Lifting Effect – Is it possible to achieve this (only) by using cosmetics?

Can we achieve the “lifting effect” using only cosmetics?

The short answer is yes, but under certain conditions. In cosmetics, nothing is done without patience and consistency. We will need to have 3 basic steps in our minds.

STEP 1: Hydration (hydration) and again hydration!!

We will never tire of saying that anti-aging treatment without hydration is like buying expensive furniture for a house that has no roof (!) In our blog article in which we explained some basic things to understand what a skin barrier is, the great importance of hydration for a strong skin barrier became very obvious. Let’s not forget that the skin barrier is the first shield of our skin, a “wall” that protects us from the entry of harmful substances, but at the same time the skin barrier is also the area in which wrinkles form. So we want it strong, to resist.

There are materials that have a more targeted action towards the skin barrier. These are: Silver birch bark extract. It contains the triterpene betulin which protects the plant from harsh weather conditions. This ingredient strengthens the proteins of the epidermal barrier (bricks), while at the same time stimulating the creation of more amino acids that retain water (Natural Moisturizing Factors NMF) inside the stratum corneum. Hydrogenated lecithin. It has the ability to retain water but also to strengthen the lipids (cement) in the skin barrier. Prickly pear oil. It is one of the top oils in cosmetic care. It offers high protection to the skin barrier & high repair capacity. The three above ingredients are all found in our HELIOS serum formula. Of course, there are also more widely known ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, which has the ability to penetrate deeper layers of the skin. You will find it in our GARDENIA facial cream formula.

The good news? Well-hydrated skin immediately looks more refreshed! Hydration is the process that immediately gives us the long-awaited plumping effect.

STEP 2: Anti-aging treatment

Anti-aging aims to strengthen two very important proteins, collagen and elastin. These two proteins are found in the dermis, the part of the skin that is located under the epidermis. Their usefulness can be compared to the columns of a building. That is, they support the skin by keeping it in a stable and specific structure. If you read one of our most popular articles “Reversing the mechanism of wrinkle formation” collagen and elastin are not regenerated (1). This means that …we will have keep going with what we have. A very useful and important addition to our daily routine is the use of sunscreen, as it has been proven (2) that UV radiation is the worst enemy of the skin.

Since collagen and elastin will not regenerate, they are injured and slowly degenerate. This means that gradually they lose the ability to support the surface, the epidermis. As a result, the skin loses its own structure, resulting in less firmness and wrinkles forming.

But we have some “weapons”. There is a specific category of peptides called matrikines. What they do, in simple terms, is to help the skin do what it cannot do on its own: Produce and repair collagen and elastin. There are extensive references in the literature (3).

The characteristic of matrikines is that they are synthesized exclusively in the laboratory. What would you say if a 100% plant material could do the same job? The company Lipoid Kosmetik is a pioneer in innovative cosmetology materials, which come from nature and are obtained with strict environmental practices. In 2020, the company developed PhytoCodine® (4), which was awarded the same year at the BSB cosmetics innovation award. PhytoCodine® is the world’s first concentrate of plant derived, matrikine like peptides. When we learned about this material, we were excited and wanted to use it. We included it in the formula of Helia eye cream.

Let us emphasize here that, unlike hydration where some results will be visible immediately, anti-aging will require our patience. No product can work miracles if it is not used consistently.

STEP 3: We “lock in” the results!

With what? With our favorite facial cream. Facial cream is a complete product that typically contains “a little bit of everything”. We have emphasized many times the great importance of occlusives (5). They are materials that have the property of forming a protective film in order to retain water in the skin, as well as all the good ingredients that we have given it. A very favorite material is beeswax, which you will find in our two facial creams Gardenia & Jasmin, as well as in Cocoa lip balm.

All three of the above steps are equally important. However, in cosmetics there is no right or wrong. The most important step of beauty is comfort, to feel comfortable within our skin.