Oriflame’s natural skin barrier booster

Every researcher hopes for a very particular kind of project – something they can get their teeth into, that provides true value and insight and allows them to make a real difference in their chosen field. Oriflame is lucky to be home to many skilled scientists, providing them with ample opportunity to apply the skills they learn in academia to great effect with research projects that have real-world value, and hopefully provide us all with a better understanding of cosmetic science.

Sandra Smiljanic, a research scientist in our Swedish Research & Innovation (SRI) lab in Stockholm, is one such person. Starting in the lab almost 5 years ago as a Research Technician she quickly progressed to her current role as Research Scientist. As a molecular biologist, Sandra was always interested in skin and skin care. While previously working in the medical field, she decided to make the big change to come back to Sweden from Canada when she got a call from Oriflame about an opening in SRI. She was excited about the role because it offered her a chance to see the painstaking work done by her and her lab colleagues translated into tangible results in the skin of real people by way of Oriflame’s most innovative skincare ranges.

Sandra and co’s latest research achievement was driven by Oriflame’s inspiration from nature. Not only is Scandinavia home to stunning landscapes and a myriad of beautiful flora and fauna, but it offers our scientists an almost infinite space to analyze how plants grow, survive, and thrive. With an insatiable appetite by consumers for all things natural, Sandra and the team began their search to find something from nature, Sweden in particular, that could benefit the skin. What has resulted is the discovery that two natural extracts of Crowberry and Silver Birch rival the skin barrier benefits of Niacinamide, a well-known active that is much loved and respected by consumers and skin care experts alike. Their paper, currently featured in a special issue of the International Journal of Molecular Science, (with an impact factor of 6.2!) showcases how extracts of Silver Birch and Crowberry combined are significantly better at restructuring skin. Essentially giving a natural alternative to rival Niacinamide in terms of the ability to strengthen the skin barrier.

?Sandra stresses that the collaboration and teamwork between her fellow scientists in SRI, R&D, and Ori-Derm are the secret to the overwhelming success of the project. From the phytochemists first identifying plant species and extracting potential compounds of interest, moving to the huge number of screenings in the lab to get an indication of what gives the best potential skin effect, to testing many times on skin explants, until hopefully working with formulation to make the active work its magic in a skincare product!

?Congratulation to Sandra, the lead author, and to all in SRI and R&D for their achievement!

The amazing people behind this:

Sandra Smiljanic Sachdeva , Cyril Messaraa , Virginie Lafon Kolb , Nina Hrapovic , Nahid Amini , Christina ?sterlund & Lene Visdal-Johnsen

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You can read the full paper here: (99+) Skin Barrier Benefits using Birch and Crowberry Extracts, a Natural Alternative to Niacinamide | LinkedIn

Rachel Mallon

Scientific Communication Manager, Oriflame