Our BIOEFFECT products are created from a philosophy of purity and efficacy. Pure, because we only use as few ingredients as possible and grow our EGF in barley; and effective, because our ingredients are scientifically proven to be powerful anti-aging agents. EGF serums have from 7 to 12 ingredients, while other brands in your skincare closet may contain 50 – 80 ingredients in average. This raises the question, if and how they work together? Could the efficacy of EGF be affected or even reduced, when combined with harsher ingredients or other types of skincare.
Dr. Björn Örvar Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of BIOEFFECT explains a little about the matter, to make sure you get the best of your investment.
Q: Many of us have several or more beauty products on our bathroom shelf. Can these be a supplement to the EGF range?
A: “Both yes and no. We like to divide cosmetic products into two categories. In the first category are the “layer on, layer off”- products like makeup, sunblock and even day creams being typical examples. You apply these products in the morning and rinse them off again at night. During the day, they merely lie on top of the epidermis and your skin is the same in the evening as it was in the morning. This isn't necessarily a negative thing and if washed off properly, you can still use them simultaneously with EGF. But these products aren't changing the biology of the skin, they are not communicating with the cells”, Dr. Björn explains. “And in the second category of cosmetics, which we call “active”, is where you’ll find BIOEFFECT. The EGF in our products communicates with the skin cells, conducting them to change their behavior, energizing them to be youthful again. The cells gradually begin to alter their own biology and slowly you start to see the effects. It may take weeks or even months, but you will see the effects”.
Q: Could you give an example?
A: “Yes - over a couple of months of using BIOEFFECT, the thickness of your skin increases, allowing it to retain water better. By doing so, the skin gains more and more volume. We have both in-house studies and independent studies demonstrating this. Even when you stop using EGF, you'll still retain the same moisture level for quite a while after. This is the difference between the two types of cosmetics. When you take off your typical day cream in the evening, your moisture level drops to its previous state within a few hours. EGF has a completely different approach, it’s a long-term investment in your skin”.
Q: Are there any ingredients in my other skincare products that could reduce the effects of EGF?
A: “EGF is a so-called cell signaling protein. These types of proteins are very delicate and highly sensitive to many other chemicals. They don't work properly with oils and fat, alcohol, emulsifiers”.
Q: What about vitamin-infused cosmetics, are they a no go with EGF?
A: “Vitamins are also categorized in two groups: the water solubles and the fat solubles. The water soluble vitamins are B and C, they work decently with EGF. With vitamin C, you do need to be careful however, as it oxidizes quite fast. Next, we have the fat soluble vitamins, like A (also known as retinol), D and E. They are more problematic when in contact with EGF, as they may change the structure of the protein. But you don't need to avoid the fat solubles completely, we know for example, that retinol, in its right form, does a lot of good for the skin”.
Q: So how do I get the most out of EGF serum?
A: “We recommend, that you thoroughly rinse your face off any residue and other products, toners included, with water, before applying EGF. If you would like to use other cosmetics on top, wait around 10 minutes before proceeding with them. This will give the skin cells time to respond to the EGF and it won't affect the cell rejuvenation process much. Note, that this skin rejuvenation process works best when skin is resting and we therefore advise, to use EGF serum at nighttime and without anything on top. As we say: “You are only 2-4 drops away from beautiful skin” - apply few drops to create a thin layer on your skin and EGF will do the rest. One more tip - after rinsing and when applying your EGF product, it won't hurt if your skin is a little moist with water. Instead of gently patting it on, give your face a small massage to improve blood flow and rub off dead skin cells. I always do that myself”, Dr. Björn smiles.
