Beauty Clinic: why 'the sticky minute' is important for serums
Q. I often use a serum before my day and night creams for a bit of an extra boost but find my skin is a bit sticky/tacky after I’ve applied it. I use it as directed but wonder if this is right?
A. A Such an interesting question and one we are often asked. So we seized the chance to ask top dermatologist and aesthetics expert Dr. Phillip Levy about what he calls ‘the sticky minute’. In a nutshell, this is the time you should leave a serum to penetrate the skin before you apply another product on top.
An anthropologist who then trained as a medic before specialising in dermatology and aesthetics, Dr. Levy became fascinated by the science of stem cell research so he could work out how best to repair skin alongside laser resurfacing treatments.
His fabulous (and fabulously costly) range of skincare, Dr. LEVY Switzerland, was launched after the discovery in 2009 of the dermal stem cell reservoir, a finding he describes as the Holy Grail of reversing the effects of ageing on our skin – think density, firmness, radiance and smoothness (ie lack of wrinkles).
His hero product (and believe us it is pretty damned miraculous) is his supercharged Intense Stem Cell Booster Serum, which is packed with ArganCellActive Complex. This wonderworker is based on a specific, concentrated extract of argan tree stem cells, which has been shown to activate and vitalise human stem cells in vitro by 80%. The Complex also contains two other plant derived stem cell boosters plus a highly concentrated cocktail of skin nutrients.
Independent clinical trials showed Intense Stem Cell Booster Serum reduced wrinkle depth significantly and also improved skin density. But, Dr. Levy told Sarah, his patients didn't all seem to get the same results. Quizzing them about their skincare routine, Dr. Levy discovered that, sure, they were using the serum as directed but immediately after they applied it, they slapped on another product.
As he says ruefully, it was a waste of all the years of work he had spent creating the serum, the important ingredients and, not least, the price (£280/30ml – told you it's costly…).
So Dr Levy invented the idea of ‘the sticky minute’ – the time you leave between applying a serum before you apply the next product. That way, the potent serum can work as it was formulated to do, rather than getting mixed in with another product where it might not work synergistically.
The principle of ‘the sticky minute’ is the same with any serum and also we find with some other products, such as conditioning lotions. Leaving a wee bit of time between products also makes your skincare routine a much more peaceful and enjoyable process.
