pores, even if you don’t have any problems with enlarged pores, look enlarged and horrible. Thus, I prefer mineral powders. But this product is so good. Perhaps because of the consistency, it is not oily, quite dry actually, and is really easy to spread evenly on your skin. I have been swimming a lot today and still see that I have some cream left on my face. That is the good thing with physical filters. You can see and feel them and as long as they are still on your skin, they will protect you. That’s the problem with chemical/organic sun protection filters; they gradually degrade by sunlight. You should still reapply the sun cream even if it contains physical filters as they will wear off your skin, but still, the protection is stable and that’s what you want.

It’s a pity I will not be involved in any future sun protection products with this technology, I’m off to other exciting beauty business. I guess I have to order it from the US from now on, sigh. Fortunately I have lots of cream left in the tube.

/Malena Lagerhorn

Why not tell us about the materials, the textile weaving technologies, the colouring, the cut and the inventive suppliers behind all those innovations? It is much more relevant to talk about your own art than about somebody else’s  (to the consumers unknown) art.

Another used trick of the low-self-esteem-fashion-industry is being “edgy”, “controversial” and “scandalous”.  Therefore, we consumers are also bombarded with pornography-fashion and s&m-fashion. Yawn.

The latest strategy is obviously to picture smoking models, now that smoking has become more restricted in many countries. And, not to forget, we have the new YSL cigarettes. Yawn, yawn, yawn.

/Malena Lagerhorn

Mineral oil (petrolatum) in cosmetics is often seen as something unnatural and bad. It is not viewed as a natural oil, such as canola oil or olive oil, and should therefore be avoided. However, you could argue that petroleum is just as natural as all other oils and mainly from plant origin and therefore good. In my opinion there are other reasons for not applying mineral oils on your skin than their supposedly unnatural origin. Firstly, you might not want to support the petroleum industry by putting their residues on your skin. Secondly, the purified mineral oil used in skincare can be valuable as a temporary layer on injured skin as it is anti-allergenic, however, in the long term it can mess up the lipids in the skin as there is a certain dissimilarity between these lipids. I have to add that it is a myth that mineral oil is comedogenic and not pure; those were problems with old-time mineral oils, which do not exist in the cosmetic grade mineral oils of today.

As mineral oils in skincare is seen as bad, maybe we can conclude that natural refers to something that is natural to the skin, that has a certain likeness to the skin and body? But sometimes materials that are viewed as highly synthetic are seen as good. One example is silicone implants. As they are synthetic they are also clean, without traces of animal or plant protein, or other foreign substances that could be allergenic or toxic to the body.

The most common use of the word natural is probably to denote something that is quite similar to what it looks like in nature, something that has not been manipulated, or changed, or if so to a very low degree. But the definition is vague. Where exactly in the refinement process of a raw material does it change from being natural to unnatural? For example, in an organic moisturizer I looked at, one ingredient is cetearyl alcohol. It is made by mixing palmitic and stearic acids and using high pressure, high temperature and catalysts. Is this natural?

Instead of being attracted to the term natural, as it is so illusive, it is perhaps better for the consumer to look at other aspects of a product. That the origin of the raw materials is organic is a good thing, even if they have been manipulated. That the product does not add to unnecessary consumerism is another (this is why I love minimalism and minimalistic skincare). That the packaging and production process use minimal amounts of energy and water are also beneficial aspects of a product. In the most conservative use of the word, natural would imply to use for example some drops of olive oil on your skin instead of a moisturizer. And why not, people have done that for millennia. To me, this is one of the few instances when natural is used in the true sense. Otherwise the word can be used for almost anything.

/Malena Lagerhorn

Swedish Skincare System is a minimalistic brand, representing our belief in uncomplicated beauty. Modern life exposes our bodies to an unprecedented number of products and ingredients, which can be detrimental for both our health and our skin. Swedish Skincare System therefore comprises only a few high quality and effective products which give your skin what it needs to stay young and beautiful without burdening it with unnecessary excess.

For more information, please post a comment or contact me. You can also learn more from the Skincare School posts which you will find under Categories to the right.

/Malena

At the beauty clinic she got a VISIA face analysis. As you might remember from my last post, Skincare and the death strategy, this device produces high-resolution images of the skin so that you can see pigment spots, wrinkles and impurities lit up on a screen. This is often a horrifying experience for many consumers, making them more prone to buy whatever product the therapist promotes.

Mikaela does not belong to the women who scream when they see their VISIA images; she thought it was quite interesting. Being so young, of course you don’t feel death starring back at you from the screen. The therapist looked at the photos and claimed Mikalea had pigment changes beneath the skin surface, which were not visible yet, but with time would manifest as pigment spots. VISIA can make UV photos, which traces pigment distribution in deeper skin layers, and the therapist obviously thought Mikaela had pigment problems that needed treatment.

Watching the program I was surprised to hear the therapist’s conclusion. The UV images will always show uneven pigment distribution in the deeper skin layers. Pigment, or melanin, is formed by the melanocytes in the junction between dermis (deeper skin layer) and epidermis (outer skin layer). It will then spread upwards into the epidermis and become visible to the eye. If a person has real pigment problems, this will always be visible on the skin surface as well. Otherwise, the “uneven” pigmentation as seen on the VISIA images is normal and in no need of treatment. Especially not in such a young person. But the therapist thought Mikaela needed an acid treatment for her non-visible pigment spots.

What I could easily see on my computer screen was that beautiful Mikaela had fine skin, perfectly ok, but with slight impurities. As usual, my advice would be to cut down on products, ingredients and treatments; skin problems will never improve by exposing you skin to a heavy load of stuff. I’m always promoting a minimalistic approach to skincare as you can read about here. Skincare is just like diet. If you want to get healthy, perhaps lose a little weight, you don’t start eating a lot of food; rather you cut down on the excess and chose a few really nutritious items. It’s the same with skincare. If you want good skin, cut down on the products and procedures and use a few high quality items that your skin agrees with.

However, no skincare routine can top the result of an improved diet. Everybody knows they should cut down on junk food and sugar. But more specifically they should minimize, or avoid totally, dairy, wheat, soy, yeast and glutamate. Why? Because modern lifestyle exposes our bodies to an extreme amounts of these foods. It starts when we are babies with milk substitutes full of cows milk and wheat. Then it goes on with bread, pasta, yoghurt, pizza; the average consumer in Europe gets 70% of their energy intake from sugar, wheat, milk and margarine. These are not the foods that we were adjusted to during the course of evolution. And it is not the foods for beautiful skin. With this enormous exposure, these very foods cause hormonal problems, resulting in skin problems.

Telling people they should avoid dairy, wheat and soy makes them wonder: But what can I eat? There is nothing left! This comment actually tells you how boring their diet must be. What you can still eat is all kinds of fruit, berries, vegetables, root vegetables, seafood, fish, poultry, meat, nuts, seeds, herbs, dark chocolate, wine, champagne and other nice beverages, grains that do not contain gluten such as rice, millet and buckwheat, dishes made with coconut milk and right now I’m having a delicious espresso with an almond nougat. Most people find out, after changing their diet, that they have never eaten such varied and tasty foods in their life. Not only do their skin improve, so do also their mood and overall health.

VISIA can be a valuable tool and I have used it myself in our clinical studies. But you have to make a correct analysis. Here I thought this beautiful young lady got the wrong advice and that the solution is to find beyond what skincare can accomplish. If you have any skin problems and feel you need some help, please drop me a note. I’m sure we can work something out together. Free of charge

Think about it. What do skincare brand ads look like? What do they say? Generally it is something like this: Erase wrinkles and age spots. Become ten years younger. Dramatic difference, look younger in only two weeks.

What they are using is women’s fear of not being attractive any longer. Of getting old. And ugly. And lurking behind the ugly aging is – death.

Since reading the article I see this strategy all over in the skincare arena. Death, death, death. Not so with for example fragrances. There its all about life, attraction and sex appeal. Look at a fragrance ad. No erasing, no getting miraculously younger, no looking younger. Only life and attraction. But in skincare, we are stuck with death.

The fear of getting old, ugly and die is extremely strong. In our clinical studies I have sometimes used a device called VISIA. Its a device producing high resolution images of facial skin.The device consists of a small photo booth with an attached screen and an advanced software. This is what it looks like:

When I take a photo, the subject is able to see high resolution images of his or her skin. Imperfections, wrinkles, pigments spots, everything is enlarged and lit up on the screen. Some patients think the images are very interesting. But most women don’t want to look at them. Some of them actually scream.

As I have used the VISIA device in clinical studies I haven’t been able to discuss the results of the treatment with the subjects. In such a study, all discussions take place afterwards in the clinical report. Otherwise you could influence the subject’s own evaluation of the tested product. However, what I always do is a lot of counselling. Subjects, and they are mostly women in skincare studies, are being traumatized by looking at these kind of photos. I have to do a lot of talking. I say:
“Well, you know, even if I took a picture of a baby we would see a lot imperfection as this device really enlarges everything and marks every little spot.”
Or I say:
“Maybe you think your skin looks strange, but really, for your age, you look good. I have seen hundreds of these photos and you look really really good.”
I don’t want to leave my subjects traumatized. I want them to be happy and no matter the result of the study at least find the whole process interesting.

In one study there was a woman who looked really good with beautiful skin. After the treatment, it was a very successful retinol treatment, her skin looked even better. We were all like “wow”, what an improvement in an already perfect skin. However, the only thing she could see was a deterioration. That her skin had got worse. Before the study, she had never really looked at her skin, she had never done this scrutinizing hunt for imperfections. She had just been pleased with her beautiful skin. Now she was worried. And unhappy. We all talked to her. Me, Lars the CEO, Harry the dermatologist, Ulf the scientist, Martin the chemist. But she was still traumatized.

The VISIA device is often used in beauty clinics. After a skin analysis the skin therapist can give consumers product and treatment recommendations. Or rather, sell the consumer unnecessary treatments and products since after looking at the scary photos, seeing ugly death looking back at them, consumers are more willing to buy anything they don’t need. I have to repeat that there are many individuals that are not traumatized and that find the images very interesting. But my experience is that most are horrified.

Fear is a strong emotion and it is successfully used in the skincare business. Skincare ads are like mini versions of the VISIA trauma effect. A reminder of the loss of attraction. Of getting older. Of dying. And I agree with Suzanne Grayson. Skincare marketing is based on the fear of death.

At the hospital they plugged my nose full of wadding that had been soaked in a styptic liquid that kept running down in my throat. It tasted disgusting. There I sat, waiting for the specialist. I had brought a book, Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell, which investigates intuitive intelligence. As I sat there reading, another patient turned up. A woman, somewhat shabby looking and overweight. She had swallowed a toothpick that was now stuck in her throat. She wasn’t too worried though. While she was working for a prison one of the internees had a habit of swallowing spoons, forks and knives, all in the scope of getting a break, coming out in the free world, even if that was a hospital. Compared to spoons, forks and knives, a toothpick is of course just a little nuisance, nothing to worry about.

“So, what are you reading?”, the shabby woman asked me.
“Its a kind of business book”, I explained, “about intuitive intelligence and the power of programmed learning and reflexive behavior”.
“Oh”, she said, “I know. These programs can be very helpful but they can also lead to many erroneous decisions”.

Then, in five minutes, she summarized the contents of the book, without having read it of course, but life experiences can lead you to insights others write lengthy books about.

What an unexpected encounter. A highly intellectual woman in disguise. I hope her potential will be able to bloom somewhere.

Anyhow, I still love flower motives. So I keep buying Portmeirion things (Botanic garden motives). I have tea cups, an apron, ewer, lotion dispenser, a small pot for salt, a huge serving plate, a small bowl and the other day I bought a set of espresso cups. This motive is my favourite:

I wonder when I will have enough. When I feel like I have reached the limit, when my small apartment can’t stand any more Portmeirion. I’m not the person who collect stuff and neither am I attached to material things. If everything I owned would burn up I would just ok, get a little bit annoyed over the work of replacing the necessary items, but then move on. I think many people imprison themselves in all the things they own and because of all the emotions they attach to things. The less you own or attach yourself to the things you own, the more freedom you have in life. That’s my philosophy. And that includes my Portmeirion collection

What I have been pondering the last days is the selling without selling strategy we have with Swedish Skincare System. Swedish Skincare System is a minimalistic brand. We don’t believe the skin is better off with a huge amount of products and ingredients and strange and complicated skincare procedures.

The same minimalistic philosophy also permeates our marketing philosophy. We don’t do pushy advertising and selling. Rather, we have decided to sell without selling. Those who understand the concept, believe in the beauty of simplicity and the benefits of the uncomplicated will appreciate us and our products.

It is not the fastest way to cash. It is not even a fast way to cash. But it is a way where there is still heart and passion. In the long run, I am convinced heartless brands and companies are doomed. If you only work for the money, then greed, cheating and ruthlessness will take the upper hand. Until everything collapses in a big bang just like Enron. At Enron, greed and money was made God. It turned out that God was quite powerless.

As people become aware of what really is important in life I think the scope of a company will change followingly. Companies have been focused on getting people together to make money for the owners. Now I believe (and hope) companies will evolve into enterprises where people get together to do good things. For themselves, for the owners and for the environment and Mother Earth.

/Malena