System Nature – 100% natural alternative to Retinol
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System Nature is a new luxury skincare range formulated around the concept of ‘Retinol reimagined by nature;’ a breakthrough 100% natural alternative to retinol. Devised by two University Professors, who have spent two decades as chemists, at the intersection of cutting-edge scientific knowledge and sustainable materials to create their own advanced technology that utilises natural ingredients to the same transformative effect as retinol. I caught up with Prof Richard Blackburn, Professor of Sustainable Materials, world leader in research and its industrial application focusing on ‘green chemistry’ to hear more.
‘Around 25 years ago, as chemists at the University of Leeds, I collaborated with my now co-founder, Professor Christopher Rayner (Professor of Organic Chemistry and expert in natural product extraction) to research sustainable materials in textile but investigation led us to the toxic problems in the cosmetics industry,’ explains Professor Richard Blackburn. I wonder at how much support they had over two decades ago when the world wasn’t talking openly about sustainability or subject to the transparency of social media, Richard recalls, ‘yes absolutely people thought it was a trend that would die down. Chris and I were the only ones focusing on it at University but back then we were exploring data and colour dying for textiles.’
As ‘green chemists’ I consider that their background connecting textiles to skincare stands the System Nature brand apart, Richard agrees, ‘Sustainable messaging in this landscape is now largely about tokenism. Founders enthuse about a new active ingredient developed from nature but it makes up 1% of the formulation. At System Nature we do things differently by stripping it back to what we want the product to do as a whole and build it from the first principles rather than just taking a base formula and adding an active to it.’
So how did it all start? Both professors have been developing their fundamental technology around bakuchiol as a key ingredient for around 10 years now. Richard explains, ‘I find retinol fascinating, it’s so popular now as an ingredient but it’s almost like an addiction because consumers continue to use it even experiencing or knowing all the downsides. Also, it has many restrictions such as not being able to be worn in the daytime as it triggers skin sensitivity and pregnant women can’t use it’ he adds. ‘We saw people using it in the wrong way and thought there must be a better option out there, that’s how we came to bakuchiol, it’s clinically proven to have the same anti-ageing effects as retinol.’
As a sensitive skin sufferer who had terrible triggering responses from retinol products when they first came on the mainstream market including breakouts, redness, inflammation, I have found market leader, Medik 8, to be the best option although at such a low retinol level. I have always liked bakuchiol products but found them difficult to come by, ‘I think there have been a lot of bakuchiol products marketing badly to consumers as they are actually synthetic not natural based,’ says Richard, ‘We have created a system at System Nature where as chemists we can utilise our acumen to make the formulas end to end: from raw material right through to end product. It is not easy to extract from the raw material; we have developed an organic extraction process which is a difficult thing to develop but that meets organic certification. And so we can deliver active ingredients at a purity conventional skincare can’t achieve.’
What was the first product formulated?
‘The System Nature products are primarily based around the moisturiser, which is formulated from the System Nature technology combination of bakuchiol with mandarin peel extract, which gives both long term anti-ageing benefits and shortterm hydration benefits. We also added in grape seed oil and peach kernel oil which are amazing at supporting the delivery into the required areas deep within the skin layers. We’ve even compared it to the retinol market leader; clinical trials show it has the same efficacy.’ Next, System Nature wanted to create an Eye cream specifically for the thin skin around that area that is more prone to fluid retention. It uses the same actives with mandarin peel but a slightly different formulation for optimum delivery. And the Cleanser is designed around their same sustainable principles; where most mainstream cleansers strip the oil from the skin with harsh surfactants, this System Nature Oil based cleansers removes deep toxins and dirt preparing the skin to be able to receive the active ingredient from the moisturiser.
I ask Professor Richard Blackburn more about the power of the System Nature technology as a carrier of the oils deeper into the skin and to advance cell regeneration.
He notes, ‘In your skin you have certain receptors that retinol can activate to accelerate cell turnover and stimulate collagen production. Retinol does trigger that process but the problem with it is the side effects of inflammation, redness and so forth,’ he adds, ‘Bakuchiol targets exactly the same receptors but does it through a different chemical platform.’ He continues, ‘At System Nature you have the other products we put in such as mandarin peel that for instance has its own natural compounds to alleviate inflammation and brighten, balance the skin tone. So you get the dual benefits of the bakuchiol working away at fine lines and ageing over a longer period of time and the immediacy of good feeling skin from the other oils and properties.’
In line with the System Nature concept, the brand see themselves foremost as innovators so will slowly introduce new products after conversations with the consumer. Soon to launch, they have a luxurious Face Oil product designed mainly for nighttime use with other ideas developing.
I ask Prof Richard some of the greatest surprises or changes he has seen in the industry over his two decades experience in it?
‘I think it is the general noise around natural products. Back then it was just The Body Shop having that conversation; consumers viewed it as a bit hippie or there was the super luxurious ranges like L’Occitane lavender oil people bought as gifts.’ He adds, ‘Whilst the change has been in natural products used in the mainstream has the consumer trust in it changed though? We want to change that messaging that the science can only be accessed by white men in lab coats and make it accessible to consumers. At System Nature we want to educate consumers as well as offer them transformative products.’
Systemnature.com