Beauty Counter MD

Water, Water Everywhere!

Beauty water, hydrating toners, mists, and essences are everywhere. What started in South Korea as part of the K-beauty trend is now taking up space at beauty counters throughout the US with various price points and alternating hero ingredients, but do these waters live up to the hype?

Michelle Henry, MD, a dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York in New York City, and Clinical Instructor of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, shares her insights on the trend: “Beauty water is a blanket term for a hydrating, water-based topical products that are used after cleansing the skin with the primary purpose of hydrating, but they claim to also plump, brighten, or refresh the skin. There are many different types, and they are infused with different ingredients depending on their indicated benefit. Toners typically have a higher concentration of active ingredients, whereas micellar water primarily cleanses. Rose water has been found to be anti-inflammatory and a potent antioxidant.

“There is a trend toward gentle products that do not strip the skin's moisture or compromise the skin's barrier. There is such variation in the products that it is hard to generalize on the claims. As they are all water-based and typically gentle without harsh surfactants, they make great hydrators.”

NEW PRODUCTS

Melatonik Nighttime Serum, ISDIN

ISDIN's Melatonik nighttime serum formulated with melatonin, bakuchiol (a natural antioxidant with retinol-like properties) and Vitamin C, is now available. It was developed to help skin recover from the day and prepare it to fight the stresses of tomorrow, ISDIN says.

Melatonik stimulates the skin's natural antioxidant defenses, repairing environmental stress and damages from the previous day and supporting healthy, younger looking skin.

Melatonik retails for $150 and is available through dermatologists or online. ISDIN.com

Professional Grade Peels, Neova

Neova SmartSkinCare has introduced a new range of Professional Treatments. Backed by solid science and clinical discovery, the company says its professional treatments consider the health of the skin first and foremost. The line includes Neova Reveal 3 (10%) Peel; Neova Reveal 3 Med (20%) Peel; Neova Infusion Peel AHA (30%) + Antiox Peel; Neova Transform Resurfacer (Salicylic 30 %) Peel; and Reveal Glycolic TX (30%) Peel, a comprehensive medical strength peel. Each peel solution is supplied in 50mL glass bottles, yielding 10-12 full face and décolleté applications and priced for professionals from $55.00 to $75.00. neova.com

Antiperspirant, Carpe

Carpe's newly launched underarm antiperspirant has been demonstrated to reduce sweat twice as effectively as the US legal standard for extra strength antiperspirants, the company says. While federal regulation requires that an extra strength antiperspirant demonstrate at least a 30 percent reduction in sweat, Carpe's clinical data has demonstrated more than a 60 percent median reduction in sweat. The antiperspirant, which is scented with natural eucalyptus oil, is applied via a soft-foam applicator housed in a plastic casing that resembles a traditional underarm antiperspirant. mycarpe.com/.