Packaging Première

VALÉRIE KAMINOV – BIOGRAPHY Valérie Kaminov is Founder and Managing Director of the highly successful International Luxury Brand Consultancy. For over 25 years Valérie has been at the forefront of the global cosmetics industry and has worked with a vast array of luxury, premium and niche beauty brands and fragrances. With her extensive expertise, commercial acumen and practical experience IL Brand Consultancy has become one of the most sought after management and distribution agencies specialising in global beauty. Recognised for the breadth of business sectors and extensive distribution channels it works with, ILBC’s international client portfolio spans both well-established names and newly-emerging brands in hair care, make-up, skincare, fragrance, devices and top-to-toe brands. Valérie’s wealth of knowledge in international growth strategies and business development is combined with an inspirational and forward-thinking approach. Through her exceptional insight and understanding of the industry Valérie has helped brands amplify their market reach, elevate their brand presence, improve their business performance and achieve commercial success globally. A further aspect of her business is her skill in brand evaluation, acquisition due diligence, risk assessment and commercial growth which has led Valérie to regularly advise Private Equity Funds, multi-national organizations and financial investors. This capability in combination with her advanced qualifications and proficiency in corporate governance have made her a much-desired Board Advisor and Non-Executive Director. From her CEW mentoring, organisation of the International Manufacturers & Distributors Forum (IMF) and guest lecture programmes, Valérie is a passionate and dynamic advocate of the global beauty industry. Valérie splits her time between her London HQ and her central Paris office as well as managing a satellite network in Russia & China.

bEAuTY bACTERIA

Is the microbiome the next frontier in beauty?

Fermentation, yeast and bacteria, the beauty industry loves a buzzword. While these are among the least sexy going it’s the promise they hold of promoting good bacteria and increasing the diversity of our microbiome that is getting scientists hot under the collar. Once the preserve of good-for-your-gut food stuffs, probiotics and pre-biotics are now cropping up in every corner of our beauty cupboards thanks to their ability to stimulate a strong and healthy skin barrier (the bit our microbiome is responsible for), and consumers are taking note. In the past year Google Trend searches for ‘microbiome skincare’ have grown by over 5,000% worldwide and the increasing awareness of the importance of a balanced microbiome for healthy skin and hair indicates that beauty products that balance, support and strengthen our microflora with prebiotic, probiotic and postbiotic ingredients is an area of the beauty industry that is set to boom. Research into the microbiome arena is still only in its infant stages but the potential possibilities for discovery are endless and signal the start of a shake up for how we look after ourselves both inside and out. The brands that can innovate in this space to develop hyper- functional formulas that are backed by science to promote healthy skin and hair will come out on top. The time is now to back bacteria.

Image: Unsplash

THE MICROBIOME TODAY

The beauty industry has a habit of tapping into trends emerging within the nutritional space. Recently we’ve seen an explosion of plant-based skincare and adaptogenic fuelled products amongst others, so it’s no surprise that we’re now seeing a shift in focus from the gut microbiome to the skin microbiome says Sarah Nsiri, biotech skincare brand Orveda’s International Sales Director. The link between gut health and overall health - that a healthy gut equals a healthy mind and body - have long been touted by scientists, and more recently understood by consumers, and now a similar body of thought is being applied to the various microbiome’s found across our body, our face and even our hair and mouth. Just like “the gut where there is good and bad bacteria, the skin also has good and bad bacteria that needs looking after”, notes Nsiri. While the gut and the skin have very different microbiome there is evidence that ingredients which make your gut microflora happy could also benefit the skin. One of the key actives at Orveda is black tea kombucha, a well know gut health booster, but at Orveda the fermented drink is used because the bacteria activates the rosy tones in your skin stimulating that coveted healthy glow. It’s still too early for multiple solid claims around the gut-skin axis but research is pointing towards the fact that the two are more synergistic than previously believed. Post-pandemic, consumers are taking better care of their health and wellbeing in a more holistic manner so beauty products that can work like this are top of the agenda. Indeed, Gallinee’s best selling product in France is a supplement using the gut-skin axis by supporting the gut bacteria which has the additional benefit of soothing inflammation of the skin. The microbiome is composed of millions of beneficial and not so beneficial bacteria and “when the microbiome is in balance, the barrier function is efficient, skin is healthy and well protected”

Image: Be + Radiance Probiotic+Omega-3 multi purpose facial oil to be used as makeup primer or makeup remover

notes Abigail Williams, Caudalie National Training Manager. However, when this balance is disturbed, which can happen due to anything from hormones and the way we wash our face to pollution or the weather, “the barrier function can be damaged and the skin’s immune system weakened” Williams adds, and this is when troublesome conditions such as acne, psoriasis or eczema can occur and our skin health, and appearance is compromised. Everyone’s microbiome is unique and while there are still few definitive answers when it comes to the microbiome some things we do now know to be true says Aimara Coupet, founder of probiotic makeup brand Be Radiance. For example, “c-acnes bacteria is a bacteria that we all have on our skin and when the level of c-acnes bacteria increases you get pimples but if your c-acnes bacteria is balanced you don’t have pimples” explains Coupet. And it doesn’t just stop at pimples, there is a new hypothesis that some researches are looking into that suggest that carefully balanced bacteria levels can affect our overall skin health too, “a good level of c-acnes bacteria can help you age better, if your c acne is lower it’s likely you’ll have more wrinkles” warns Coupet. For consumers a healthy microbiome is not only a way of overcoming long term problems but also provides a base to begin to address other potential irks. Ulrich Katusevanako, Head of New Product Development at Orveda, notes that “the skin’s overall appearance is a direct result of your skin barrier, so the stronger it is the healthier it will be and the more likely you will be able to target things like fine lines and other things you would like to treat”. Indeed, it is this idea that by balancing the microbiome we can then start to effectively tackle other areas of our health and wellbeing that is most exciting for the beauty industry, and the consumer.

PRE, PRO AND POST-BIOTICS

For a healthy microbiome diversity is key and this is where harnessing the power of good bacteria through the use of pre, pro and post-biotic’s comes in. Coupet offers a useful analysis for understanding why and how we should look after the microbiome, “your gut is like a tropical forest in a closed space so it’s very humid and very dense, there’s a lot of different things happening, whereas the skin is like an open forest where we cut trees and they have to regrow all the time”, the aggressors that interrupt our microbiome are the saws cutting the trees and we need to nurture the remaining bacteria (or tree roots) to ensure future protection from these disruptors. A good example of this is Be Radiance’s Multipurpose oil, good bacteria activates on contact with the water to colonise the microbiome, or help the ‘trees’ grow and regrow in the most beneficial way.

While biotic skincare is not exactly new, with brands such as Gallinee and Aurelia being early adopters, the research into it is ever evolving. “There is a massive amount of research at the moment on the effect of certain pre, pro or post-biotics on acne and eczema” says Dr Marie Drago Gallinée founder, who even revealed that some bacteria is being tested to prevent skin cancer. While consumer interest in the microbiome is certainly increasing, Mintel’s Global New Product Database revealed that mentions of ‘microbiome’ rose by 130% between 2018 and 2019, there is still a lack of clarity about the differences and respective benefits between biotic beauty. Indeed, in the last 12 months worldwide searches for ‘probiotics vs prebiotics’ have grown by 250%.

Image: Gallinée Probiotics, living microorganisms or live bacteria that are key to keeping your body healthy, are the most widely known of the biotic family. This is largely due to the fact that they are found in things like yogurt and kimchi and therefore are a more familiar and tangible term. Whereas “pre- biotics are like food for probiotics, they help nourish the good bacteria on your skin” explains Nicolas Travis Allies of Skin founder and “postbiotics are produced during the fermentation process of probiotics. Examples are enzymes, peptides, and acids like Lactic Acid”. But which is best? It seems that the jury is still out as brands seek to develop formulas that are safe and well- preserved (no mean feat when using live bacteria) whilst effectively promoting a healthy microbiome for visible results.

After three years of research Orveda launched a range of prebiotic skincare, Ulrich Katusevanako Head of New Product Development explained that although “probiotics are great but you need the bacteria to grow and be stronger, that’s why we use the food”. As a company founded on biotechnology the reasoning here is a suitably scientific one. “The prebiotics that we use are a long chain of sugar that only the good bacteria can eat, this means that the bad bacteria will die as they are unable to eat them”, says Katusevanako. Orveda’s RespureTM Breathable Mist uses this technology, alongside targeted actives, to minimise sebum production. The prebiotics that are used rebalance the skin microbiota so that the sebum producing bacteria are able to survive or, indeed, thrive.

Probiotics have great soothing effects on the skin, amongst other benefits, but one of the challenges of using live bacteria in beauty products is safety and shelf life. To enable consumers to benefit from probiotics without having to worry about storage or freshness innovation is key. One brand making great strides in this direction is Be Radiance. The makeup brand proves that it’s not just skincare playing in the microbiome space as their pioneering range of powders and blushes use active probiotics that are protected in a first of its kind encapsulation that keeps the bacteria alive without going off. Once the powder is applied to the skin the sleeping bacteria is activated and left to work it’s magic, safely. For Dr Marie Drago the founder of Gallinée, the original microbiome champion, combining all three p-biotics has a synergistic effect that makes the results totally fascinating, “probiotics for their soothing effects, pre-

biotics to feed your own microbiome and post-biotics to create the perfect environment for a healthy microbiome”. Nicolas Travis, Allies of Skin founder also supports using the trifecta noting that they “all work synergistically to help your skin function and look better”.

BEYOND SKINCARE

It’s not just skincare that is tapping into the microbiome market; makeup, haircare and body care are also tapping into the idea that when it comes to beauty, bacteria is big business. The rise of mask wearing and more time spent indoors have all impacted consumers and left them seeking functional products with ingredients that support their health and wellbeing. “Microbiome is changing the face of makeup” notes Choupet, who’s pioneering makeup brand is one of the first cosmetics brands to utilise the skin health benefits of probiotics. Although Choupet admits that “makeup is behind in terms of innovation to be healthy” because consumers still think that skincare is key to a healthy complexion but forget that foundation sits directly on your skin, she is passionate about creating makeup that gives you better skin. Very few brands have launched new cosmetic products in this space but consumer interest in probiotic makeup is rising with recent data from Lumina intelligence finding that online engagement with probiotic cosmetics has risen 450% over the past two years. There is a huge opportunity for microbiome makeup to be the next beauty buzzword. As consumers seek specific products to support the health of every inch of the body, formulas that help to improve health holistically will gain popularity. Google trend searches for ‘probiotic deodorant’ rose by 400% in the last 12 months, and Caudalie have responded to growing demand with a that supports the underarm microflora via prebiotic grape water. Interest in scalp health is also on the rise with Mintel finding that 51% of European consumers are interested in scalp treatments proving that there is an opportunity for brands to invest in targeted treatments that strengthen the scalp to promote healthy hair. Another area that is being put under the microbiome microscope is the oral microbiome, as research begins to show that perhaps everything we thought about oral health hasn’t been entirely correct, Drago told us. “Up until now the solution had always been to kill all the bacteria in your mouth twice a day and hope they don’t come back” says Drago, whose brand Gallinée believes that we need to have a new approach to oral care because “99% of your mouth bacteria are good, and can help you fight the bad 1%”. The new Gallinée toothpaste uses prebitoics to feed and strengthen the good bacteria. A new toothpaste isn’t just the solution for pearly whites though; research is being done into the impact of your mouth microbiome on the rest of your body with suggestions being made that diseases like Parkinson’s could start in the mouth.

The microbiome beauty boom is only just beginning and while huge breakthroughs have been made Choupet admits that “today we have more questions than answers”. That’s not a bad thing for brands though, serious research and smart innovation will give them the opportunity to became early adopters in the bacteria boom. Understanding the microbiome will be a game changer in how we approach skin, hair, body and oral care, perhaps forever.

Image: Unsplash Image: Good Skin Club