Instead of just lightening those dark spots, this brand has decided to get on the front foot by preventing hyperpigmentation in the first place. GOH YEE HUAY finds out more in Kyoto.
Instead of just lightening those dark spots, this brand has decided to get on the front foot by preventing hyperpigmentation in the first place. GOH YEE HUAY finds out more in Kyoto.
Mention dark spots and the usual suspects such as UV rays and pollution crop up. Less frequently talked about is the crucial phase between exposure to these damaging elements and the skin darkening that later occurs. “Sun exposure and other external aggressors have diff erent pathways, but all eventually lead to skin inflammation, which then triggers hyperpigmentation,” explains Dr Tom Mammone, executive director of skin physiology and pharmacology in Clinique’s R&D department. Redness and blotchiness, both signs of inflammation, could develop into dark marks as skin attempts to protect and heal itself by creating more melanin. In other words, if you keep inflammation in check, you’ll limit one of the main processes in the formation of dark spots and uneven skin tone. For the researchers at Clinique, this eureka moment came as they were trying to advance one of their bestselling products, the Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector. A serum containing a calibrated mix of five brightening ingredients, including border silver plant extract, glucosamine and vitamin C, it’s said to deliver results equivalent to 4 per cent hydroquinone – the prescription drug widely considered by dermatologists as the gold standard in skin brightening. Janet Pardo, Clinique’s senior vicepresident for product development worldwide, says it was a really tall order to improve on an already excellent product. “We discovered that there’s lots of other stuff going on besides visible skin darkening, and we realised that we might have been going about things the wrong way,” she explains. Instead of trying to beat the brightening benefits of the original serum, the brand decided to use anti-inflammation as another way to achieve an even skin tone.
A NEW FORMULA
To tackle inflammation while maintaining spot-fighting effi cacy, Clinique came up with the Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector & Optimizer ($135), which replaces the original Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector . Housed in a doublebarrelled pump bottle, it comprises the original serum plus a newly developed Optimizer, which has a blend of soothing ingredients to quell irritation that may cause dark spots, uneven skin tone and a dull complexion.
The two formulas are kept separate and stable until they’re pumped out for use. “The original serum was designed to resolve existing hyperpigmentation; it was much more proactive. It had some anti-inflammatory elements, but the new Optimizer soothes skin four times better. So it’s heavily designed to curb any future pigmentation,” says Dr Mammone. “There are diff erent pathways to inflammation and no single ingredient will address them all, so we put together a little team of soothing ingredients,” he adds.
JADE DEW
The team in this case includes molasses, algae extract and sucrose. Molasses plays a part in reducing melanin production, while the algae extract and sucrose off er anti-irritation benefits. But perhaps the biggest star in the line-up is gyokuro (“jade dew”) extract, taken from one of the highest-grade and most expensive green teas in Japan. Gyokuro leaves are shielded from the sun for at least two weeks before they are harvested by hand. This process results in their containing very high levels of caff eine and theanine, which are powerful anti-irritants and antioxidants. Comparing this latest Dark Spot Corrector & Optimizer with its predecessor, Janet says: “In terms of treating dark spots and hyperpigmentation, the results are equal. But there is one thing that is much greater in the new serum, and that is the soothing component.”
