History’s list of Renaissance dudes is long and illustrious—Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, and Einstein, and Churchill, to name but a few—and all managed to crank out some pretty impressive inventions, equations, and philosophies all while handily painting, sculpting, and leading countries to victory on the side. So might we submit a new candidate for the canon, and the only one who cares a whit about skin care?
Tom Ford—book author; Academy Award–nominated film director; former visionary creative director at, simultaneously, Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent (where he was famously replaced by four people when he departed in 2004), and now at his eponymous label—has recently introduced the new unisex Tom Ford Research skin-care line. To do so, Ford assembled his own research facility and team of top scientists to develop something that didn’t exist until now.
The science behind the new über-luxury line boils down to caffeine. Ford’s team found that the ingredient most of us rely on to perk us up in the morning, also helps increase skin’s natural energy, boosts hydration, and leaves skin looking brighter. It also encourages the movement of sodium ions—small, charged molecules on the epidermis that carry an electrical energy-type flow and flood the skin with hydration (their findings have already been presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Conference and will be published soon).
Three types of caffeine work in concert in both a serum and a crème: white porcelain cacao, caffeine, and gyokuro combine to promote energized, healthier skin. The 1,000-year-old rare white cacao now makes up less than 0.5 per cent of the world’s cocoa production, but this antioxidant contains polyphenols, which protect skin from free-radical damage. Through a combination of in vitro and ex vitro studies, Ford’s team also proved that caffeine encourages hydration when its size and dispersion in a concentrate is perfectly calibrated. They also investigated gyokuro, a specialized and prized variety of Japanese green tea. Grown in the shade rather than in sunlight, this varietal has a higher concentration of certain compounds including theanine, an amino acid that helps soothe skin and delivers antioxidant protection. In addition to the three forms of caffeine, hyaluronic acid and peptides are added to the mix for a highly concentrated formula.
There are currently two products in the Tom Ford Research line. The Serum Concentrate jump-starts tired-looking skin, helping it to absorb and retain moisture. Pores, lines, and wrinkles are diminished, while radiance and visible resiliency are obvious. Meanwhile, the Crème Concentrate cocoons dehydrated skin and delivers a recharged and re-energized look.
If we could have just an iota of Tom Ford’s recharged and re-energized output, imagine what we might accomplish in a day.
Tom Ford Research is available at Holt Renfrew and Tomford.com.
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