Digging for results

Fruit and vegetables are everywhere in skincare right now. You might have seen berries, tomato skin, green tea and even things like tropical ferns popping up in formulations recently. They are being used to research an exciting group of bioactive compounds, with emerging scientific evidence showing benefits to skin health even beyond current known antioxidants. The Skin Diary’s team of dermatologists and researchers are utilising these compounds in their latest skincare innovations.

Plant-derived compounds, polyphenols and flavonoids, offer antioxidant, antiinflammatory, photoprotective, and, in some cases, gene-regulating properties. Research looking into their role as senotherapeutics—ingredients targeting and modulating cellular senescence, a key driver of skin ageing—is increasing.

Many of these plant-derived compounds, including quercetin and fisetin, are part of studies among world-leading skin ageing research institutions. The aim is to investigate how these plant bioactives slow or reverse aspects of biological ageing by influencing cellular pathways like oxidative stress response and the clearance of senescent cells.

Studies have demonstrated the combination of dasatinib The Skin Diary researchers are driving new skincare innovation from plant compounds (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) and quercetin (a flavonoid) reduced senescent cell burden in humans.

Fisetin (a flavonoid) has also shown promise in pre-clinical studies for reducing inflammation and senescence markers, as well as showing potential in age-related conditions. This emerging research highlights why these clever plant compounds are being used in skincare with both the potential to protect the skin externally and improve skin age at a cellular level. Researching and harnessing the power of these bioactive compounds with sophisticated transdermal delivery mechanisms in formulations with other proven actives is at the core of The Skin Diary’s latest innovations.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39727337/ https://www.sciencedirect.
com/science/article/pii/S0047637424000952 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
articles/PMC9601269/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8002374/
Image: Guy Carpenter

The Power of the Bilberry
A star ingredient in Night Repair Therapy—a formula 20x more powerful than retinol without the  irritation—is bilberry extract. Bilberries leave a deep purple hue when picked, indicating high antioxidative powers and when investigated by the team, bilberry has one of the highest antioxidant potential of all the botanical ingredients tested. It’s rich in something called anthocyanins (a flavonoid), which is what gives them that deep purple colour. Anthocyanins also contain high levels of quercetin, known for anti-inflammatory properties.
Bilberry extract was chosen for its ability to inhibit free radicals in the skin (which contributes to premature ageing) and brighten dullness. Bilberry extract also plays a role in our upcoming product:
Age Defence Moisturising Day Cream.

"A star ingredient in the Night Repair Therapy—a formula 20x more powerful than retinol without the irritation—is bilberry extract."

Plankton Protection
When it comes to healthy skin, we know that protection is key. DNA repair enzymes derived from plankton extract have scientifically proven photoprotective qualities supporting DNA repair and are just one star ingredient in The Skin Diary’s new Age Defence Moisturising Day Cream.
This innovative formulation provides triple environmental protection with first of its kind encapsulated sunscreen technology, powerful antioxidants from wild berry flavonoids and smart liposomal DNA repair enzymes.
Photosomes make up just one of our encapsulated DNA repair enzymes designed for delivery into the epidermis, releasing the enzymes where they are needed. Once they have made contact with the damaged DNA, they are activated by light and repairs this damage.
It’s an exciting time for scientific discovery harnessing the real longevity potential of bioactive plant compounds — and we’re only just scratching the surface of its potential.


Julie Scott joins the team
Julie Scott, an award-winning Aesthetic Nurse and Clinical Director of Facial Aesthetics, has been appointed as The Skin Diary’s new Strategic and Clinic Lead in Aesthetics and Dermatology. As an NMN-registered independent nurse prescriber, Level-7 qualified injector and Lead Clinical Trainer for Interface Aesthetics, her commitment to education, patient safety and clinical excellence aligns perfectly with The Skin Diary’s ethos.