What would you like to ask the head of a world-famous cosmetics brand when you get the opportunity to talk to him? Of course, about trends in cosmetology, about the secrets of skin care and the possibilities of achieving its eternal youth.
Some of these questions were answered by Dr Philippe Allouche, owner of Biologique Recherche.
What influenced your choice of profession
F.A.: My mother, physiotherapist Josette Allouche, was the first to bring osteopathic techniques to France. She was attracted by the completely unknown at that time cranial therapy – technique of manual impact on the bones of the skull. This technique originated in England and then became widely used in America.
Many of us are unaware that parts of the skull are mobile, contain many nerve endings and reflex zones. By exerting a certain pressure on them, increasing the amplitude of their movements relative to each other, it is possible to solve not only many health problems, but also achieve a significant cosmetic effect: restore facial symmetry, remove puffiness, and reduce age-related manifestations.
FA: Father, Ivan Allush, remained a passionate biologist all his life, passionate about the effect of various substances on the skin, the ability to combine them with each other. Having founded his laboratory in 1963, he set a goal to create cosmetic products that would satisfy the needs of professionals.
At that time, many of them were seriously disappointed with the products on the market.
But, of course, my own experience cannot be underestimated either. I got a taste for medicine thanks to cosmetology. For a long time he worked in the hospital, in the intensive care unit, engaged in the restoration of persons after surgical operations. He also treated skin lesions in people who went through the war in Iraq.
And it was then that I realized that the problem was with the skin… She is huge! And that is what determined my current path. I had a choice of what to do… As a result, I became the president of Biologique Recherche - I am responsible for its development, methodology.
What is the most interesting and important thing about your work
F.A.: The most important and interesting thing for me in my work is that our skin contains information that tells us about many factors. It reflects the physical and emotional state of a person and is subject to change both within one day and throughout life. Many autoimmune diseases can be identified by the skin.
There are no people in the world with an identical skin structure, everyone has a unique skin structure.
Dividing the skin into types (normal, oily or dry), from my point of view, is not very informative. It does not fully characterize her current state and only outlines the problem.
Tactile sensations, practical observations – is also an important part of research, which is often forgotten. This is a huge difference between French medicine and, for example, American or Russian.
So, seeing what's going on at home and in the hospital, I wanted to bring more medical, clinical research into the cosmetic labs. Unite and balance these two areas.
Immersed in this area, I realized: it is necessary to develop many, many products - only in this case they will correspond to the individual condition of the skin.
Of course, my parents created very important things that still work great. I keep their traditions. But at the same time I am constantly moving forward – the world remains open to me.
In your interviews, you often emphasize that you need to respect your skin…
F.A.: Of course! This attitude formed the basis of our original methodology.
It consists of three important things:
- Cosmetic analysis of the epidermis affecting all other layers of the skin - we ourselves call it interface cosmetology;
- a specific approach to the skin, taking into account the behavioral, physiological features;
- and finally tactile diagnosticse. This allows you to determine the individual condition of the skin and offer the most effective care.
Most of the research of our company is aimed specifically at the study and restoration of the epidermis. In my opinion, this is an incredible organ! It is the cells of the epidermis that are the first to form in the embryo after conception and remain with us to the last. In order for the skin to retain its beauty regardless of age, it must have a barrier layer that will best protect it.
Our main task – strengthen the barrier functions of the skin, reconstruct them in such a way that it can protect you from harmful effects in a natural way.
This is not a dream, but a reality! Cosmetics should always take into account the "condition of the skin" at the moment. I am convinced that you can always restore the skin. But this requires a lot of effort.
What are the stages of proper skin care
F.A.: We divide facial care into two main phases. First – very important – This is the cleansing and smoothing of the skin with the help of cosmetic milk and lotions. The second is a direct care: application of active serums, creams and masks. The most interesting thing about our program is that the initial phase is longer than the main one.
How do you feel about chemical peels as a means of skin cleansing?
F.A.: Negative! Most modern women already have a very, very thin epidermis. With also reduced secretion of the sebaceous glands, do peeling on such skin – disaster!
This approach was common 20 years ago, but today the situation is different. In my opinion, peels can be done in Brazil or Colombia, where people have very dense, thick skin. But not in countries with a sharply continental climate and strong pollution, which are serious injuries to the skin.
And the peeling hurts her even more. I am strongly against it! We must use cleansers that will help her recover naturally.
What are the main ingredients you use to moisturize your skin
For example, hyaluronic acid?
F.A.: But why hyaluronic acid in particular?! Everyone has it. Hyaluronic Acid… it's stupid, boring! It's a lot of fashion! And she's not interested in me. I don't follow trends and fashion – I create them. I prefer to create them based on what I like. Among the polysaccharides, there are many other interesting substances that will give results: plankton extract, sea lily, sea fern and many others.
If the skin ecosystem is damaged, it must be restored naturally. And here its lipid composition is of great importance. The lipid film protects the skin, including from moisture loss. As you know, oily skin ages more slowly, wrinkles appear on it much later. There are many substances that restore the lipid composition of the skin at different levels. For example, I have been using Japanese horseradish Wasabi for quite a long time, as well as ginger.
And what about anti-aging components in this case? Yes, there are no anti-aging components!
Peptide cosmetics: will it reverse age-related skin changes?
You need to clearly understand what an anti-aging effect is
F.A.: When you use the right cleansing, even out skin, you contribute to the anti-aging effect. And this can be done at any age. All good cosmetics give such an effect.
Like I said, if you have thick, oily skin, it won't have wrinkles. Because sebum protects the skin. Mixed skin or with a lot of sebum – it does not depend on age. Have skin with seborrhea and at the same time oily – this is almost impossible.
If you say that working with the skin to increase the amount of lipids – anti-aging, I support it. A huge number of substances work for this effect in cosmetics: complexes of polyunsaturated fatty acids, blackcurrant oil, hazelnut oil, raspberry seeds.
The modern stage of cosmetology is called the era of biotechnology. It replaced the stage of chemical synthesis. Many innovative ingredients are created with the help of bacteria. Do you support this point of view?
Of course I support it. Biotechnology is very interesting because it allows you to bring the right substances into the skin. Influence her life at almost any stage. The peptides are so small that they easily overcome the barrier of the epidermis.
I'm using biological substances more and more. Many modern drugs, primarily serums, are based on peptides: they contain oligopeptides, cytokines that regulate cell activity, extracts of biological origin, etc. They perfectly strengthen the epidermis, because without these "building blocks" it cannot exist. And this is the main thing!
We also use enzyme-based exfoliation. We have recently developed a product that will appear in the brand in the near future. Thanks to the use of special lactobacilli that are active against the pathogenic system of the skin, it will allow you to remove only obsolete cells of the epidermis, strengthen its immunity.
Professional approach: a comprehensive approach?
Using this type of exfoliation is much more interesting than using acid-based products. After all, it helps to restore self-balancing and the skin's own microclimate, improves its oxygen supply. I do this with a special passion, I can work indefinitely.
Your cosmetics can only be used in salons
F.A.: We really promote salon care. As I said, our products use the maximum concentration of active substances. Their application requires certain knowledge, possession of massage techniques. Therefore, the cosmetologist must necessarily undergo special training.
What do you mean by professional luxury cosmetics?
F.A.: Contrary to popular belief, "luxury" does not mean very expensive. In my opinion, a lot of effort, technology should be invested in such cosmetics, many people are involved in the development. And it must be selected only for you. When something is created just for you, it's called luxury.
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