Instant Beauty Products: Dermatologist Explains How it Works

Instant beauty, just like everything else, sounds too good to be true. If you find it difficult to differentiate fact from myth in the confusing world of beauty, you are not alone. The latest trend of instant beauty products is alluring, but does it actually work?

In this article, Singapore dermatologist Dr.Teo Wan Lin, of TWL Specialist Skin & Laser Centre, sheds light on the topic of instant beauty. Understanding how instant results skincare products can work can help you navigate the world of beauty with a scientific perspective. Hopefully, that will lead to better investments on your skincare products. 

Do instant beauty products exist?

The topic of instant beauty is actually relevant to a key area of my dermatology research- the skin microenvironment. Whatever can impact the microenvironment instantly, also potentially can give instant effects. This is because of the unique external interface the skin as the largest organ of the body shares with the environment. 

It is critical for us to focus on the fact that your skin functions as a critical barrier between the environment as well as your internal organs systems. The great news is our research shows that you can manipulate your skin micro environment so you actually have instant results from certain types of skincare. Our prototype QRASER patch illustrates this function. We model the effects of such a patch after the concept of an ideal skin barrier. Application of this polymer simulates the perfect skin microenvironment which increases collagen production and draws water to the surface of the skin, giving an instant moisturised appearance. It also fills out superficial  wrinkles immediately simply because of its ability to draw moisture from the deeper layers of the skin.

The skin microenvironment is the subject of my research at Dr.TWL Dermaceuticals and behind the products such as our CUIONS anti-aging mask and the QRASER patch series.

What is ideal skin?

The ideal state of skin should be very well moisturised with the ability to also self-regenerate. Part of this is also about how to minimize water loss to the environment. Skin naturally produces an adequate amount of natural sebum which moisturizes the skin and keeps it looking youthful. When this homeostasis is lost, skin becomes dull, lacks radiance or goes into overdrive, known as reactive seborrhea. 

How does the QRASER patch function as an instant beauty product? 

The thinning of the epidermis and the dermis as one ages causes wrinkles. Wrinkles can also be due to overactivity of certain muscle groups. The key feature of the QRASER patches that is able to draw water from the deeper layers of your skin right to the surface. Instantly, simply by application of the patch. It is a polymer which you apply on the surface of your skin. One can do so either for several hours consecutively in the daytime if you are getting ready for an event in the evening, or overnight if you want to wake up looking refreshed and instantly with less wrinkles.

Our unique product here is one that will give you the instant result. The reason is simply because of the physical migration of moisture from the deeper layers of the skin to the surface and this then fills out the lines. This also has a ccumulative benefit. The reason is because when you apply this, it simulates an optimal skin microenvironment and all beneficial processes with it. This includes anti-ageing cell talk mechanisms. 

For example, this polymer mimics the perfect skin barrier. Your skin barrier becomes optimally hydrated as with the case of the QRASER anti-wrinkle patch. Skin functioning becomes ideal. This tricks your skin into producing more collagen instantly. This can mean your skin is also better able to fight off oxidative stress.

How do instant beauty products work?

At first glance, instant beauty products may seem gimmicky. Truth is, it’s how you approach it from a scientific basis that you can separate fact from fiction. It’s really important from a skincare education standpoint. The following broad concepts are critical to help us understand how instant beauty products can work.

1. Contains antioxidants which neutralise free radicals 

Free radicals generated at the surface of skin cause skin cell damage, suppress the immune system and causes skin to look dull. It is also responsible for ageing of the skin. We still need a lot of research with regards to the immediate physical benefits of antioxidant active ingredients. However, given that our skin is an external organ that environmental factors directly affect, i.e. processes such as free radical damage that causes oxidative skin stress, it is possible that antioxidants can provide an immediate “surface” effect in terms of neutralizing free radical damage.

A dull  complexion can result quite instantaneously in a polluted environment. This is due to surface interactions of the pollutants on skin. Conversely, removing these physical pollutants via double cleansing followed by sonic cleansing instantly brightens skin. The same process can happen with antioxidants applied on the surface of clean skin. This is especially if moisturisers such as polyglutamic acid are in an antioxidant facial mist. This will cause a immediate glass-skin appearance which is partly an optical effect. Polyglutamic acid is a large molecule which settles on your skin giving a poreless look. It is an ideal canvas for applying and finishing makeup. This is the reason why makeup primers and fixers can instantly add a glow to the complexion.

2. Replicate the ideal skin microenvironment to instantly moisturise the skin 

A well formulated moisturiser can actually be an instant results skincare product. A ceramide dominant formula can cause instant brightening effects if your skin has poor hydration. When skin is dehydrated, the surface of skin is rough as the skin cells “corneocytes” flake. This results in irregular skin textures that cause light to reflect unevenly. Conversely, when the skin barrier is repaired, the effect is instant results with an instant beauty skincare product that causes brightening and radiance. 

3. Active ingredient which works immediately on the skin barrier with an optical effect 

It is important to take into consideration the formulation of a product for this purpose.  A claim of an “instant brightening effect”, could be backed up by the presence of micas, a form of mineral pigment found in makeup that reflects light. This is distinct from active ingredients that work “instantly” as these are either subjectively assessed by users themselves, or require further research to back up these claims. The cosmetic could also contain pigments, i.e. orange pigments can counteract the darkness of undereye pigmentation. Such color correction is ‘instant’.

Now, the process of skin aging actually can be a good concept for us to model our understanding of skin dullness. When your skin looks dull, we are always looking for ways to make it look instantly radiant. Skincare actually can do this. The process of photo-aging is via free radical damage which generate at the surface of the skin resulting in oxidative stress. This causes the skin cells to be less able to repair DNA damage. Consequently, this is what distinguishes older skin from a more youthful looking skin. Essentially, we find that these individuals have a better ability to fight off free radical damage. The free radical damage is what eventually causes the skin cells to be less efficient at maintaining its usual cellular functions. 

“Instant Beauty” Ingredients in the CellTalk Cosmeceutical CC Cream

The comprehensive mix of bioactive ingredients account for the potent antioxidant properties in the Cosmeceutical CC cream. Phytoceramides for skin barrier repair, arbutin for skin lightening. Panax ginseng root extract is part of the powerful antioxidant complex for skin radiance included in the CellTalk CC cream. In addition, hyaluronic acid, portulaca oleracea and oligopeptides stimulate collagen production. The inherent anti-oxidant properties ensure that the process of oxidation of foundation is reduced. What you can be assured of is the active antioxidant ingredients will work on the surface of your skin after you apply this product. A natural mineral component of zinc oxide also inherently protects against some of the sun’s UVB and UVA rays. Such is an example of a instant beauty product which can also be scientifically backed up on a cellular level.