Natural skincare is booming. Partly from customer demand, but largely from brands like Snowberry who have shown they can take the best from nature and make anti-ageing skincare that works. Editor Trudi Brewer spoke with Dr Travis Badenhorst, president of the NZ Society of Cosmetic Chemists and Snowberry’s scientist, a pioneer in biodiscovery, who shares the healing power of this potent range.
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Editor Trudi Brewer’s favourites serums from the range, Snowberry Youth Renewing Serum, $110 and Snowberry New Radiance Face Serum, $85.
Natural has become a marketing word, that consumers are confused by, not to mention, 'clean clinical', vegan and organic, where does Snowberry fit in that mix?
Snowberry is as natural as possible, while not compromising on efficacy. We like to call it 'made in nature, boosted by science'. This is a good description of the ingredients we use in Snowberry. The vast majority are considered natural, and a small handful is not, these are essential to the function of anti-ageing skincare, and of course, are very safe.
The Snowberry Gardens north of Auckland, The Snowberry skincare range.
Why does Snowberry grow their ingredients?
There are lots of reasons; we believe New Zealand native plants have a lot to offer and a lot yet undiscovered, hence the biodiscovery work we do at the Snowberry Gardens. The main ones we grow ourselves are Harakeke seed oil and Kanuka honey extract. The rest of our ingredients are a mix of what we can get in New Zealand, and then we look to offshore for what we can't get locally – we won't compromise on efficacy. Growing our ingredients, where we can, also has a nice knock-on effect of reducing our carbon footprint by reducing transport and freight etc., and further supporting the local economy.
Learn more about Snowberry’s native Harakeke seed oil one of the main ingredients in the skincare.
Snowberry's Dr Travis explains how Harakeke seed oil is harvested and processed at the Snowberry Gardens and why this is such an excellent antiageing skincare ingredient.
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Snowberry Youth Renewing Serum, $110.
I am a serum addict. And my faves from the Snowberry range, also happen to be top sellers. First, this new-generation serum is loaded with eProlex technology, a peptide (protein) complex. It has a natural affinity with the skin thanks to three powerful anti-ageing ingredients, the first, and the base of the serum is Harakeke (flax) seed oil, as well as Totarol (extracted from the mighty Totora tree). Potent antioxidants, that offer omega fatty acids including vitamin B, C, and E for plumping, and smoothing dull, ageing skin. I use this serum am and pm before moisturising.
What ingredients in the range offer anti-ageing benefits?
We use a range of ingredients that are known to have anti-ageing benefits, including vitamin B, CB, CoQ10 and ceramides. However, the real powerhouses behind our anti-ageing serums are the peptides, in our trademarked delivery systems. Peptides are short proteins which have a crucial role in stimulating the production of collagen and elastin in the skin. The trick is getting these to the place where they can be useful, which is what we've been able to achieve with our unique delivery technology.
Your serums offer proven results, ( with independent clinical trials) what changes can you expect to see in the skin, and how quickly?
Every person's skin is different, but we know people see a visible improvement in their skins' radiance in as little as two weeks. We call this the 'Snowberry Glow'! If our customer isn't satisfied, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Kanuka Honey is harvested at the Snowberry Gardens and used in the skincare.
Why did you choose Kanuka honey over the famous Manuka honey?
Kanuka honey is an exceptional ingredient which has flown under the radar until now. What makes it incredibly unique is its very high levels of a compound called Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGP). These powerful proteins have excellent anti-inflammatory properties, making it a great skincare ingredient.
The gold standard in anti-ageing ingredients is still vitamin A (in all its forms), is there a natural equivalent to retinol, do you use it?
You won't find any vitamin A derivatives in Snowberry. Our opinion after much research is that the only form of vitamin A with any substantial results is on prescription from your doctor. The peptides we use in our products (along with our trademarked delivery system) do offer significant anti-ageing benefits. Our clinical trial results showed considerable wrinkle volume and depth reduction, as well as improvements in skin density.
Snowberry’s hero products
“Snowberry is as natural as possible, while not compromising on efficacy. We like to call it ‘made in nature, boosted by science’. ”
What was the most difficult Snowberry product to create and why?
Good question! Product development is often a long haul, but as you can imagine, none quite as long as the New Radiance Face Serum, that was the result of a five-year research project at the University of Auckland, not to mention the many year's research building up to that point.
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Snowberry New Radiance Face Serum, $85
A hero in my skin routine due to the hydrating, firming results this serum offers. Stacked with the moisture magnet, hyaluronic acid and home-grown ‘super honey’, Kanuka for its anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as Snowberry’s famous CuPEP copper tripeptide, (found in human plasma). This is a skin re-modelling protein, with an ingenious delivery system too, allowing the ingredients to absorb deep into the skin, (rather than sitting on the surface). If ageing and skin sensitivities are your concern, this is the serum for you.
Skincare is an intensely personal experience, finding the balance between what feels, and smells good, and what works, why should women choose Snowberry?
You're right, it is a tricky thing, and as with any product, it won't work for every single person out there, it's just not possible. We strive to create safe, effective and luxurious products for women (and men!) to help support each person's skin to be the best that it can be.
Finally, what are you working on, and what can we expect to see from Snowberry in 2021?
We're bringing innovations to market next year. While I can't provide details, they're sure to delight. All I can say is that it's a powerful protein that has excellent anti-inflammatory properties, making it a great skincare ingredient.