#AskTheDoc: Why Cult-Favorite Skincare Products Aren’t Working As Promised.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Media Websites for Product Recommendations.
“And you keep telling me
Telling me that you’ll be effective
And you’ll never want to leave my skin dry
As long as I don’t break these daily habits;
Promises, and they still feel all so wasted on ineffective skincare products”.
Maybe that’s not the exact lyrics to NERO’s 2011 hit, “Promises”, but when your products let you down, sometimes you can’t help but feel a tinge of betrayal.
We don’t want to sound hypocritical, a skincare brand exposing a saturated industry, laced with luxe packaging and partnered with some of the world’s most influential … influencers. But the truth is, even some of this decade’s hottest beauty brands weren’t born with integrity, backed and reinforced by years of scientific research, and use ingredients that are ethically and sustainably sourced.
So, if you’ve been using your local department or beauty store’s top-shelf bottles for months and years, with little to no visible changes, time might be ripe to reconsider your beauty source.
b.glen skincare has prided themselves on their transparent labelling, technologies, and consistently putforth the latest research on the ingredients used in all of their products, with simplicity and strength at the forefront of it all.
One way in which they have done so, is having their Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Brian Keller, involved heavily in their marketing, public relations, and educational gatherings. And so without further ado, we have Dr. Keller here with us for his viewpoint on it all, for this edition of #AskTheDoc.
Dr. Keller, as the face of the b.glen brand, Chief Scientific Officer, you made the decision to become a part of the skincare industry to revolutionize it. As you’ve mentioned before, you once noticed the big-name products on your wife’s vanity, and became frustrated that with such a hefty price tag, most of the ingredients within just weren’t going to work.
Which ingredients stood out to you, and do you have any advice for the average consumer to be weary of when shopping for skincare?
Dr. Keller: “One big red flag that stood out to me was the use of Vitamin C in a cream base. Creams have a water base and vitamin C is not stable in water for very long. Because water breaks- down vitamin C, formulating in a “non-aqueous” base (i.e. no water), so glycerin, skin-compatible lipids, natural oils are essential for achieving efficacy and maintaining potency.
The vitamin C creams had already begun to oxidize, turn brown and separate. Other water-soluble ingredients like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine), folacin, vitamin B12, biotin, and pantothenic acid that were not formulated with a lipid delivery system just sit on top of the skin and have no benefit.”
OK — most readers by now will have a general idea of what QuSomes are and how they work.
Would you consider b.glen’s QuSome products to work universally (all skin types, tones, textures + age)?
Dr. Keller: “Yes, QuSomes are universal. That is, they work for all skin types and for all types of skin issues, like acne, discoloration, age related issues, etc.”
Given QuSomes ability to significantly enhance product absorption, would you feel safe to say that consumers are able to see results faster (than they would with non-QuSome products)?
Dr. Keller: “Definitely!”
“In one of our clinical trials, we measured moisture levels over a 24-hour period on clinical volunteers. Our (b.glen) QuSome formulas lasted the longest, delivering moisture for up to 17 hours. In another experiment, we looked at specific, QuSome-enhanced ingredient activity in the skin, compared to non-QuSome (conventional) ingredient activity.”
Many skincare enthusiasts and beauty-counter reps will oftentimes suggest consumers swap products and brands in order to maintain results by “shocking/stimulating” the skin.
What is your own take on this? For products that have proven to produce results, is it necessary for someone to try something else once they’ve finished one bottle?
Dr. Keller: Everyone has their own individual viewpoint. Howveer, my take on this practice is that it is a marketing ploy to get the consumer to switch to the brand that the salesperson is representing.
Remember the rep. is being paid in two ways:
1. By the company they work for
2. On a percentage/commission of the products which they sell.
“Shocking” the skin is not necessary. If you are not getting the results from a product line and/or an individual product, then at this point o\nly, does switching makes sense.
In your own opinion, do you believe that there is somewhat of a disconnect between product development and beauty marketing teams?
What has made you proud to be so involved with the b.glen brand up-front?
Dr. Keller: Yes, I do fully believe there to be a disconnect between Product Development and Marketing entities.
Both teams are very different, and so oftentimes, this is because one doesn’t fully understand the other. At b.glen, we began the product development process with the marketing team(s). Our goal was to develop products that would deliver results to solve specific skin issues, tailoring the regime to the individual. We all agreed on common/major skin issues, thought about what we wanted to communicate to the consumer, what the features and benefits would be, then began the formulation process, including getting the right ingredients, aesthetics, containers etc.”
“You’ll oftentimes hear our Marketing teams share the slogan, ‘Skincare With Integrity’… because with b.glen, that is the core of who we are, not another ploy for sales.”
Learn more about the b.glen Skincare Brand-Philosophy:
