Raise your hand if you feel like your skin has been thrown off balance recently and you’ve experienced it seriously underperforming? A floundering complexion can be caused by a daily jumble of stress, hormones, medication, age or maybe just because you’ve been burning the candle at both ends! It can even be something as innocuous as a change of environment or season when the level of free radicals exceeds your skin’s defence mechanisms placing it in a state of oxidative stress leaving you searching for the best Instagram filters to obscure flaring redness, bothersome  breakouts or a worn-out complexion!

Your skin is the largest organ in our body and acts as a filter against external bacteria, toxins, and chemicals. In order for it to fulfil this important role of protecting the entire body and its systems from the outside world and its aggressors (now more than ever!) it needs to remain strong and resilient.  It all comes down to balance and optimal skin health is heavily dependent on its double line of defence. The first line of defence is from your skin microbiome which is an essential part of our immune response and made up of a unique ecosystem of beneficial bacteria (I promise it really is good bacteria) that work tirelessly, like your own army, to control how well products are absorbed, battle for your glow and govern the overall well-being of skin. The second line of defence is the acid mantle, a very fine and vital film on the surface of the outermost layer (stratum corneum) which is made up of enzymes, amino and lactic acids, humectants, water, and oils that all  combine to form a protective shield designed to keep moisture in and toxins out.

The bad news is that when the microbiome and / or the acid mantle go a little awry, the equilibrium of the skin is completely disrupted leaving it exposed to all sorts of ‘riff raff’ (bad bacteria, toxins, chemicals) whilst sucking out vital moisture triggering a whole host of skin woes – think acne breakouts, inflammation, dryness, a sallow complexion, exacerbated wrinkles, and uneven skin tone! Even more disturbingly the breakdown of these defence systems prevents effective product absorption to tackle those very skin dilemmas ! It’s a catch 22 situation and if you’re going to blow half your pay cheque on caring for your skin it makes sense to invest in those important lines of defence first.  (Otherwise, it’s like pouring skin products down the drain!)

Perfection Ultime Pro-Defence Booster is a turbo charging pre-serum treatment and the doorway to optimizing the health and vitality of the entire surface layer of the skin. Think of it as the skin’s daily dose of strength which zeros in to prep and prime the canvas maximising its ability to function. Just as we are told strength training is as important for our bodies as cardio, a little extra strength can go a long way to support your skin’s protective barriers too. This serum literally fixes all the leaks and holes in your skin barrier!

With an array of impressive qualities to its name, this high performing formula stars Rock Samphire, scientifically known as Crithmum Maritimum a flowering marine plant that grows on  rocky salt-sprayed cliffs and sandy beaches around the Mediterranean. Fed by silica in the sand and the immense amounts of nutrients carried by ocean waters and breeze it is crammed with skin loving antioxidants, vitamins (in particular Vitamin A) and minerals. A proven botanical it’s actually been nicknamed ‘retinol of the sea’  for its ability to aid cellular turnover and rejuvenate your cells to keep them making the precious elastin and line-smoothing collagen (the stuffing that maintains resilience and spring). And as this is a natural alternative to retinol it allows you to reap all  the benefits without any of the side effects that retinol can sometimes trigger.

Another standout ingredient is the adapting Glasswort Extract, a seashore plant belonging to the genus Salicornia Herbacea, that grows in salty tidal areas around the world.  It is ‘halophilic’ which quite simply means it is ‘salt-loving’ and is able to perfectly survive harsh coastal conditions whilst resisting tidal flows by preserving the water level in its cells.

Renowned for its ability to regulate moisture levels in the skin precious Glasswort helps retain water deep within the skin’s surface to take hydration to a whole new dewy level – like a breath of beachy air for skin!   In a world where ageing is blaspheme, we know that one of the easiest ways to slow the onset of wrinkles is by preventing skin from drying out – a simple remedy of nourishing the skin with both lipids (oil) and water to avoid the dreaded early onset wrinkle pandemic!

And because lipids are an essential component in the fight against ‘wrinkle gate’ it seems only fitting that this workhorse Defence Booster has been fortified with a loaded helping of Ceramides and Linseed Extract. Ceramides are lipids created naturally by the skin to form your natural moisture barrier and are crucial components of the skin barrier as they seal the cracks between skin cells that keep the bad stuff (microbes, infection, pollution) out and seal in the good (water) -  think of them as armour-laden guards standing alertly on your skin’s fortifications. In a cruel twist of fate, we all run out of ceramides as we get older. By the time you are in your 30’s you have lost about 40% of your skin’s ceramides and by your 40’s you have lost 60%!  Linseed comes from the seeds of the flax plant and believe me it’s pretty powerful stuff! As we age our skin shrinks and flattens out, losing its bounce – the protein and essential fatty acids in Linseed Extract can help prevent this happening and stop wrinkles in their tracks. 

And the icing on the cake has to fall with a serious helping of probiotic-supporting technology derived from kefir which quite frankly makes your skin flora literally ‘sing’ as it laces a coat of good bacteria to your very own ecosystem.  Because probiotics have the rather clever ability to rebuild and strengthen the skin’s barrier and regulate its natural immune response it encourages your cells to flourish throwing off the effects of stress to allow even the most sensitive and inflamed skins to become less reactive.

Perfection Ultime Pro-Defence Booster Consider will offer you a seriously good return on your investment raising the bar to strengthen the effectiveness of your skincare products for a healthy and beautiful skin. Consider it the  show pony of your skincare regime as it goes above and beyond prepping the skin allowing you to put your best face forward!

Lucy x