You’ve heard of retinol used in skincare for its anti-ageing effects, but have you heard of stem cell powered skincare? This exciting – and fascinating advancement in cosmeceuticals is the secret behind Calecim professional‘s products, a Singapore founded skincare line that launched on cosmeceuticals etailer dermoi this month.
To celebrate the launch, Your Coffee Break team attended a preview for the CALECIM’s x Dermoi collection at Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair. During an evening of canapes and champagne, we discovered the why there is a buzz around CALECIM’s collection, and learnt about science behind stem cell beauty.
If you’re unfamiliar with cosmeceuticals, this term refers to skincare that relies on active ingredients with therapeutic benefit and pharmaceutical delivery systems to enhance skin cell functions. In practical terms, this means managing certain skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, or reversing the signs of aging can be possible without the need for a dermatologist’s prescription, or expensive procedures.
Dermoi has identified a gap in this market for a one-stop shop online that delivers the best cosmeceuticals to your door. Their promise is that all skincare retailed on site, be it £10 or £500, has been selected by their scientists as best-in-class. Every product has been chosen because of its effectiveness – not for its price or packaging. If you have ever been stung by a prettily packaged product on a beauty counter, that then doesn’t deliver the results promised, you’ll understand the consumer gripe dermoi is setting out to address.
The USP behind CALECIM’s formulations is the use of umbilical cord lining stem cells – or stem cells in general – being utilised in a topical skincare to promote skin health.
Your next question is probably, where do these cells come from? CALECIM use ethically harvested stem cells from red deer, which are organically and ethically raised in New Zealand. The red deer are free ranging on the farm, where they are reared for the antler velvet they naturally shed. So whilst CALECIM products aren’t vegan, no harm comes to the red deer from thefarming or harvesting of stem cells.
But what sort of results can you expect from stell cell powered skincare? The science has been harnessed for a variety of benefits that include targeting the signs of hair loss, post-cosmetic procedure to aid the skin’s healing process and at-home as part of an anti-aging regime. This is thanks to proteins inside the cells that have been shown to activate tissue repair and regeneration, that have fast-acting benefits, such as increased hyaluronic acid production, improved cell mobility and epidermal cell turnover. Instead of putting actives on skin, CALECIM’s science could stimulate the skin to produce what it is lacking in by itself – a fascinating concept. This is particularly effective on aging skin, as skin’s healing capacity decreases with age.
The hero product in CALECIM’s collection Professional Serum: don’t be fooled by it’s diminutive size, this bright and poppy pink formulation in a potent little bottle is a powerful product, recommended for use post-procedure. If you’re planning a cosmetic procedure, such as micro needling, laser treatment or a peel, this serum can comfort the skin and speed up the healing process, reducing down-time. It can also be used as a daily serum for those in their mid-thirties and above seeking a retinol alternative.
CALECIM’s stem cell technology is also powering an Advanced Hair System in the family of products, which has been shown to reduce shedding and hair loss by stimulating growth in the hair follicle. The before and after results for this serum really spoke for themselves, after only 6 weeks there’s a marked and visible improvement in the participants taking part in case studies, with the £350 6 week treatment program costing a fraction of a hair transplant.
Whilst I have incredibly thick hair, I do have my fair share of fine lines at the age of 34, so I was curious to test the at-home products for myself. I’ve now been trialling CALECIM’s at skincare for around 10 days – using the Multi-Action Cream and Restorative Hydration Cream each morning and night, after cleansing. Whilst it’s too early to see dramatic results from my new regime, I’m really taken with how hydrated my skin has been feeling since I incorporated these products into my daily rituals (I’m looking in every reflective surface in awe of my ‘glow’!)
When I hit my 30s, my fairly low maintenance skin became drier than the desert overnight, and I have since tried all manner of serums and creams to target this concern, with mixed results. The natural radiance, and supple feeling I’m enjoying since adopting the products is truly addictive – combined with the lightning-fast speed with which they absorb and the softly blurring filter-like effect they have on the skin when applied in tandem. The best part is that the hydrated feeling lasts all day – those unsightly dry patches around my nose and that skin tightness I so often experience in winter have gone.
If you’re not seeing the results from your daily Retinol serums – look up CALECIM and stem cell powered skin care. It could just be the lease of life your complexion is craving.
