A new breed of skin care products is claiming additional skin benefits through novel application methods.
Packaging has always played an integral role in skin care and with the sector commanding greater market share opportunities for innovation are ripe. The latest slew of skin care products to hit shelves puts packaging at its heart, claiming enhanced skin care benefits thanks to a new generation of skin care applicator.
From roller balls to brushes and even lumps of volcanic rock, the applicator has evolved a long way from the simple spatula to become an integrated part of a skin care regime.
“The advantage of applying a product using some form of roller or massaging action is that you are able to actually stimulate fibroblast activity in the lower layers of the skin,” explains Sharon Hilditch, managing director, Crystal Clear. “For example you can create stimulation which in turn speeds up the blood flow to the skin, in turn feeding the skin and helping speed up the renewal process. This results in helping the skin increase collagen and elastin formation.”
Professional brand Crystal Clear has launched two retail products featuring novel application methods that claim to lift the skin around the eye area and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and under-eye bags. The Eye Pen features an anti-ageing eye serum that is delivered onto the skin via battery operated, rotating head, while the more compact Rollaway The Years Eye Serum features three mini roller balls that help reduce puffiness around the eye area and soothe tired eyes.
“It is very similar to an action that is achieved using vacuum such as with microdermabrasion; it is the fact you are creating the micro massage beneath the skin and this has already been proven and documented,” explains Hilditch. “Therefore by using a massage action to apply a product it will be a lot more beneficial than just applying the product.”
Others in the industry are more sceptical however. “It doesn’t strike me that there would be much advantage to using such a product,” says cosmetic consultant, John Woodruff. “I am sceptical about any additional efficacy.”
“Really from a dermatological point of view there is no real advantage using a roller ball over the fingers, adds Dr Jennifer Jones, a dermatologist with the British Skin Foundation. “I think for consumers it is really a matter of what they prefer. In terms of credible studies, there are none that I know of which have been carried out to show one method of application is more efficacious than another.”
This viewpoint is also reflected by the professional spa sector. “From a professional beauty perspective, the benefits of a product can be enhanced with tools such as an electric current but I am undecided on whether a brush or roller ball would provide the same results,” says Penny Turvey, md, Professional Cosmetic Solutions. “An applicator would make the product appear more like a salon or professional product but that is about it.”
Mainstream momentum
The trend has not just been restricted to salons and spas, with Garnier putting its own spin on application, launching two new products for the mass market. Taking inspiration from its anti-cellulite roller ball treatment, the brand has developed UltraLift Pro-X Roll-On and Nutritionist Eye Roll-On Enriched with Caffeine.
Both products feature a massage roller ball which, in the case of the UltraLift Pro-X product, has been designed to tone the face, neck and décolletage, leaving the skin smoother, plumper and more toned. The Nutritionist eye product features a smaller roller for more precise application around the eye area and is claimed to reduce the appearance of tired looking eyes by helping to stimulate microcirculation.
Talika meanwhile has launched Eye Dream, an eye cream that targets dry, congested skin that is said to help reduce puffiness and wrinkles. This features a contoured applicator to deliver the product precisely.
At the luxury end of the market, the concept has been used by Giorgio Armani to create the ultra premium skin care line, Crema Nera. The star product in the decadent line is the Obsidian Mineral Regenerating Cream that can be bought with a special Obsidian massage tool, a smooth piece of volcanic rock that is said to enhance the properties of the cream.
The applicators also aim to recreate some of the effects of cosmetic procedures, with Givenchy and By Terry developing “cutting edge” treatments claimed to mimic effects normally achieved through surgery.
Givenchy’s No Surgetics Collagen Expert is described as a targeted solution to filling in and smoothing wrinkles and comprises a pen brush containing a Pro Collagen Emulsion that forms a mesh over the surface of a wrinkle when applied, helping to smooth and soften its appearance.
And By Terry’s Skin Expert line uses a combination of click pen brushes and roller balls to help lift, stretch, fill, plump, detox and repair skin, according to founder Terry De Gunzburg, who was also the brains behind YSL’s iconic Touche Eclat click pen brush concealer.
“I hate putting my fingertips in my replenishing cream to revamp my face, relax skin tensions or erase dark circles – how many other women feel this way?” she says. “For myself and everyone else my challenge was to break the rules and create innovative products that would contain all-in-one formulas.”
The product line-up includes Fill & Plump Multi-Active Skincare Brush, containing hyaluronic acid microspheres to fill in hollows and create volume, helping to fill out lines and wrinkles; Lift & Stretch Multi-Active Skincare Brush, a “virtual surgeon” containing a blend of amino acids, polyphenols and flavanoids to help boost collagen synthesis; and Peace & Glow Fresh Effect Skin Roll-on, featuring a metallic roller ball to help relax skin tissue and soften the signs of stress and fatigue on the skin.
Precious metal
The use of metal roller balls has been a popular choice with many manufacturers. Gatineau opted for metal with the launch of its Mateliance SOS Stick, which is claimed to soothe and dry spots, with the roller ball helping to cool down any associated redness, as well as providing a more hygienic method to apply a product. The virtues of metal have also been taken up by Crème de la Mer whose The Eye Concentrate features a metallic tipped applicator, which is said to deliver the exact amount of product needed, as well as helping to improve the skin’s microcirculation.
Whether these products provide additional skin care benefits to the consumer seems debatable, but in an increasingly competitive market place, manufacturers will continue to find ways to entice consumers to choose their product.