Bioengineering is the marriage of ‘natural’ and ‘engineered’. If you know us, then you will know our opinion that ‘natural’ doesn't mean much on a product label. Remember, there is no legal definition of this! Therefore, if not accompanied by a well-known accreditation, there is a big chance that these products do not contain only natural ingredients and are less regulated when it comes to the ingredient’s origin.

Thankfully, we are becoming more and more aware of the potential greenwashing out there, pushing brands to be more transparent (whoop!). We care about what’s in our products, but we also want to make sure that our product is doing its job. We are not alone in wanting this, a balance between product performance & source of the product, so enter bioengineering!

This growing sector is on the rise and, “Increasingly, biocompatible lab-grown alternatives are being aligned with organic and sustainable solutions for the natural beauty enthusiast,” (Wunderman Thompson Intelligence’s Beauty Tech Futures).

BIOENGINEERING - PROS

• Sustainability: As mentioned before, sustainability has become key in beauty- it is no longer an option! Did you know that buying natural products doesn't automatically mean that your product is not harmful to our planet? In fact, plant-based products may be biodegradable, but harvesting them is leading to widespread deforestation.

• Elevation of natural beauty: Natural beauty also doesn't mean ‘better for my skin.’ In fact, those struggling with certain skin conditions might find more stable products much more helpful than natural ones (again tricky, as it really depends on each individual skin). Therefore, bioengineering may finally bridge the gap for those for whose skin can’t tolerate natural products on the skin. They have scientific leverage and take a better approach to drawing out the best of nature.

• Long-lasting Effects: Bioengineering is an incredibly versatile technology and can make our natural ingredients better, last for longer, and be more efficient. It can also be beneficial for the planet as we are not constantly outsourcing ingredients.

BIOENGINEERING - CONS

• One of the only negative points that we would see here is the transparency regarding the product’s formulation. If you want to make sure that brands are really, honestly bridging the gap between natural and technology make sure to learn more about them- specifically about their manufacturing and if you can’t find any information take it as a red flag!

• Also remember, even though this is really exciting and a buzzy trend, it doesn’t mean every product will work for you. Patch test, introduce slowly and listen to your skin-you know the drill.

BRANDS THAT ARE EMBRACING THAT MOVEMENT

• Not to toot our own horn (toot, toot!) But us again! Ok, maybe we don’t manufacture skincare products, but with our different types of consultations, we do recommend your morning and night regime and are completely unbiased! Therefore, you may well find some natural products in your shopping list, because they will work best on your skin, but you may also find more performance-based products - again, depends on what your skin needs.

• Bioeffect- It is an Icelandic brand that has created a plant-based replica of epidermal growth factors in greenhouse-grown barley!

• One Ocean Beauty - They use biotechnology to replicate marine-derived ingredients. Such as micro-organisms, seaweed, kelp and algae in a laboratory, which enables them to continue to thrive in their natural habitat.

• Eighteen B a brand from a US biotech company, which has two skincare products that were created with the brand’s proprietary B-Silk protein. This is engineered by fermenting yeast, sugar, water and salt to produce a natural silk-like substance. So while actually writing this, I am on their website to get their moisturizer- will keep you in the loop on how effective this product is!

To find out if these products will suit your unique skin and to build a bespoke routine of your own, click HERE to book your Holistic Skin Session now.