COSMOFACTORY

This transcript was automatically generated.
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Deanna: Welcome to CosmoFactory. A podcast by Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, where we explore the entire cosmetics, personal care, and fragrance industry supply chain. I'm your host, Deanna Utroske. And here at CosmoFactory, we look beyond the trends to discover the ideas, initiatives, and innovations that are truly advancing beauty.
Deanna: Let's get started.
Deanna: This episode is all about new product development. R and D and market analysis, as well as skincare tools, facial exercises, and topical products. Joining me today on the CosmoFactory podcast is Sinéad Whyte, senior new product development manager at FaceGym. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.
Deanna: It's a pleasure to be here. Absolutely.
Deanna: A quick note before we get to my interview with Sinéad. Several of the early episodes of the CosmoFactory podcast, including this one, were [00:01:00] recorded live on the show floor of Cosmopack in Bologna, Italy this past March. Since then, Sinéad has moved on, and she is no longer working with FaceGym. I expect that you'll find this episode informative and inspiring all the same.
Deanna: That said, here is my conversation with Sinéad Whyte.
Deanna: Let's start with what your job entails. What is your particular expertise in the industry, Sinéad? So I actually
Sinéad: studied science and I studied, I specialize in pharmacology. Um, and I found myself in the industry. I started as a toxicologist, so I was working Oriflame Cosmetics’ and I was analyzing ingredients, ensuring, uh, formulations were safe for the general public.
Sinéad: Um, and then I wanted to kind of dive a bit deeper. deeper into product development. So that is when I moved, um, to London, um, and I worked for as an NPD manager, um, for three years for bulldog skincare for men. And then I made the move to [00:02:00] FaceGym where I'm now senior NPD manager. So my expertise is, you know, I really enjoy.
Sinéad: Um, creating formulations, but also picking efficacious actives, you know, actives that have a lot of data behind them that are going to make a difference to your skin. Um, also quite a big regulatory nerd. Uh, so I would say that's one of the hats I wear. And then also at FaceGym, I'm in charge of developing their electrical and manual tools.
Sinéad: So
Deanna: there's a good bit going on. Excellent. That's fantastic. So go ahead and say more about FaceGym for folks who might not be familiar with the brand. Yeah.
Sinéad: Yeah. So FaceGym, it was set up by Inge Theron, um, over 10 years ago. So Inge was writing for the financial times, um, as a chronicles of a spa junkie.
Sinéad: So she was going around the world, testing all these different spa treatments. And then when one left her kind of housebound, she said, there has to be something in between, you know, just someone rubbing a moisturizer on your face and someone, you know, coming at you with a, a needle. So she went and studied [00:03:00] the 40 forgotten muscles in the face.
Sinéad: And that is FaceGym. So it's all about, um, you know, increasing circulation, your face, draining your lymph system, um, releasing muscle tension, but also stimulating your fibroblasts. So you get your collagen boost. Uh, so it's a non invasive facelift. Um, and we say it's a workout, not a facial.
Deanna: Yeah. Yeah. So I'm wondering with that background and working with this brand, what do you do when you're at a show here like Cosmopack?
Sinéad: So I am I'm looking for a few different things. I'm looking. We have topical skin care, so I'm looking for new manufacturers looking for innovative textures, ingredients, packaging. But then I'm also looking for machines for our studios. So we have a we we cater for different skin types. Um, And we need different machines, different appliances.
Sinéad: So I'm looking for the newest, the greatest, and then I'm also looking for some new, you know, at home, uh, face devices
Deanna: as well. [00:04:00] Wow. So that's a lot of the show floor that you're covering because you're here in Cosmopack. It sounds like looking at ingredients, looking at packaging, maybe talking to contract manufacturers.
Deanna: Then I imagine you have dashed over to the professional section of the show and that's where you're looking when you talk about machinery, you're talking about, uh, like in spa treatment. Yeah.
Sinéad: So looking at, you know, cleansing machines, radio frequency machines, um, electrical stimulation, electrical muscle stimulation machines, just also seeing what's innovative out there.
Sinéad: You know, there's some ultrasound machines that I, that I spotted as well. Um, so yeah, I have been walking around, you know, I was saying to you earlier, I've done 26, 000 steps over the last on Wednesday on Thursday. And then you have another full day of it. Another full day. Yeah, yeah. I'm burning off the pasta I've eaten.
Deanna: Yes, that's fantastic. I'm curious as you walk around Cosmopack in particular, and you mentioned looking at packaging manufacturers as well as ingredients. Do you have the products in [00:05:00] mind that you want to develop or are you really looking for inspiration? I think it's a
Sinéad: mix. I think last year we knew what we were looking for and we found an amazing pack.
Sinéad: We've actually found three amazing packs, which we ended up using, um, for a product launch, um, last September and then one in January. Um, so that was really obviously useful last year. So this year, um, I have some one product in mind and then the rest, I'm just looking for kind of innovation and seeing what's out there.
Sinéad: I think what sparked for me is more and more packs are refillable. Yes. And nearly all of the packs they've presented to me are refillable. Okay. Okay. Interesting.
Deanna: And so what happens next? Do you take this back to a team or do you just sleep on it for a few weeks and create a, you know, a pitch for your company?
Deanna: What happens next in this process?
Sinéad: I need to go back and. Download all the information from my mind and my notebook, my scribbly notes, and I usually put it into a presentation where I'll present it to our founder, our [00:06:00] CEO, um, our CMO. Um, you know, I'll bring some samples of products I have, some images. So it's not just so they can kind of feel like they were there.
Sinéad: Um, not as fun, but so that it's interactive. And so, uh, they can get an idea. So I'll just pick what I think is useful. Um, because you need to sift through a lot here. I like your job. I like it too.
Deanna: That's very cool. So, um, as you know, the current theme of the CosmoFactory podcast, is ideas to innovation. So it sounds like we're already starting to have that conversation.
Deanna: But maybe you can use an example from past years. How have you and your team moved an idea into a real product?
Sinéad: So we have a new range that's just been launched, uh, called active collagen. Um, so the first product was, uh, our Wonder Cleansing Balm, which was released in September. Then we released a moisturizer in January, our Wonder Moisturizer.
Sinéad: And then actually, uh, start of April, we're releasing the Wonder [00:07:00] Serum. Um, so this was built on an idea of looking at collagen in your skin as a whole. So we're kind of the experts in collagen at FaceGym from the point of, we know that your muscles are the scaffolding of your face. But we also know that fibroblasts, they are the cells that produce collagen, elastin, glycosamine, glycan, such as hyaluronic acid.
Sinéad: And as we age, the fibroblasts lose their tensegrity. So that's basically they're not stretched enough. So what our workouts do is throughout the motions, um, throughout the part of our workout called cardio, we do like whipping of the face and it's been proven that actually increasing circulation, draining lymph, but also, um, stretching those muscles, uh, stimulates your fibroblasts to produce collagen.
Sinéad: So we wanted to bring that into our skincare. So this is where the ideas to innovate come from. So we took a three prong approach to this new topical range. So the first one is protect. So we understand that, [00:08:00] um, your collagen breaks down from, Exposure to oxidative stress. So we have picked the strongest antioxidants, um, which are going to provide that extrinsic protection to your skin because you lose that ability to protect as you age and from different exposures.
Sinéad: Um, so, for example, in our Wonder Cleansing Balm, we've used Ylang Ylang stem cells. So it's a biotech ingredient that just takes one plant and puts it under stress so that we're not taking fields upon fields. So it's more sustainable as well. And these have proven to, um, have huge antioxidant power. Um, then we have boost.
Sinéad: So we have added in a type three like vegan collagen. Um, so this is a biotech ingredient. It's a yeast that was studied for 14 years. So it's fermented yeast and it produces a type three like human collagen, but it's vegan.
Deanna: Is it a protein?
Sinéad: It, it's a, yeah, it's a polypeptide. Um, [00:09:00] and so we've added that into the range as well.
Sinéad: Um, and we've really good efficacy data for that, that it does penetrate the skin, um, improve skin barrier, but also boost collagen. And then the third prong is optimize. So we know that using our facial massage techniques that you can optimize your collagen production. Uh, so we've linked all of the products with a specific move.
Sinéad: Um, so for example, I wonder moisturizer that we launched in January, it's a really good alternative for people that don't like using a face oil with a gua sha. A lot of people don't like face oil. They say it breaks them out. So this is a lot. This has enough play time for using your gua sha, but also, um, massage, um, and it was, yeah.
Sinéad: So that's kind of the range. The whole idea for innovation was the three prong approach, protect, boost and optimize.
Deanna: Excellent. No. And that's very clever. I, I think, um, the oil step. It can be a deterrent for some folks wanting to use devices. You know, if you don't want to keep the oil on your skin, what do you do?
Deanna: And having that play time, like you said, with an alternative [00:10:00] product, that's very clever.
Sinéad: And also people find it hard to take the time or get the time to do their facial workouts. So our cleansing balm has enough play time that you can actually do those moves at home in the evening while you're taking off your makeup.
Sinéad: Um, so we wanted. To kind of encourage whether it's just literally five minutes a day can make such a difference to your skin.
Deanna: Yeah, no, that's very smart. That's very smart to sort of change the routine a bit. Yeah, enhance it. I think I think we could say so as you've been talking about product development a little bit and your time here at the show, we're hearing more about what goes on at FaceGym with workouts and such.
Deanna: But talk, talk more directly about the FaceGym approach to skin. You, you have these exercises and studios where, where clients can go in.
Sinéad: Yeah. So we don't call them salons. We call them studios. Um, so we have 12, we have six in the UK and six in the U S. Um, and basically you go in and you get a workout for your face.
Sinéad: So we have a four stage approach. So [00:11:00] your trainer will look at your skin, ask you, you know, what are your skin goals? And they'll go in with your warmup. So this is a lot of like knuckling action on the skin and that is to boost circulation. Um, and we know that. boosting circulation to the skin improves fibroblast action.
Sinéad: That's why, for example, uh, cigarette smokers tend to have more fine lines and wrinkles because it reduces the circulation to your face. Um, then we go in with our cardio sticking to the gym theme, and this is to promote muscular activity. So we do some knuckling here. We do some whipping here. Um, and this is where your face will get, you know, a bit heated.
Sinéad: It's not painful. It's, it's definitely not painful. And then we'll go into sculpting. So this is deep massage of the skin, but also releasing tension. Um, and we do have a new, um, like. Booster, which is a buccal. So they literally put their hand into your mouth with a glove and they will release that buccal tension.
Sinéad: And it actually makes such a difference to the way your face looks. Um, because I'm a teeth grinder, so I know you [00:12:00] can build up that muscle there. It's really good to release. And then we go in with a cool down. So it's a, you know, relax, um, adding more topical products. Uh, throughout that as well, we use electrical muscle stimulation.
Sinéad: We have a product, a device called the FaceGym pro. Um, and that is, um, patented, uh, triple wave technology. That's going to contract and relax your muscles. And then we have different services such as, you know, radio frequency, which heats your skin to 42 degrees to promote collagen production. We have cryotherapy, which is like drinking water for the skin.
Sinéad: Um, it's frozen CO2, um, hyaluronic acid. And then we have also skin IV, which is like a jet wash for your skin. So we've different, um, kind of add ons, I guess, or, or boosters. But the main idea is that you have your. Um, you know, your workout basically.
Deanna: Yeah. Yeah. If someone were familiar with a more conventional facial experience, would this feel similar?
Sinéad: No, like you're not [00:13:00] in a private room or you're not lying down. You're on a chair, which is like tilted back. You have some fun music, you know, there's a kind of a, it's a, it's a really cool vibe. I still find it relaxing. Um, but it's definitely not, you know, lying down with a warm towel over you kind of thing.
Sinéad: But what I like is you do see instant results, um, and then with continued results, they're obviously accentuated.
Deanna: Yeah. So. Let's talk more about, um, your role in developing tools or even maybe some of the workout techniques. Are you involved with that or more The tools I
Sinéad: leave? Yeah, more of the tools. I leave that to our, um, lovely education development team.
Sinéad: Um, who, who are the experts in those, um, techniques and Inger founder. Um, but yeah, tools have been involved in that development. Um, I was in Hong Kong for Cosmoprof in November. Okay. And that was amazing to see. The tools from, I guess the Forest East. Yes. Um, you know, they, they kind of lead [00:14:00] the way. So it was amazing to see the new technology over there.
Sinéad: Um, and in terms of developing tools, it's a bit tricky because we sell in the UK and the uk, eu, and us. Mm-Hmm. . So we need, for certain technologies, we need FDA approval, we need CE for uk, um, eu. So that's when it gets a bit tricky because, um, you need to take all these regulatory. bits and pieces into account.
Sinéad: And then there are a lot of tools that I've found that when I have tested them for a period of time, they don't say what they do, but sorry, they don't do what they say. Um, so for example, I was testing a radio frequency device that just when I used a thermometer to see, did it actually heat up to over 40 degrees?
Sinéad: It didn't. So I think it's testing and trialing, you know, sieving out the. The best on the market.
Deanna: Sure. Interesting. Interesting. That's helpful. And what about your approach to developing skin care? I mean, you shared a bit there when we talked about moving the idea through to an actual innovation. [00:15:00] Why even launch skincare with this sort of fitness based approach and workout focus?
Deanna: So
Sinéad: when FaceGym years ago, they were using best in class of third party products. So as it grew, Um, two years ago, um, well, it'll be three actually nearly. Um, we decided to launch topical products because it felt like the natural step forward. And when developing a topical skincare product for gGym, we have to be sure that it can be used in the workouts.
Sinéad: So, you know, if it's a really quick drying moisturizer with no play time, our trainers aren't going to be able to use that for the massage techniques. So we need to ensure that it's going to be able to be used in the workout, but also we pick actives that will, that are in there at efficacious levels that will accelerate the results and allow you to take those moves home.
Sinéad: So we, yeah, the FaceGym is kind of a three prong approach again, [00:16:00] like that range, you know, we have our workouts in studio, then we have our at home workouts with the products on our at home workouts with our tools. Um, but yeah, they need to be workout friendly. I would say,
Deanna: yeah, no, that makes sense. That makes sense.
Deanna: I guess I want to think a little bit more big picture about the sort of work that you do and ask you what you've seen change over the past maybe three to five years in terms of research and development for, for products.
Sinéad: Yeah, I think there is more testing going on in terms of like clinical testing. So you know, people or raw material suppliers are giving you a lot more data to sell you that product or to sell you that ingredient.
Sinéad: There used to be a time they'd say, look, here is this, um, peptide, it does X, Y, Z, and people might say, grand, let's pop that in. Now we want to see results before we're using it, especially if you know that if you're paying for the premium raw materials, we want to make sure that there's that data behind it.
Sinéad: And so I think there's improved [00:17:00] testing. Um, and then I think in terms of innovation, I think that's boomed. I think the biotech industry is getting bigger and bigger. And that's something that I found our Inge is really interested in. So a lot of our products have biotech ingredients. I think it's really interesting that you can take an ingredient, um, and, you know, replicate it to be like a human type three collagen.
Sinéad: We have a freeze dried product called Active Blast. So they're little freeze dried spheres of, um, that type three like human collagen. And as I said, that was 14 years in the making. It's a biotech fermented yeast. And the way it goes through, um, the development, it's better than using like bacterial fermentation because it, the amount of the length of time it takes, you get better protein folding.
Sinéad: So it's more like the human type three collagen. Um, and what's really interesting about this is that when we look at the data, it's [00:18:00] actually better than using marine collagen on stimulating fibro, fibroblast, um, Cell growth. Um, when we look at similar levels, but I think it's really good that we were able to offer that for people that are vegan.
Sinéad: Um, and also because we control that, um, process, we were able to guarantee a low molecular weight. So we know that it can be absorbed into the skin because you know, you look on tick tock. Everyone's like collagen can't go into the skin. Yeah, you're right, if you get just regular marine collagen, it can't.
Sinéad: Some hydrolyzed collagen are still too big to be absorbed into the skin, but we have a guaranteed low molecular weight. Um, so I think, yeah, I think innovation is growing and that we need that because, you know, you need to stand out in the market, it's saturated. I think if you walk around here, you'll see there's a million amazing brands, but you need to have something that's different.
Sinéad: Yeah.
Deanna: Yeah. No, that makes good sense. What about market analysis? Can you talk about even what that is and how it plays a role in your work? [00:19:00]
Sinéad: Yeah, so I'd say it's like looking at, I suppose, direct and indirect competitors, seeing what they're doing, how they're doing it, looking to see, you know, do we have a gap in our portfolio?
Sinéad: Um, like the cleansing balm, I would say we had, uh, we just had a gel. To foam cleanser. Um, and the cleansing bamboo was huge and we said, is it too saturated? But when we looked into it, looking at it, market analysis, we saw that no, it was still growing and growing. So we knew that was a good opportunity, but I think market analysis is so important because you don't want to just launch a product off a whim.
Sinéad: You want to have data behind that to back why this is a, the right commercial decision. I look a lot to the far East in particular Korea, uh, for inspiration. I think the textures, uh, especially in sun care, um, are amazing. Like I was looking at some of them even here today at the fair. Um, and just the, [00:20:00] the beautiful textures that they have, they are the leaders in skincare, I would say.
Deanna: And, you know, you mentioned looking to other markets, uh, for, for inspiration and, and ideas. When you're looking at something and you know it's innovative and you get really excited about it, how do you sort of do the math between, yes, it's compelling and yes, it works, and will the FaceGym customer use it?
Sinéad: Yeah, so there's obviously ideas that I think are amazing. That others will be like, no, I think it's bringing a business case together to say, okay, this is the idea. This is how this company has been doing it. But here's how I think FaceGym could do it. Yes. Presenting back the data, you know, looking at, looking at the figures, um, because ultimately that's what you want to sell a product and reporting back to the business.
Sinéad: And I guess it's about trying to convince them that that's the right decision. I think it's important to get. [00:21:00] different functions point of view as well. And also we ask our, our consumers, our, our customers in store sometimes what they think about different names of the products, what they think about the textures of them.
Sinéad: So we do like to get them involved. So I'd say it needs to be a group decision, not just one person, because I think one person's vision is. Might be amazing, but it might not be the right thing to do for the business.
Deanna: Sure. Sure. No, that makes very good sense. And you mentioned, um, getting consumer input, right?
Deanna: Um, in store. I'm wondering if you can talk about who the FaceGym customer is. Yeah. So the FaceGym customer
Sinéad: is I would say it would be so mostly millennial. Okay. Um, but we're seeing a growing share of Gen Z as well. And as people that are looking for a holistic approach to beauty, um, we do have some consumers that also, you know, do go and get filler and Botox.
Sinéad: We're not anti tweakments, but we do have some people [00:22:00] that just don't believe in that and they want another approach to be able to improve their skin tone. Okay. improve their, just the visual appearance, I suppose. Um, and our consumers are very educated when it comes to skincare. They know their ingredients.
Sinéad: They're able to read the ingredient lists. You know, they're able to, um, really decipher what is going to work for their skin.
Deanna: Right, right. And I guess I'm curious, Do you think the customer has more of a wellness approach or a beauty approach, um, to the care? And I'm wondering too about gender. Is this a gender agnostic brand?
Sinéad: Yeah, so we are unisex, but, um, females are our main consumer. But we are seeing, um, it's sort of expanding. Um, I think as well, um, In terms of wellness or beauty, I would say it's a mix. I think there's people that use the products because they want to see a difference in [00:23:00] reducing fine lines, wrinkles. Then we have some people that just want to age gracefully.
Sinéad: They want to protect, they want to prevent further damage. Yes. Yes.
Deanna: No, that makes good sense. Thank you. Um, we talked a little bit about how there's been some change on the, the supply side of the industry. I'm wondering if you can just talk about how skin care has changed over the years as well. Um, and this might, you know, have a bit to do with the routines, uh, that, that FaceGym has.
Deanna: That, I guess that could be the, the FaceGym angle to how skin care has changed. But I think, um, you know, I know I've seen change from, from where I sit in the industry over several years. I'm curious to see what you've noticed.
Sinéad: Yeah, I would say there's a few different things that I could touch on. Um, so tech integration is huge now.
Sinéad: People are combining skincare with technology, be it an app that ciphers your skin type or your problem areas all the way to using, you know, led is booming. And, [00:24:00] you know, we have a acne light shop product we launched, which is a hands free blue light device to target acne as the name would say. Um, and this was, this is targeted because we, we saw that, uh, Women, especially post menopausal women or perimenopausal, they were having some localized breakouts and they didn't want to invest in a full.
Sinéad: Um, L. E. D. Mask. So we decided to get this portable hands free device that you pop on your skin. Um, I think we're integrating technology much further. And as I said, we have, you know, our electrical muscle stimulation, which we use in combination with a serum because it needs to conduct, um, into the muscles.
Sinéad: I would say also personalization is growing massively. You know, you have these brands where you put in your skin concerns, you actually get a pharmacist prescribing the products, but then you also have, um, I think more and more brands [00:25:00] are looking at skin type in a more holistic way. So, You know, they know that someone's not going to, a customer might have oily skin, but it might not be blemish prone.
Sinéad: So they don't need to strip the skin of all of its oils. Um, or for example, during part of the month, someone might have, um, breakouts. You might want just like a blemish treatment product. So I think personalizing it to your skin type is really important. I think that's growing. It's not a one fit model anymore.
Sinéad: Yeah. Um, and then I think, you know, that clean beauty movement is, it's had a huge impact on the industry, like, you know, everyone thinks parabens are the devil. As a toxicologist, I can tell you that they're not the, the ones that were dangerous are banned. Um, but you can't go and use them anymore because no one will buy the product.
Sinéad: There's no point me sitting there saying. I promise they're fine. No one's going to buy them.
Deanna: Yeah.
Sinéad: [00:26:00] Um, and I guess, yeah, sustainability is at the forefront, as I mentioned on the refill packs. You know, people want to see a refill, um, available, but I do question, do people buy the refills?
Deanna: I mean, I, if, you know, from my understanding of the data, it's, it's growing quickly, but it's still a very small portion, you know, compared to the overall category, be it skincare or fragrance.
Deanna: Um, but I think there, there's potential there. Um, a couple of questions came up for me as you were talking. Oh, well, you mentioned, um, you know, the relevance of sustainability and it just reminded me, um, of your mentioning earlier the use of biotech ingredients, um, biotech, um, ingredients generally have a fairly strong sustainability story behind them in so far as, you know, maybe not exploiting conventional agriculture or using so much water in production, that sort of thing.
Deanna: So I think there's some relevance there. Um, I'm also curious, this might be a question. put our conversation in a funny order. Um, but help me think about the sort of devices and tools that the [00:27:00] FaceGym customer is using at home.
Sinéad: Yeah. So our hero tool is the FaceGym pro. So, um, as I mentioned, it's patented triple wave technology.
Sinéad: So it's electrical muscle stimulation. So it's much stronger than microcurrent. Okay. Um, so we recommend using that every second day for 10 minutes. What it does, it. It's literally causes involuntary, um, muscle contraction. Okay. So if you look on our Instagram, for example, you will see it. It's very Instagrammable or tick tockable if they're real phrases, but you do see an instant lift and then over time you get long term results.
Sinéad: So that's our number one. Um, and then in terms of other devices, as I mentioned, the acne light shot has done amazingly. Because people wanted something that could target, um, I suppose what's really good about it is it prevents further breakouts as well as treating it. So you're not just using, for example, a salicylic acid.
Sinéad: Um, gel on the spot and then that's it. Or you [00:28:00] wait for the next one to show up. Exactly. Exactly. And we've a lot of strong data behind that. Um, I would say that we have some other electrical muscle stimulation tools. We have a mask, um, and we have an eye mask as well. They're hands free EMS. But I think also a manual tool is our multi scope.
Sinéad: So it's a six edged gua sha. It's stainless steel. So it's stainless steel so that if you drop it, like it's not going to break like a jade gua sha, but also stainless steel. It doesn't rust. Um, it's not porous, so it's actually more hygienic, uh, and you can pop it in the fridge if you like a cooler, but it's already cool enough.
Sinéad: I'm sure. And you have the six different edges, um, which I really like because you can drain, you can target different areas of your face, but it really, really helps to drain the lymphatic system. Yes. And that's what apparently a lot of that kind of like puffy under the chin, um, that's stagnant water or stagnant lymph [00:29:00] that you need to drain.
Sinéad: Sure. So I think The FaceGym Pro and our Multiscope, they're really popular. And then we, we also have two face yoga balls and they're to stretch the muscles. Um, so I think they're pretty popular as well.
Deanna: Yeah, no, that's wonderful. Thank you. Picturing the whole brand in action. I'm wondering if there are questions that you wish I had asked you that I didn't, or maybe something you think we need to know about FaceGym or even your, your work in new product development, um, tips and tricks for other folks in your shoes, walking the show.
Deanna: Any of the above
Sinéad: tips and tricks for the show, I think come with comfy shoes, map out a plan, see who's going to be there before. Um, and then in terms of product development, I think what's it, my biggest tip would be if you are going with a new manufacturer, make sure that they have produced something similar before.
Sinéad: Yes. Um, that it's not a new kind of base that, you know, you're going to go to first [00:30:00] production. You're going to have stability issues. That would be my top NPD tip. Um, and then in terms of FaceGym, something maybe you didn't ask me what's next, if I can tell you this is an exclusive. So our active collagen wonder serum is coming at the start of April.
Sinéad: So this, uh, contains that lovely, um, vegan collagen. We also have a phyto retinol in there, so to brighten an even skin tone. But the phyto retinol, you don't have that downtime or irritation. And also it doesn't increase your photo sensitivity.
Deanna: Mm-Hmm, .
Sinéad: But I will caveat that with you. Still always should be using SPF every day, no matter rain, wind, sun, whatever that expression is.
Sinéad: um. And we also have quercetin in there. So this is an ingredient that has been linked anecdotally to longevity and was actually studied a lot in mice during the pandemic, um, because they found a link to a link [00:31:00] after COVID. And it was never used in skincare because it wasn't permeable into the skin. So we're using an innovative form of delivery there.
Sinéad: And then we also have some lovely, uh, biotech hyaluronic acid in there. We have, um, actually. A range of molecular weight hyaluronic acid. So you get that deep hydration, but then you also get that plumping. look, and then it is, um, we have carrots seed oil in there, which is rich in beta carotene. And what's really interesting here is with this whole range, we carried out lots of clinical studies.
Sinéad: So for our wonder moisturizer, when used twice a day for eight weeks, It is possible to reduce the appearance of your skin age by up to four years. Um, for our new serum, you know, it's clinically proven to improve your complexion over time. And then we went in and did in vitro studies as well on these two products.
Sinéad: So we literally got cells from a 67 year old, um, ethically. So we got fibroblast cells and we treated them with the product. And when compared to [00:32:00] the control, we saw an. Over 30 percent increase in collagen and elastin, and that was type one collagen, which is the most abundant in the skin. Um, so yeah, I think these are really science led.
Sinéad: We're really excited for them. Um, they're beautiful products. They're in lovely packs, refillable, I should add. Um, but yeah, that's the serum coming out. I think it's just a really, really, um, lovely combination of ingredients. And we have the, um, clinical and claims results to really back up what we're saying.
Deanna: Excellent. Thank you for that. We've covered so much. I know. I really appreciate this. Thank you so much for joining me today on the CosmoFactory Podcast. It's been a pleasure. Thank you so
Sinéad: much.
Deanna: Thank you so much for listening. If you find the CosmoFactory Podcast useful, please take a moment to leave us a five star review and share your thought.
Deanna: So even more cosmetic industry professionals can discover the CosmoFactory. [00:33:00] I'm Deanna Utroske. Please join me again next Tuesday for a new episode of the CosmoFactory podcast.