Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1542457
Expand your offerings safely with Advanced Esthetics Insurance at ascpskincare.com 41 INGREDIENT DECK WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME teaching others how to protect themselves but rarely talk about how important it is to protect emotional barriers, even our own. The truth is that burnout, fatigue, and compassion overload can infl uence skin health and how it shows up when we face the world. Science is catching up to what many estheticians have already known: Emotions and skin are connected. A new category of ingredients known as neurocosmetics is promising to change the way we think (and feel) about skin care. The word itself tells the story: "Neuro" refers to the brain or nervous system, and "cosmetics" implies beauty. Together, they describe products formulated with ingredients that support both the appearance of the skin and the emotions of the person using them. These actives claim to work with the skin's network of neurotransmitters, the same system that infl uences our emotions, stress levels, and sleep patterns. (If that thought gives you goosebumps, then you just experienced evidence of the emotions–skin connection.) For clients, this means there is potential for skin care to change more than just how they look. It means it could also shift how they feel. For estheticians, this has the potential to open the door for a deeper kind of care—treatments may become both skin and mood therapy. Two ingredients leading this neurocosmetic movement are Zenakine (developed by ingredient formulator Croda Beauty) and Happybelle-PE (developed by Mibelle Biochemistry). What makes these new ingredients especially interesting is how they tie into the concept of self-care. GETTY IMAGES Neurocosmetics Where skin meets mood by Ella Cressman ZENAKINE: BEAUTY SLEEP, BIOCHEMICALLY ENHANCED Zenakine is a neuroactive ingredient designed to help the skin reset its natural circadian rhythm, the internal clock that drives repair and renewal. The star element of this ingredient complex is Crocus sativus fl ower extract, commonly known as saff ron. This extract contains crocin and safranal, two bioactive molecules that help regulate the skin's stress response while enhancing its natural ability to recover from fatigue and environmental exposure. There are many studies on saff ron's benefi ts, but emerging evidence about Crocus sativus fl ower extract shows topical application can encourage the act of neuro-soothing (calming the brain and nervous system) by communicating with pathways in the body that infl uence skin and mood. We see this often: Stress, lack of sleep, and emotional overload can disrupt the skin's rhythms, slowing skin regeneration and increasing visible signs of stress. With a lack of sleep, the skin becomes dull, lax, and uneven (not to mention the lack of sleep slows healing time). Zenakine supports the restoration of balance by encouraging natural melatonin synthesis within skin cells, helping them move into repair mode during rest. It can also infl uence cortisol activity, improving the skin's ability to fi ght against daily stressors while boosting cellular energy to strengthen cell metabolism and barrier function. Neurocosmetics Where skin meets mood teaching others how important it is to protect emotional barriers, even our own. The truth is that burnout, fatigue, and compassion overload can infl uence skin health and Neurocosmetics Where skin meets mood