Cambuli has been the Research and Education Manager for Paula’s Choice Europe for the past 5 years. She describes her job as ”very diverse”.
— Being the product and skincare expert for the European headquarters, I work with all teams to make sure our content and guidance on skincare science and product recommendations are always correct and up-to-date, and that they reach our customers in the best way possible, she explains.
This spring sees product launches ranging from targeted treatments with combinations and percentages of active ingredients that Cambuli claims can parallel the efficacy of some prescription-only treatments, to a new skincare-infused moisturizer with SPF50.
— As the research evolves, we are excited to offer new ingredients and cutting-edge technologies that can effectively boost your skincare routine to the next level, and deliver the result you want faster and better.
What will we see more of in 2024?
— In general, I see a steadily growing interest in understanding the science of skin and cosmetic ingredients, which is exciting for a brand based on research and education like us. It is unbelievable how much more we know today about skin physiology, skincare in general, ingredients, and what impacts skin than ever before. We believe knowledge is power, and understanding our own skin and what skincare is capable — or incapable — to do for it is the way to take the best care of ourselves without falling prey to misleading information or false promises.
— There’s also an increased interest in multitasking products that can tackle more than one concern and provide multiple benefits and parallelly consumers seem to be more insistent than ever that products really work as claimed, so skincare companies are increasingly expected to provide data, research, and visual testimonials to give consumers confidence in what they’re considering adding to their carts. For every new launch, we include the research behind, the clinical testing data and before/after pictures, to disclose our formulas’ benefits with transparency.
A few years ago, we saw a big focus on ingredients and the amount or percentage of them in the products where you were one brand leading this development. Now, the focus might have shifted towards how to formulate the products, skin health, and such. Do you agree?
— Yes, we’ve led the industry with hero ingredients-focused products and many times we pioneered the market offer, exploring new combinations of ingredients or an innovative concentration, with great results.
— But besides having effective formulas, we are also known for being a brand that never formulates with known irritants, alcohol solvents, essential oils, or fragrances. We know how important the skin barrier is, so this new shift in focus on skin health and skin’s microbiome is not challenging at all and actually perfectly matches our formulation philosophy. We always offer gentle formulas for all skin types, including the most sensitive, and we educate about being gentle to skin, abandoning skincare or even lifestyle habits that harm it, and supporting its health in the first place with science-proven, protective, and restoring ingredients and formulas.
Which coming ingredients are you the most curious of?
— I feel 2024 will be very exciting in terms of new ingredients, or more precisely the new technologies and new research about their use in cosmetics. For example, although Retinoids have long reigned in the skincare Hall of Fame for delivering some of the most impressive results you can get, I feel what’s new is that scientists have honed in on formulary technologies that harness the power of retinoids in more gentle and effective ways, offering products that can suit more and more customers, Cambuli shares. She continues:
— More specifically, Retinaldehyde, also known as retinal, is a top retinoid to watch for its ability to significantly improve signs of aging, while also helping mitigate the symptoms of breakout-prone skin. Innovations such as encapsulating the ingredient in skin-friendly dissolving particles can further boost stability and performance, while making it less likely to irritate skin.
— Other two classes of ingredients which are gaining popularity are both mushroom and algae extracts: they have been incorporated into skincare formulations for years, but thanks to advancements in biotechnology, scientists are unlocking new ways of tapping into their potential for various skin concerns, such as discolouration, dullness, dryness, wrinkles, and a compromised barrier.
— Last, but not least, I’m a big believer in the power of peptides: they can be bio-engineered to be skin-identical and mimic what healthy skin cells use to signal and communicate among each other, promoting those processes that lead to a renewed, younger-looking appearance. The potential is enormous, and more and more studies are supporting their central role in skincare.
How do you handle rapidly shifting TikTok trends and consumer behaviour? Is it challenging?
— The myths around skincare, and many other scientific fields, for that matter, are dozens, and some misinformation, for example about alleged health risks linked to using sunscreen, is even dangerous to human health and that’s concerning.
— I can’t deny it is frustrating to see some myths are just hard to die, and what is challenging is the speed at which they circulate through social media is so high, that they are virtually invincible.
— But we are committed to promoting fact-based education and we are not stopping sharing facts and busting myths through all our channels: just as repetition can make bad information stick, the repetition of good information — backed by proof and credible sources — can change minds for the better. Consumers will re-assess and modify what they believe to be true based on new insights from trusted experts — for example, dermatologists or cosmetic chemists— and data from clinical studies. On the other hand, highly engaging social media like TikTok offer an opportunity for open conversations and sharing knowledge through interaction, which we always embrace.
What other macro trends do you see on the horizon?
— It seems there is increasing attention to general well-being, sometimes over beauty, which is absolutely a good thing. I support body and mind wellness, good habits, nutrition, sleep hygiene, body movement, mindfulness, and any practice that can boost the good neuromolecules in the body that improve both our physical and mental health.
— The consequences of this overall better wellness are then visible at skin level too. Some of the most damaging processes in skin, that are proven to speed up the natural aging, come from an overall stressed state, a sub-clinical, invisible, underlying state of inflammation, that has detrimental effects on the very supporting structures our skin needs to stay young and healthy. Eating nutritious food, sleeping well, and working on our mental and body health are key to reaching the best version of ourselves.
— This trend goes hand in hand with the new interest and growing research on the so-called neurocosmetics, a category of skincare ingredients that are intended to foster healthy communication between cells that aren’t behaving properly through interaction with nerve signals in skin. As the category of neurocosmetics grows and is further studied, dozens of potentially beneficial plant extracts and peptides have been identified in scientific literature, with benefits including a reduction in skin discomfort or signs of irritation, minimisation of the look of lines and wrinkles, inhibition of external stressor effects that accelerate skin aging, and the rebalancing of skin’s microflora.
— Also, the rise of AI in beauty: from personalised recommendations, virtual skin analysis and personal advice, AI can help us serve our customers everywhere with the highest level of accuracy and care, while keeping our promise of providing both the most effective products and all needed information with them, and that’s exciting. We just launched a virtual skin analyser and guidance tool on the US website and we’re working to roll out this tool soon in the European markets as well.
And for Paula’s Choice, what else do you have coming?
— We’re working on several projects on how we deliver research-based education to our customers, or anyone looking for answers about science and skincare, on all our platforms. We are continuously evolving together with the consumers’ needs and we are proud to offer top-notch content that is freely accessible and helpful. Translating even the most technical scientific information into easy, understandable, and visual content is a passion of mine and what really makes me excited about my daily work, Cambuli concludes.
