What is a functional cosmetic and how do these products work?

Cosmetic consumers are a smart bunch. For years, the cosmetics industry harassed its buying public with a wide range of skin creams, anti-wrinkle treatments, and a host of other products, all promising to miraculously regenerate aging skin into smooth, dewy skin at the first flare of skin. youth. The bitter truth was that many of these products didn’t work, and consumers got tired of wasting their hard-earned money on pots of cream that just didn’t work.

That was until a new type of cosmetic appeared that seemed to have much more to offer than good moisturizing properties: functional cosmetics.

Prevention and symbiosis

The buying public is much smarter than advertisers would have you believe. They understand that prevention is much better than a reactive approach to improve and maintain your good looks. That’s why more consumers are embracing functional beauty regimens to reverse the signs of aging. Almost half of skincare sales are for face, hand and body care, and it’s a market worth billions of pounds every year. In recent years, reports have shown that there has been a shift towards cosmetic products with health benefits, rather than just cosmetic value. The rise of functional ingredients backed by scientific research has been a contributing factor in creating this fundamental change. Ingredients including vitamins, minerals, and essential oils have increasingly been incorporated into cosmetic products with the aim of imparting the desired functionality. The theory is that functional cosmetics are not only good for fighting the signs of aging, but are good for the whole body.

This symbiotic approach to functional cosmetics is not just a fad that means manufacturers add the latest ‘natural’ ingredient to their product and market it as a miracle cure for wrinkles. The hype is actually backed up by solid scientific facts and a plethora of research on the properties of a wide range of plant extracts, often taken from plants referred to as “superherbs.”

Collagen: the perfect example of functional cosmetics in action

Take, for example, the issue of collagen. The main protein in connective tissue, collagen is a fibrous structural molecule that provides strength and elasticity to tissue, skin, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and bone. Synthetic collagen is a miracle for clinical cosmetics, but the discovery of functional keratin by scientists working in the research and development team of an anti-aging skin care company in New Zealand is just as miraculous for the industry. of functional cosmetics. Functional keratin has been found to raise the rate of production of not only the body’s collagen, but also elastin. It works in harmony with the body’s natural biological systems to stimulate the natural growth of collagen and elastin, encouraging it to function naturally, rather than relying on a synthetic collagen injection or using a product that has synthetic collagen as an active ingredient. And it seems to work much more effectively than any synthetic substance scientists can find.

Having the ability to simply grow your own collagen at a much higher rate eliminates the need to take collagen injections, thus eliminating the introduction of a synthetic drug into your system. The naturally occurring increase in structural tissue will be enough to make a real difference in skin tone and condition. Some products also contain an ingredient that will increase the amount of hyaluronic acid present in the skin, improving skin texture.

This is why interest in functional cosmetics is growing, and expect to see this currently unknown phrase appearing in articles, advertising, and packaging across the board. Functional cosmetics, hitherto mainly associated with cosmetic dentistry, has made the leap into the broader market and is promoting a more natural way of combating the signs of skin aging and combating wrinkles, not through synthetic means but by working in synergy with the body. natural ability to heal itself. This holistic approach is sure to be popular with a public that is becoming increasingly wary of synthetic products that promise earthiness but rarely deliver results.