The boomer wave is cresting, creating a raft of customers looking for anti-aging skincare, and no one is riding that wave quite like Dermalogica. “Our Age Smart system is our biggest and fastest-growing category,” says Global Education Director Annet King of the line, which Dermalogica claims controls aging triggers before they start. The latest Age Smart offering, launching mid-May, is Overnight Retinol Repair. The two-part system for reducing fine lines, wrinkles and uneven tone includes an active component and a buffer cream, which allows for a unique level of customization.
The key ingredient is encapsulated 0.5 percent retinol, the highest concentration of retinol the company has offered to date. The encapsulation is important for stability, King points out. “With other retinol creams, once you open it, it’s as good as gone unless you put something in it that protects that very unstable, active ingredient. Encapsulation ensures chemical stability and prevents degradation when exposed to light or air,” she says.
The addition of a buffer cream customizes the experience and reduces initial irritation, especially for users new to retinol. “Our cells have little receptors that coat the outsides,” says King. “When a chemical or hormone comes into contact with those receptors, it lights up the cell and causes a reaction. It typically takes a few weeks for receptors receiving a retinoid to calm down. That’s why you get the redness, the peeling and the sensation. Once you’ve used it for a while, the receptors are used to it and don’t react.” Users of Overnight Retinol Repair mix it with a buffer cream, adjusting the proportions of each according to their individual reactions. “We recommend starting with a mixture of one-quarter Overnight Retinol Repair to three-quarters Buffer Cream, and gradually reversing the ratios as the skin adjusts,” says King. The product duo is comprised of a 1-ounce tube of Overnight Retinol Repair and a 0.5-ounce tube of Overnight Retinol Repair Buffer Cream. —K.F.
Photography: Veer