The New Way To Tell How Healthy Skin Is

The answer, which Cle de Peau Beaute scientists found, is in your skin capillaries. Here’s how to get them working at their best.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

The answer, which Cle de Peau Beaute scientists found, is in your skin capillaries. Here’s how to get them working at their best.

Capillaries are the tiniest blood vessels in your body and play a big part in exchanging good stuff for bad stuff between your blood and tissues.

Japanese skincare brand Cle de Peau Beaute discovered that skin capillaries are weaker in older skin, which affects firmness. Kentaro Kajiya, the scientist who uncovered the link, says capillaries make a protein that brings collagen to areas where it’s lacking, to keep skin firm. But weak capillaries = poorer circulation = less collagen delivered. 

The finding is at the heart of the brand’s skin intelligence concept, which looks at skin’s ability to regenerate. Its newest Le Creme, a lifting cream used after moisturiser, promises to help boost the capillaries’ ability to repair and protect, for a youthful, supple complexion. It’s packed with 60 ingredients that La Creme’s product developer Moe Shimazaki says addresses dryness, sagging, wrinkles, fine lines, pores, roughness and dullness. 

Use La Creme at night, when skin needs it most. “Skin’s ability to function becomes less active during sleep, which means its defence against stressors caused during the day will not function at optimal levels at night.” This results in ageing skin. 

Key to the formula is the skin-empowering illuminator with five ingredients – extracts of platinum golden silk, Japanese pearl shell, theanine, perilla and Angelica acutiloba – said to improve collagen production and help skin regenerate faster. Expect smoother, lifted and radiant skin in 14 days, and a real difference in eight weeks.

HELPING SKIN WITH EXTRACTS OF:

1. Angelica acutiloba

2. Japanese pearl shell

3. Perilla

4. Theanine

5. Platinum golden silk

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AN ICON SINCE 1982

1982 La Creme started as a luxe moisturiser that keeps skin hydrated so it can function well.

1992 An improved formula prevents rough skin from dryness and UV rays.

1996 Becomes its current iteration, which helps brighten skin.

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2004 Targets external aggressors, to achieve resilient and luminous skin.

2007 Evolves into a high-performance cream that helps relieve skin discomfort.

2011 The first time the brand’s illuminating complex is added, for skin radiance.

2016 New formula: moisturises and retexturises for firmer, resilient skin when you wake up.

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2020 Helps skin enhance its night-time mechanisms to create resilient and luminous skin. It costs $875 for a 30ml jar, and $1,200 for 50ml.

ILLUSTRATION KURO WANG