Sun, Sweat, and Skincare Success: The Secrets of High-Performance Beauty
Written by: Precious Umeasalugo
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There is no debate about it: skincare is expensive. And with the skyrocketing prices of sunscreens and moisturisers, it can be challenging to indulge in skincare when you're guaranteed to sweat it all away, even when you are the most ardent skin care lover in Sub-Saharan Africa. But skincare is health care, too, and with the pollution and irritation your skin experiences, neglecting skincare isn't exactly the best decision.
So, how exactly does one care for their skin in an environment where skincare means discomfort and, by extension, a waste of money? Well, we have the answers, and it all lies with high-performance skincare made with Africa’s climate and your skin in mind.
To introduce us to the intricacies of climate-tailored high-performance skincare, we called on RD8 Labs' founder and lead product development scientist, Aina Radiance Davies, to take us through the science that makes it happen.
The Expert
Aina Radiance Davies is the lead product development scientist at RD8 Labs, a skincare brand that creates high-performance skincare for Africa’s climate.
Davies spearheads efforts to address both short-term and long-term effects associated with various skin health conditions, acknowledging their impact on the overall well-being of individuals.
Through her role at RD8 Labs, she continues to push the boundaries of cosmetic innovation, blending science and artistry to redefine skincare standards and contribute to a healthier and more comfortable beauty experience for all. Davies has a Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Manhattan College, specialising in Cosmetics Engineering.
Why High-Performance Skincare Matters in Africa
The climate determines much more than you realise. It affects your outfit choices, your mood, and, unsurprisingly, your skin. But it goes beyond being sweaty or looking paler. The climate you live in can have real implications on your skin behaviour and concerns. Two of these prevalent skin concerns in warm climates like Africa are hyperpigmentation and acne, and they stem from how your skin interacts with your weather and environment.
"Your skin is affected by several elements. Some of them are intrinsic, like genetics or hormones. The others, however, are exogenous, like intense sunlight, high humidity, pollution from your car's exhaust pipe, and dust", explains Davies, highlighting some of the stress your skin and its outermost barrier go through daily.
"When your skin barrier functions optimally, your skin is protected from the excipient emissions in the environment and the effects of the climate. But when these extrinsic factors compromise your barrier health, the skin is inflamed, leading to concerns like hyperpigmentation and acne", she continues.
If barrier health equals better, healthier skin, skincare is essential to skin health. But when you're bound to sweat out your $40 sunscreen or maybe never pick it up again due to discomfort, what then can you do to protect your skin? For Davies, the answer is simple: keep the skincare on, but make it high-performance.
What exactly is 'high-performance' skincare?
@rd8labs
When Davies, a qualified chemical and cosmetic engineer, decided to launch RD8 Labs and develop skincare in Nigeria's perpetually sunny weather, she noted the climate differences between other countries and hers.
"At RD8 Labs, we develop skincare tailored to the different weather conditions that tend to affect skin behaviour", she states. "That combination of performance and comfort isn't one you see in many skincare products these days''.
But unlike the host of fancy-looking skincare marketing jargon we're used to, 'high-performance' isn't just a marketing tag: it's a pillar of RD8 Labs' formulations. For both formulator and brand, high-performance skincare means skincare that solves a problem. And that means taking formulation from three need-based angles: ingredient selection, delivery system, and product format.
Inside RD8's High-Performance Formulas and Science
"We set out to create a product that anyone can use, regardless of skin type or concern. And the one thing everyone needs for their skin is moisture, whether you have dry, oily, or combination skin", Davies explains.
But the brand didn't just want to cater to all skin types; they wanted to do it well. So, they set out to create a moisturiser based on their pillars of intelligent natural ingredient selection and a suitable product format.
Ingredient selection
"We believe that when ingredients are intelligently paired, they can work wonders. So for the moisturiser, we paired incredibly effective ingredients that pack a serious hydration punch". Among these ingredients:
Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan found in the body. This ingredient is used in skincare for its deeply hydrating and skin-conditioning properties.
Snow mushroom is an edible mushroom rich in antioxidant phytochemicals that treats hyperpigmentation and brightens skin tone. Research has shown that this ingredient can provide the skin with sun protection and faster wound healing, two key things to watch out for in hotter climates.
Allantoin is a moisturizing ingredient that helps heal wounds and irritates sensitive skin types.
Jojoba oil is a natural lipid mimic that soothes and deeply moisturises the skin's layers.
Several other ingredients on the market may be perceived to be of higher performance, but for Davies and her team, 'high-performance' means ingredients that are proven to work.
Delivery system
For a skincare product to be high-performance, it must get to where it is needed. Davies says, "it is nice to have the best ingredients in a product, but it's equally important that the ingredients get to the target site in the skin".
Product format
Ingredients and their delivery into the skin are only one-half of the equation. Their moisturiser had to be light enough to wear and layer with other products to truly be climate-tailored.
"We gathered data for a month on why people prefer certain skincare over others. The major answers we got were 'this makes me sweat' or 'this makes me uncomfortable.'"
Using those answers, the RD8 team developed the HY-DR8 'Moisture Burst' Intense Face Moisturiser. HY-DR8 is a gel cream that's light enough to be worn in any weather and provides a layer of protection from pollutants like dust and car exhaust. That is the problem-solving science of RD8 Labs' HY-DR8 Moisture Burst.
@rd8labs
Real Results and the Future of Africa-Powered Skincare
RD8's high-performance formula works, as the customer reviews of people who live in warm and temperate climates show. In a review by acclaimed esthetician and skincare educator Okikiola Emaleku, AKA The Skin Priest, she gushed,
"The Moisturiser is a perfect blend of emollients, humectants and occlusives. Like I opined when I did the unboxing, it's not dense enough for mature & drier skin types; you may need extra sealants to maximise the benefits. [The] texture is divine; it absorbs like a dream without any greasiness or stickiness, leaving behind a smooth and plump surface."
Another customer testimonial for RD8 Labs stated, "There's nothing I use that doesn't make me sweat! But with HY-DR8,... for the first time ever, I'm looking forward to my skincare routine…"
A-Beauty’s Industry Outlook
Recently, African beauty formulas and techniques have been making waves worldwide. For Davies, she's happy for the farmers involved but even happier about the pressure this visibility puts on Africa's cosmetic industry.
"For the longest time, I didn't understand why we didn't have cosmetic giants spring out of Africa. But this pressure and growth has let many Nigerian and African brands sit down and sit with the competition and formulate better, "Davies told us.
Apart from her excitement about the future of the African beauty industry, RD8 Labs' growth is also one Davies is excited to see, and her vision is simple: solving skin problems. "My vision is one where RD8 Labs makes products that are the most comfortable out there. Every product should solve the problems arising from the user's climatic experience", Davies states. "We just want to be able to help as many people in as many climates as we can".
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