When your new Kate Spade blazer doesn’t fit quite right, you take it to the tailor. When you’re trying to achieve your dream body, you get a tailor-made fitness plan from a personal trainer. So why do we settle for less than that when it comes to our skincare? Although semi-individualized regimens have become a growing trend (think: custom facials and online skin quizzes), a blanket approach to skin correction has, to your skin’s dismay, remained the norm.
We’ll unearth how dermaviduals’ corneotherapeutic treatment has remedied the problematic one-size-fits-all cosmeceuticals and delve into the history behind its made-to-measure skincare system.
Corneotherapy is a dermatological “outside-in” approach to healing the skin
To understand its rich history, we must return to the 70s. The decade didn’t just bring us the joy of Beatlemania and daring trends (bell-bottoms, anyone?), it’s also when Corneotherapy was discovered by the co-inventor of Retin-A, dermatologist Dr. Albert Kligman.
Kligman and his partners discovered during their research that, essentially, all skin problems (especially acne, rosacea, atopic dermatitis, and other conditions) are an indication of an upset stratum corneum—the outermost layer of the skin AKA the part of your complexion that you can touch, feel, cleanse and beautify.
They were beginning to understand, and concluded, that a healthy outer layer was the absolute key to healthy skin as a whole. Hence their coined term “corneo,” referring to the stratum corneum layer of the skin and “therapy,” a healing practice.
The outer layer is referred to as the skin barrier & its job is to protect
The skin barrier is defensive by nature. That’s because it has two missions: 1) to control moisture levels and 2) to keep environmental aggressors—microbes, pathogens, UV rays and pollution—at bay. And when its mission is compromised, you’ll see the very undesired result in your complexion (such as redness, dryness, pigmentation and signs of aging).
Think of your skin barrier like the roof atop your house. A strong roof weathers the storm and protects your home from outdoor conditions. A leaky roof, however, lets havoc trickle into your beloved abode.
Now ask yourself this: if you had, say, a hole in your roof, would you be content with simply sweeping the incoming debris while a bucket collects the rainwater? Or would you set out to repair your roof and protect your home once more? Repairing the outer barrier is, needless to say, the solution—and this understanding sparked the invention of the bespoke topical skin care line we know and love today.
Dermaviduals is designed to repair the skin barrier for healthy, nourished, radiant skin.
Created by international leader in pharmacology and chemistry Dr. Hans Lautenschläger, dermaviduals follows two unique schools of thought, to put it simply. The first? Following the understanding of corneotherapy to strengthen the skin barrier.
We mentioned the barrier can be breached by environmental stressors, but did you know common skincare ingredients such as emulsifiers and surfactants also lower its defenses dramatically? They often contain the wrong lipids, too, which disrupt the normal pH of the skin, which is essential for barrier repair. Mineral oils and silicones then turn off the repair process entirely and may negatively influence the healthy bacteria we do want on the skin. In other words, drug store and even dermatological products damage the barrier system.
That’s why dermaviduals skincare line is always free of surfactants, emulsifiers, preservatives, perfumes and dyes.
The second: To provide pure skincare ingredients handpicked for each person. These licensed skincare professionals understand that, just like fingerprints, everyone has a unique skin story that warrants equally unique product formulation. To do this, the therapist must first investigate and follow the clues your skin gives before selecting the right ingredients and applications.
This crucial skin analysis can treat the underlying cause of skin conditions—i.e. finding what provoked the damaged roof so that it never tumbles again. This is especially important for people who suffer from acne, eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, or whose skin may be susceptible to barrier and cornification disorders.
The result is a tailored skincare regimen that begins with dermaviduals’ signature base—Derma Membrane Structure (DMS)—which mimics the exact structure and chemical composition of the natural skin barrier. These bases are then customized and enriched with active agents according to what your specific skin needs to repair itself and soon after healing, to protect itself.
Are you in the state of New York and interested in our effective range of products that promote ongoing healthy, happy skin? Send us an email or call 1-888-753-2231.
