Melume Skinscience
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Melume skinscience founder, Netherlands born, German based Harriet Ploegers has worked in all fields of the cosmetics industry for over 40 years: most of her vast experience was on the skincare development side, making products for 80% of today’s global brands. Witnessing exponential changes, she decided now was the time to launch Melume skinscience, a range combining potent cosmeceuticals backed by science for high performance results. Determined to build a skincare range based on truth, innovation and transparency, I caught up with Ploegers to hear more of her advanced understanding of skincare for the future.
‘In such a noisy landscape, I wanted to create a skincare brand that was based on substantiated claims,’ explains Harriet, ‘we are bioavailable, biomimetic, PH balanced to the skin and use an intelligent transport system as the base of our formulas.’
The unique advanced technology devised by Harriet and her leading Germany based lab is the GMODtm complex – a breakthrough in targeted skincare performance, which is the base of each formula. ‘It has three world leading components – two of them are fractionised themselves, and one makes sure youth proteins in the skin return to a younger state. Therefore, one component is basically an anti-ageing ingredient (although Harriet says she doesn’t use the word), one is a photo-ageing ingredient, one makes sure the water reservoir in the skin is always full.’ These three components provide the basis of all the product formulas then comprised with other ingredients such as niacinamide, vitamin C, acids, retinol and so forth.
Infact, the Melume skinscience retinol product – A-mazing Retinol Retinal Emulsion and Skinsational Retinol Oil was my way into the brand, since due to sensitive skin, I have experienced extreme reactions to over-the-counter luxury skincare products using retinol. Interestingly Melume skinscience fuses retinol and retinal with (the natural alternative) bakuchiol ‘bakuchiol on its own doesn’t have the same efficacy so we layered it on top to add benefits to the formula.’ The A-mazing Retinol Retinal Emulsion, a superstrength biomimetic formula also contains oligo hyaluron (very small molecule), apricot kernel oil and tranexamic acid for skin resurfacing, reducing fine lines, fading dark spots, soothing and nourishing skin texture. The Skinsational Retinol Oil is a bioavailable skin perfector formed from 2% gran active retinoid, 5% THD Vitamin C, bakuchiol as well as 12 nourishing botanical oils, antioxidants Vit E, B, A as well as triglycerides and fatty acids for skin cell turnover, reduced fine lines, hyperpigmentation, prevention from photo-ageing, and skin renewal, brightness, tone and texture.
I have been using three bestselling Melume products now as part of my daily routine: Balmy Oily, Milky Cleanser, Daily Hydra Lock Resurface Essence, Power Peptide Micro Emulsion. As someone who could never find a cleanser that got to the root – I found textures either too heavy, sat on the skin surface or didn’t deep cleanse enough (I don’t do the ‘double cleanse’ method), I love the Balmy Oily, Milky Cleanser which combines everything by initially layering onto the skin as an oil but with a little water forming into a milky cleanser. As someone who doesn’t use a toner (I have found them stripping and an unnecessary skincare stage) the Daily Hydra Lock Resurface Essence is an alternative – a light textured essence which is the first step of a skincare routine – it is more than a facial mist without the harshness of a toner. Instead, it is formulated to lock in deep hydration, plump the skin, refine pores, pigmentation and to add a natural glow. Called ‘Hydra Lock’ for a reason as layering in a small pump morning and evening after cleansing you can feel the hydration locking into the skin layers. Full of precisely percentage-d ingredients including glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, snow mushroom, panthenol amongst others. The Power Peptide Micro Emulsion is a transformative hero product; it seeps into the skin easily before makeup morning and evening fuelled by ‘nine types of different peptides in the formula whereas most brands use two or three peptides and a growth factor.’ Harriet explains that ‘peptides are a fantastic ingredient but if used on non-resurfaced skin or used with a non-compatible skin type surface, the product won’t be able to reach the specific skin layers needed to do its job.’ Using bioavailable and biomimetic ingredients, The Power Peptide Micro Emulsion formula combines the nine peptides with growth factors, squalane and other acids and the GMODtm complex for a daily anti-aging effect. Other tempting products include the Pro strength multi acid micro peel, Water Free Niacinamide Galactomyces serum, Water free Super C Shot.
Talking to Harriet it is obvious that she has an encyclopaedic understanding of the skin and ingredients, but even she admits the ‘science is complex.’ She adds, ‘the skin is like a membrane which depends on your stratum corneum, so skin resurfacing is the key to youthful skin in general.’ She continues, ‘Alongside the biomimetic ingredients, bioavailable ingredients, and the intelligent transport system is the fourth pillar, time release. I believe we have succeeded in getting all these factors into the products. We are also 100% vegan and cruelty free.’
Harriet concedes that the skincare industry and consumers have become obsessed with quick fixes but that ‘it doesn’t work like that,’ and that ‘consistency and protecting yourself from UV’ are the most important practices.
At Melume skinscience, there is a rigour that surpasses many of the main market brands I have seen: the leading scientists working with the brand are constantly staying on top of sustainable developments and ingredient heritage. Formulations take around two years to create and come to market. Whilst all the products utilise either biomimetic or bioavailable ingredients, some formulas even feature ‘multi-lamellar structures that closely mimic the skin’s natural cross-linked barrier.’
So, what new products can we expect from Melume Skinscience?
A new ‘Eye Light’ eye cream is coming soon – ‘a hybrid product that immediately illuminates the eye area, colour corrects, and contains light reflecting pigments for depuffing, smoothing out lines and can also be used as skincare.’ There is also a ‘super scientific based rich cream’ launching in the winter ‘mainly aimed at maturer skin.’
Harriet concludes, ‘at Melume we go by skin not age, we go by skin not whether it’s day or night, ultimately we go by skin concern.’
Can’t wait to follow the story.
Available in Harrods, Face the Future in the UK and globally online.