Obagi to the Spa Skincare Rescue
It’s become commonplace for dermatologists to try their hand at selling retail skincare products, but few of them will say that your frequent forays to the beauty counter for moisturizer (as the crucial last step in the hallowed wash-tone-moisturize skincare regimen) could have all been for naught, or worse, harmful.
Dr. Zein E. Obagi, who made his mark with prescription skincare systems in 1988, doesn’t mince words when he’s bringing out his first over-the-counter anti-aging collection, dubbed ZO Skin Health, the usage of which is an encouraging “as you please” manner, probably to counter all the “you must have it!” messages floating about.
The deal is, the customer decides what exactly it is that needs improvement in her (or his) skin, and the ZO collection will have the solution, no pressure about completing the entire line.
The new “Rx-based formulations” are cleansers, sun protection and acne pore treatment (Offects), renewal/recovery cremes (Ommerse), eye repair (Olluminate) and cellular stimulants (Ossential) – Daily Power Defense “encourages DNA repair mechanisms to self-correct,” Radical Night Repair with 1% concentrated retinol (10 times the industry average) repairs “age-related damage,” and Growth Factor Serum triggers overall skin improvement.
First launched in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, this past month, it will be available in the Philippines starting this month, then on to Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, the UK and US.
“You get what you need, not what Dr. Obagi thinks you need. Most women are addicted to moisturizer, but a recent article in the Dermatology Times indicates that an overuse of moisturizer can lead to skin cancer, and an upcoming article in the Financial Times titled ’Death By Moisturizers,’ quotes Dr. Obagi extensively in that a simple moisturizer, which is no more than lipids and water, is actually harmful,” said Jue Wong, Executive Vice-President of Global Sales and Business Development for Zo Skin Health, at a media preview last week.
“If I give you a product that has collagen 1, 2, 3 in it. You put collagen in your skin, what do you think is going to happen to it? It sends a signal to your skin to stop producing collagen. That’s marketing. If I give you a product that is a heavy moisturizer, it will tell your skin to stop producing moisture. What Dr. Obaji is saying, ’I don’t want your skin to stop functioning. I want your skin to function at it’s best.’ Most products are doing you more harm than good, because you stop producing what you need. You don’t need another skincare brand. But what this brand is doing, it wakes up your skin cells so that your skin cells will do what it needs to make your skin healthy,” said Ms. Wong.
Skin-Awakening is the new slogan
The parameters of healthy skin, said Ms. Wong, are provided by “seven signs” — namely that it’s smooth, hydrated, firm and tight, even-toned, tolerant and free of disease. The guarantee that the ZO Skin Health line is giving, is that skin will show improvement in these specific areas should one use the corresponding product in the collection. The timeframe is six to eight weeks. The shared ingredient in most of the products (exempting cleansers, polish and a full-spectrum sunscreen with zinc oxide and a titanium dioxide as active ingredients) would be retinol, as effectiveness is pegged at 0.2% up.
“It’s a saturation program enough retinol in your skin to keep it awake and to constantly give nourishment to the skin. Retinol is really the fountain of youth, but it does not have a very good reputation, it makes the skin dry, sensitive and [prone to] breakout. Most of the retinol products have water and when you have water it breaks down; our products don’t have water or it’s encapsulated,” said Ms. Wong.
Acne treatment is recommended for 11-year-olds at the earliest. But given that 80% of skin damage is primarily because of sun exposure, Ms. Wong ventured that the products to build on would be the sunscreen and scrub (to get rid of the buildup of dead skin cells).
If clients insist, they may mix and match the products with those outside the ZO Skin Health line (although Ms. Wong qualifies that Dr. Obagi would probably advise against it, realistically women like to experiment); however, mixing two retinol products is strongly discouraged.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that the Kligman clinical trials on the Oessential Growth Factor Serum (P12,500/30ml) reportedly showed 10% reduction in wrinkles and fine lines after one week of usage, up to 30% after eight weeks; 28% improvement on skin texture and 25% improved elasticity after eight weeks; with the 20 participants listing 80% reduction in wrinkles and 60% reduction in oiliness and age spots.
Another independent clinical study provided by Ms. Wong on the Oessential Radical Night Repair (P18,200/30 ml/1fl.oz.) noted 75% decrease in fine lines and wrinkles, 75% noticeable visible improvement of fineness, 79% improvement in overall skin appearance, and 92% improvement in skin tone and radiance.
Ultimately, the customer decides what works and doesn’t work, but Ms. Wong assured, “You will be able to see how the seven signs have improved. If you were rough, before you will be smoother. But you will never again completely to the level where you were like a baby. So it’s the best condition you possibly can [have] without any medical treatment, but after that if you still want more, you go see a doctor.”
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