New wonder serum makes aging a thing of the past
MANILA, Philippines - Aging is a natural, inevitable process that everybody goes through. Day by day, our skin gets a little less supple, a little less firm, and a little more susceptible to gravity, to grooves and furrows that don’t disappear from our faces as fast as they used to.
According to Dr. Angel Cumagun, a member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Dermatological Society, the skin goes through two types of aging: intrinsic and extrinsic aging. “Intrinsic aging is biological, a decline of the physical functions of the skin over time. It’s the heaviness that pulls down the jowls and cheeks, transforming the face from being an inverted triangle to a triangular shape.” Extrinsic, on the other hand, is photo-aging caused by UVA rays. “This constitutes 90 percent of what we perceive as aging,” Dr. Cumagun says. “With extrinsic aging, you get the deeper wrinkles, the sallower appearance, and pigmentation.”
Lucky for us Asians, we age less severely than Caucasians. In addition to drawing the better aging genes in the genetic lottery, the general Asian population is also obsessed with keeping skin smooth and fair, with methods ranging from practical, such as using the most ridiculous looking headwear to keep their faces hidden from the sun, to dubious, like drinking finely grounded pearls. Cosmetic components like retinoids, antioxidants, AHAs (alphahydroxy acids), and BHAs (beta-hydroxy acids) became buzzwords in the beauty industry as each became the trendy skincare-ingredient-of-the-moment. One of the most aggressively marketed methods has been laser treatments, a costly but effective procedure that comes with a considerable recovery time.
Good thing there are other less expensive options that are available in the market. The Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & Photo Damage Corrector serum has already been available in Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Japan, countries that are major Asian markets for the beauty industry. In the Philippines, the product was initially planned to be launched in November, but due to the influx of inquiries about it, Clinique decided to make the product available to clients as early as the second week of September. Brand manager Kaye Fidelino discloses, “Serum is the hot trend in the beauty market in Asia, probably due to its texture plus how it works with the climate here. There is a high demand for serums not just with Clinique but with other skincare brands as well.”
Clinique is determined to set the standard in time- and gravity-defying skincare, however, with its three-in-one functions that promise a 53 percent reduction in the appearance of lines and wrinkles in 12 weeks. According to Clinique education executive Budit Reyes, “Clinique Repairwear has been uniquely formulated to work day and night and to serve three functions. Not only does it repair photodamage from sun exposure but it also reduces wrinkles as well as strengthen skin to accelerate regeneration.”
Clinique Repairwear has harnessed the potency of the blend of three patented repair enzymes encapsulated in a liposome delivery system. “This technology, backed by 20 years of bio-molecular research, aids penetration deep within the surface of the skin,” Reyes explains. The Ultrasomes V or the Micrococcus Luteus are liposomes that work at regenerating the skin at night, intensifying its ability to repair damage from UVB rays and for speedy recovery. The Photosomes V or Photolyase Fermentate stimulate collagen production during the day, absorbing visible light to promote natural cellular repair. The Roxysomes or OGG-1 Fermentate, which are derived from the mustard plant, protect cells from oxidative damage from the sun, intrinsic aging, and internal metabolic functions.
To smooth out lines, Clinique Repairwear uses a high-level peptide complex that boosts natural collagen production and diminishes the breakdown of existing collagen. The natural, amino acid-rich polypeptide whey protein firms up the skin, keeping it resilient as lines and wrinkles are minimized. Vitamin A or Retinyl Palmitate, meanwhile, plumps the skin, and the bio-peptide Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 replicates the natural process that results in collagen synthesis, thus helping create new natural collagen and building skin from the base of the wrinkle.
Clinique Repairwear also provides protection against free radicals through vitamins C and E, the naturally occurring amino acid and antioxidant Ergothioneine, and pomegranate juice extract. Pomegrenate juice has been found to contain ellagic acid that protects the skin by preventing pollution from binding to cellular DNA.
Both a regenerative and preventive measure against fine lines and wrinkles, Clinique Repairwear has been proven to be safe and effective even on the delicate, crease-prone area around the eyes. Due to its serum formula, the product can be used along with other skin care treatments, such as sunscreen. “Of course, if you’re using any prescription skincare products like Retin-A, talk to you dermatologist first,” Reyes advices. Just three drops of serum applied to the face twice a day guarantees visible results even as soon as four weeks.
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Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & Photo Damage Corrector is available at all Clinique counters for P4,500 per 30 ml. bottle.
