Skin care is one of the fastest growth areas for aesthetic practices. According to Modor Intelligence, a marketing research firm, the cosmeceutical products market in North America is forecasted to reach $18 billion by 2025. Modor goes on to predict that cosmeceuticals, which include skin care products focused on anti-aging, anti-acne, sun protection, moisturizers, hair and oral care will continue to grow at an annual rate of 8.25% between 2022 and 2026.
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Surprising Ingredients for 2023
Skin care is one of the fastest growth areas for aesthetic practices. According to Modor Intelligence, a marketing research firm, the cosmeceutical products market in North America is forecasted to reach $18 billion by 2025. Modor goes on to predict that cosmeceuticals, which include skin care products focused on anti-aging, anti-acne, sun protection, moisturizers, hair and oral care will continue to grow at an annual rate of 8.25% between 2022 and 2026.
Skin care is a fundamental component of a medspa practice. It’s critically important to educate patients about the necessity of engaging in a skin care regimen specifically tailored to the individual patient’s skin type and concerns. This regimen doesn’t start and end at the medspa door; at-home skin care is critical to maintaining healthy skin between visits. Additionally, for best results, using the right products matters. My team at Beautiful Forever Consulting strongly encourages medical spas to offer high quality skin care products that provide proven results and whose efficacy is backed by clinical studies.
Staying abreast of the latest scientific developments is essential for growing your practice as the demand for high quality, science-backed skin care in the United States and abroad continues to remain strong. This is fueling extensive scientific research across the aesthetics industry. This research has led to the discovery of some surprising ingredients yielding outstanding results.
AISA THERAPEUTICS
AISA Therapeutics’ quest to identify a non-toxic, anti-inflammatory molecule by sifting through a variety of plant collections across the globe has paid off. Research by founder and CEO Patrizia d’Alessio, M.D., Ph.D., demonstrated that orange peel extract is a source of mono-terpenes (d-Limonene), which significantly reduces the inflammatory component of chronic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, colitis and psoriasis.
AISA has developed two types of products; capsules for oral ingestion and a topical application. Studies confirmed that the administration of these products containing d-Limonene produced a significant improvement of the subject’s mood, therefore decreasing stress. Additionally, AISA products stopped and prevented development of skin pigmentation and acted as a sun protection. Applied to the skin, they demonstrated substantial reduction in the number and depth of wrinkles, smoothed the skin and generally provided a sense of well-being. Skin hydration increased by 14%, pores tightened and reddish blotches disappeared. The products have shown efficacy in reducing wrinkles, stretch marks and scars.
Annalisa Calisti, M.D., concludes, “d-Limonene is an amazing antioxidant that is safe for all skin types. It targets aging skin, improves texture and laxity, reduces wrinkles and rejuvenates the skin. There’s no downtime, no pain, no needles and no surgery. Only amazing immediate and long lasting results.”
Unlike many of the current treatment options for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, such as corticosteroids, there were no reported adverse side effects with d-Limonene from orange peel extract. The potential doesn’t stop with skin care. Cell inflammation or cell senescence is caused by lifestyle factors, stress, exposure to pollution, nutrition and hormonal changes. Finding a way to reverse cell senescence would have a huge impact on aging and overall health. Additionally, implementation of a non-toxic substance of natural origin, such as orange peel extract, represents a momentous advance in skin care and a huge opportunity for medical aesthetics practices.
ELEVAI LABS
Elevai Labs recently introduced their Exosome Technology, which uses exosomes released from human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells to repair skin damage naturally.
Exosomes are powerful nano-sized vesicles that can restore cells throughout your body. Compared to adult stem cells, exosomes derived from stem cells are much smaller, and while not alive, they are packed with concentrated powerful growth factors that are designed to be quickly and efficiently delivered to cells in need of repair. Previously, where we have seen improvements following stem cell application or application of stem cell derived growth factors, we now know that exosomes are more than likely the key driver in those now outdated products. Exosomes are the next step forward, building on the existing body of stem cell research, but capable of providing more benefit with less risk.
When the skin is young, natural stem cell populations are high and act as the body’s first line of defense. As we age, the number of stem cells decrease and our bodies are less responsive. Exosomes penetrate the skin, mimicking the body’s natural healing responses. Skin damage and extrinsic aging caused by exposure to daily assault by pollution and sunlight benefit from exosomes. Due to the nanosize of exosomes, Elevai products can penetrate deeply into the skin to catalyze repair and rejuvenation. They support increased blood flow and promote collagen and elastin production to help rejuvenate skin from the inside out.
Jordan Plews, Ph.D., CEO of ELEVAI Labs explains, “Exosomes are definitely THE cutting edge, a must have ingredient in aesthetics today. The exosome is simply a protective envelope, and just like envelopes that come in the mail, it's the 'message' inside the exosome envelope and the ‘author’ sending it that are most important. Cell source really matters, as the message encapsulated by the nano-sized exosomes is what we should be most interested in, and the quality and scope of that message relies on the cellular author that is producing the exosome. Also, the way the cells that author the exosome message are treated makes a huge difference, something that almost no one in the space is talking about in depth, but really is what differentiates exosomes from different providers that might otherwise appear similar. From my point of view, there are multiple cell sources that can make sense, but for safety, potency and ability to provide the broadest scope of regenerative factors, we prefer to start with the youngest, purest human stem cells that we can ethically obtain, those derived from the umbilical cord after birth, potent cells which otherwise are are typically discarded after birth.”
Looking to the future, Plews continues, “…the trend I’m noticing is practitioners shifting from PRP over to human stem cell derived exosomes as the superior modality to support rapid healing and recovery for their patients. I expect this will continue as education and clinical studies supporting exosomes increases. Similarly, I expect we’ll see a shift away from traditional growth factor topicals towards exosome-based topicals, which are arguably the new gold standard for topical growth factor applications, pre- and post-procedure, and make sense as the go-to accompaniment to improve the results of existing treatments.”
RESTORSEA SKINCARE
Patti Pao, CEO and chemist for Restorsea Skincare explains why hatching enzyme is the anchor ingredient in the Restorsea Skincare line. “Hatching enzyme, Aquabeautine XL, is unique because it is the only molecule that only cleaves the dead skin cells. As a result, the skin receives the benefit of continuous exfoliation without the side effects associated with other exfoliators such as retinoids, AHAs/GHAs and retinols. This molecule is naturally-derived, cruelty-free and sustainable.”
DEFENAGE
DefenAge CEO Nikolay Turovets, Ph.D., is excited about defensins. Defensins are molecules of the innate immune system that trigger skin’s natural regenerative cascade. Turovets states, “A new study shows that increased concentrations of Defensins provides guaranteed effect on the dermis. For us, the ingredient of 2023 is the PRO version of Age-Repair Defensins.”
IMAGE
A favorite ingredient at IMAGE is acetyl zingerone. According to Monique Iacobacci of IMAGE Skincare, “What I see—and hear from my accounts—are the significant results from our clinically innovative formulations. Our new, doctor-developed IMAGE MD restoring power-C serum is packed with very impressive stand-alone ingredients such as acetyl zingerone, a next-generation antioxidant derived from ginger that helps to reduce the signs of photoaging. When combined with 20% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a highly effective, stable form of vitamin C, along with vitamin E, ferulic acid and seven weights of hyaluronic acid, it creates a high-performance, powerhouse product to defend against the effects of environmental stressors. Plus, clinical results show that IMAGE MD restoring power-C serum improves pigmentation and firmness by 24% and wrinkles by 16% in just 4 weeks.”
She continues, “Another ingredient in our clinical lineup, found in CLEAR CELL clarifying repair crème, is bioavailable bakuchiol derived from the babchi seed. It is a natural ingredient that mimics the benefits of retinol, providing a gentler alternative to users with more sensitive skin. What makes IMAGE Skincare’s form of bakuchiol so incredible is that it’s shown to improve lines and wrinkles by 21% and skin texture by 24% in just 4 weeks via in-vivo clinical studies.”
HOUSE OF HILT!
One of the favorite ingredients at House of Hilt according to product designer Jackie Rogers, is bakuchiol. She explains, “It is the plant derived alternative to retinol. We are currently developing a new serum with this powerful ingredient. This little gem stimulates cell turnover, firms, smooths fine lines and improves the texture and tone of the skin. In our tests, it has been very gentle to the skin and not irritating like retinol. Best yet, it yields great results!”
From orange peel extract to stem cell components, green tea to onions and hatching enzyme to bakuchiol, the revelations in personal care ingredients are surprising. As the wellness industry continues to grow, new botanicals and surprising ingredients will continue to become part of our skin care routine. Ingredients are not the whole story, however.
PRODUCT APPEAL
Successful new products must also have the right packaging and an appealing scent. The industry is moving away from artificial, heavily chemical-like fragrances. Fresh, clean scents are in demand, with citrus and herb based aromas taking center stage. The product concept has broadened from lotions, serums and creams to include sensual balms, oils and foams. Skin care rituals are becoming an increasingly enjoyable and alluring moment of self-indulgence rather than a humdrum daily routine. The most successful products appeal to our senses – sight (packaging), smell (scent or fragrance) and touch (how it feels on your skin/hair) – in addition to delivering outstanding results. Packaging must be visually appealing yet not excessive. Today’s consumer values beauty while being highly environmentally conscious.
“To successfully incorporate skin care into aesthetic practice, it is crucial to include this in the entire patient experience from start to finish, which means putting products on display throughout the office and allowing patients to feel the products on their skin,” explains Kim Nichols, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of NicholsMD of Greenwich, Connecticut, SkinLabby NicholsMD and NicholsMD of Fairfield, Connecticut. In short, integrating the application of skin care products into your treatment plan for every patient can not only benefit the patient, it can grow your bottom line.
You must train your staff to educate your patients about skin care. Explain how implementing a daily skin care regimen using the quality products you’ve applied during their visit will help maintain the results of the treatment they received. Doing so is a win-win for patient and practice.
What does this mean for your practice? To maximize your profitability, your practice must offer high quality, effective skin and hair care products. Additionally, offering private label skin and hair care products can significantly boost the bottom line of your practice.
Cheryl Whitman is a celebrated author, speaker, and highly regarded national cosmetic marketing professional with more than 35 years in the Aesthetic Medical Spa Industry. A cosmetic antiaging wellness “Influencer” she is one of the most sought after speakers in the industry. Mentoring all size practices and laser centers.
Ms. Whitman is the Founder and CEO of Beautiful Forever Consulting where she leads a top-notch team of executive-level consultants and business professionals to assist providers physicians expanding their existing practices and launching new profit centers.
Cheryl is the author of the “Aesthetic Medical Success System,” a revolutionary program providing a turnkey educational success system that assists clients in brilliantly jumpstarting successful aesthetic and medical spa businesses.
Cheryl has authored a second book, “Beautifully Profitable, Forever Profitable”. This book represents the compilation of practical, valuable and professional experience she and her team at Beautiful Forever have gathered over several decades. No project is too small. ENJOY mentoring start up and all size expansions.
Contact Cheryl Whitman by email at: [email protected] or by telephone at: 561-299-3909
