111Skin Reviews | What to buy from this clinical skincare brand

The past few years have seen a seismic shift in the skincare industry, as the cult of clean cultivated a growing fear of ‘chemical’ ingredients, and saw many brands and consumers turn against science in favour of a ‘natural’ mindset.

'Chemical' compounds disappeared from ingredients lists, and easily recognised plant and flower extracts appeared in their place: retinol replaced with rosehip, silicone with squalane.

But, as we begin to emerge from a universally life-altering pandemic, science is returning to the fore – and one brand in particular is enjoying the fruits.

What's the story?

111Skin never deviated from its science-first stance, or attempted to capitalise on the appetite for green. There’s no CBD or healing jade to be found here – and the brand’s original beauty breakthrough, the NAC Y2 compound, remains a pivotal part of its DNA.

Co-founded by Harley-Street surgeon Yannis Alexandrides and his wife Eva Alexandrides, 111Skin has been a clinical brand from the very start. It began with a single product: a cream produced to accelerate healing after surgery. As the formula became more and more popular, the decision to launch onto skincare shelves worldwide was an obvious one.

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“It begun when I was in pursuit of a treatment for my patients that would accelerate their healing,” says Alexandrides. “As a doctor, my primary goal is to ensure the very best results for my patients – this includes doing extensive research into formulas that can be used for the reparation of skin trauma, whether from surgery or clinical procedures. I provided our clients at 111 Harley Street with these formulas and noticed that they kept coming back for more. We developed our range of products based on these formulas, and from there NAC Y2 was born: the core ingredient of our first range.”

What's in it?

As Alexandrides explains, NAC Y2 is broken down as n-acetylcysteine, ascorbyl phosphate and aesculu/s hippocastum extract, and is a powerhouse compound when it comes to healing skin trauma. “Aside from being essential for making glutathione (a substance produced by the liver and used in tissue repair), NAC y2 has many other benefits that help the skin and body. It can help relieve respiratory conditions, boost brain and immune health and can stabilise blood sugar by decreasing inflammation in fat cells.”

Today, this innovative extract is the key ingredient in 111Skin’s Y Theorem line, which contains everything from the original cream to a new ampoule kit, designed to repair the skin barrier and reduce trans-epidermal water loss over the course of five days.

Courtesy

Courtesy

For Alexandrides, jumping on the ‘natural’ bandwagon was never an option. “Science is behind everything we do,” he says. “As a doctor, I spend my time researching and developing products that will benefit both my clients in the clinic and customers of 111Skin. Each one of our products targets a specific skincare concern and is formulated with key ingredients that we know will make a difference. For us, this will never change – we are a science-led brand and always will be.”

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It bodes well for the brand that doctor-led beauty is enjoying a resurgence, as consumers begin to look beyond skincare trends and focus instead on optimal skin health.

“I think that Instagram collaborations and novelty packaging still do play a big role in the skincare industry – it's what helps brands differentiate themselves and drive sales. But ultimately the products need to work. During lockdown, consumers were overwhelmed with online adverts and Instagram marketing and in turn their shopping habits changed – they began looking for products they could really trust,” says Alexandrides.

111SKIN Cryo De-Puffing Edit

111SKIN Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask

111SKIN Y Theorem Bio Cellulose Facial Mask

111SKIN Meso Infusion Overnight Micro Mask

Millennial-pink bottles aside, there’s one more beauty trend that Alexandrides is keen to leave in the past. “Over the course of the last five years, we have seen a rise in fear-based marketing that focuses on an over-resilience to active ingredients. There has become an almost competitive element to the industry, based around giving consumers higher percentages that are not optimal to skin health in the slightest.”

The effects of a maximalist skincare routine are manifold, with most negative side-effects occurring as a result of barrier breakdown, which is easy to find yourself faced with after a few months on a ‘more is more’ skincare diet. (That glassy, almost translucent glow that comes after a fling with a high-strength acid? It’s actually a sign of barrier disruption.)

“Slowly but surely, the consumer has experienced the negative effects of this movement and returned to skincare that cultivates a healthy barrier instead of stripping it. We’ve always remained focused on the latter, even when skin health wasn’t considered trendy.”

111SKIN The Radiance Concentrate

111SKIN Vitamin C Brightening Booster

111SKIN The Firming Concentrate

111SKIN 3 Phase Anti Blemish Booster

What should I try?

Considering all this, it’s easy to assume that 111Skin sits firmly in the ‘practical but boring’ camp, but this is not the case. The brand’s star product line is a collection of coconut-membrane sheet masks so popular, you’ll only have to scroll Instagram for a few seconds to find an A-lister posing in one of them (and not because they're being paid to). Everyone from Victoria Beckham to Thandie Newton raves about these serum-steeped bio-cellulose masks, from the healing Y Theorum mask – based around the original NAC Y2 compound – to the caffeine-infused Sub-Zero De-Puffing mask, which aims to recreate the energising effects of a cryotherapy session. This month, the brand has added a traditional in-tube mask to each product family, too: the Molecular Hydration Mask is especially impressive.

For a quick fix, these treatments are the best place to start – but if you have a little more time before that post-lockdown party, the new ampoule courses are outstanding. The Radiance Concentrate contains a measured dose of gentle alpha-hydroxy-acids to resurface dull skin, while the Firming Concentrate uses a tyrosinase inhibitor to fade pigmentation alongside peptides to plump.

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