03.28.08
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BioType Skin Care
Bioelements targets unique skin needs for customized benefits.
By Joanna Cosgrove
Online Editor
Most skin falls into one of three types: dry, oily and combination – but for Bioelements, those three categories are but a small piece of a larger, more complex skincare puzzle. Client skin types are individually evaluated and “BioTyped” so aestheticians can address each unique need with a vast collection of products boasting fine natural plant extracts, trace minerals and essential oils. The company is constantly formulating new products with cutting-edge ingredients and its cleansers, toners, moisturizers and other treatments have become mainstays in spas nationwide.
A close look at many of the Colorado Springs, CO-based company’s formulations will reveal a heavy emphasis on plant botanicals. “Bioelements’ ultimate goal is to use the best possible ingredients to get the job done. It just so happens that botanical ingredients are usually the best, especially now as it is much easier to extract highly effective ingredients from plants,” explained Barbara Salomone, the company’s CEO and founder. “Bioelements places a high importance on both results and keeping skin healthy, and so we’ll use whatever type of ingredients that helps us reach that goal, whether they come from a plant, or a laboratory. But in many cases, plant extracts offer the best solutions.”
Prior to using any Bioelements skin care formulation, clients are encouraged to learn their BioType via an in-person consultation with an esthetician who, after analyzing the oil production of a client’s skin, will categorize a client into one of six BioTypes - definitely oily, moderately oily, combination/slightly oily, combination/slightly dry, moderately dry and definitely dry.
Bioelements currently counts 56 different Retail Skin Care products and 21 Professional Use Only products. And even BioTyped products can be further customized. The company offers Custom Blend Ingredients suited to cater to a client’s unique home environment, lifestyle, age and stress level. Skin care professional are able to custom blend cosmeceuticals, botanicals and aromatherapist oils into existing the company’s existing products to precisely target the exact needs of skin.
There are three cosmeceutical blends: anti-aging additive that contains peptides and “action” ingredients for anti-aging benefits; oil control concentrate which employs oil-inhibiting, bacteria-reducing ingredients for blemish- and shine-prone skin; and vitamin C blend to combat poor elasticity, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and visible capillaries.
The six custom blend botanicals are Calm Down Booster for irritated skin; pant extract-rich Capillary Antidote; Clogged Pore Inhibitor which employs herbal extracts to normalize sebum production; Deep Hydration, Firming Complex which “helps skin cells to form collagen, elastin and Hyaluronic acid”; and Soothing Concentrate which relies on “gentle” plant extracts to rebalance overactive skin.
The aromatherapist oils are Bulgarian Rose Otto, East Indian Sandalwood and Wild French Lavender.
The company also has a Complexion Color range that spans five shades of Sheer Makeup, four shades of Mid Coverage Makeup, three shades of concealer, one powder, 11 shadows, a mascara, five blushes, 12 lipsticks, a gloss, an eyeliner and two lip liners. The products are sold in over 3000 spas across the US and range in price from $25 to $65.
Having been around since 1991, the company clearly knows how to cater to its spa clients in a market chock full of “spa” themed products. Ms. Solomone said three important elements distinguish Bioelements from other spa product companies: the implementation of custom blending, the fact that all products are tested by estheticians in Bioelements Learning Centers, and the company’s penchant for formulaic innovation.
“Bioelements was the first to use antioxidants back in 1991, topical calcium in 2003, and probiotic actives in 2006,” she pointed out. “In keeping with this tradition, our new Lutein Indoor Protective Day Crème is the first product to employ lutein in a topical crème.”
Launched in March, the company’s new Lutein Indoor Protective Day Crème shields skin from artificial indoor light, also called “visible light,” which emits high levels of blue light which penetrates all the way to the dermis level, just like UVA rays. According to the company, blue light may cause free radical damage to cell membranes, leading to accelerated skin aging. And while sunscreen protects skin from UV rays, it does nothing to ward off the damaging effects of workday exposure to blue light.
The moisturizer utilizes 100% natural lutein derived from the petal of the marigold flower. Lutein is a carotenoid, or organic pigment, found in dark leafy vegetables, egg yolks and carrots and Bioelements cited recent research published in the Journal of Skin Pharmacology and Physiology and the International Journal of Cosmetic Science which proved that this natural ingredient provides “extraordinary” antioxidant protection against environmental factors including artificial indoor lighting.
“Lutein has been specifically tested and proven to protect skin from damaging blue light,” said the company in a press release. “The natural, yellow carotenoid pigment only found in Lutein absorbs and filters out potentially damaging blue light from visible light. Also, unlike sunscreen ingredients, Lutein has multiple benefits because it is a highly effective antioxidant that protects the skin from indoor pollution and increases skin hydration.”
The formulation also features beta glucan to “increase the skin’s resistance to oxidative stress,” and sweet almond and jojoba oils to “lock in” hydration for softer skin.
Lutein Indoor Protective Day Crème can be used in place of your regular moisturizer or custom blended with other Bioelements products to address a client’s specific skin care needs. The product is sold in a 2.5 oz. jar for $49.50 and in a six oz. professional size for use in the treatment room for $63.00.