To raise moisture levels, La Mer’s Hydrating Infusion (out in September) uses a brand-new blend of skin-quenching algae ferments. The marine ingredients are sourced, in part, from a shallow-water kelp that stays damp even when exposed to dry air. Paul Tchinnis, La Mer’s director of research and development, says that when applied before the company’s classic moisturizer, the infusion acts as a primer, “premoistening skin so it can better absorb Crème de la Mer.”
There may be no shortage of interest in new botanicals, but Chantecaille’s founder, Sylvie Chantecaille, is working to make sure there is no shortage of supply, either. She is currently investigating plant stem cells, which she hopes will improve healthy skin function and have the added benefit of promoting environmental sustainability. As she says, “We can take one cell of a plant and multiply that in a lab so we don’t have to take the whole forest.”
