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Optical Effects FOR LAS VEGANS EAGER FOR THE NEXT BREAKTHROUGH IN ADVANCED SKINCARE, THERE'S A NEW PRODUCT THAT TAKES ANTIAGING SOLUTIONS IN A NEW DIRECTION. BY CATHERINE SABINO " A fter women, flowers are the divine creation," said Christian Dior, who used them to inspire his fabrics and collections. The legacy of Dior's flower passion may be the reason his couture house is likely the only one with its own gardens—eight flower plots scattered around the world, whose locations were chosen, as if by a discriminating vintner, for the quality of the terroir. But rather than for fashion inspiration, the rare exotic flowers grown in these gardens provide active ingredients for the company's line of fragrances, skincare, and cosmetics. The extracts from two recent discoveries, Langosa and Opilia, harvested in Madagascar and Burkina Faso, respectively, form the basis of Dior's new skincare product Dreamskin, the natural extracts from one (Langosa) added for antiaging benefits, the other (Opilia) to help correct the skin's color imperfections. It's unusual for a skin product to be both corrector and wrinkle treatment. But antiaging skincare, perennially a white-hot product category, had to evolve from just treating wrinkles: With countless varieties of filler injections, there are many ways to get quick, good results. Recent studies showed consumers wanting products that mitigate aging's other side effects—uneven texture and pigmentation, for example— as much as those that minimize wrinkles. Brigid Noe, director of Formulation Laboratories for Dior, says developing a product that corrects tone and wrinkles was no easy task: "Usually formulas must 72 contain a significant amount of powders and pigments for immediate, visible color imperfection results. But those with a lot of pigments don't always allow for deep absorption." Noe and her team tried hundreds of combinations, while studying how facial skin absorbs and reflects light. Under the microscope, facial skin, like a Pointillist painting, appears as a collection of small colored dots, which should result in an uneven surface appearance. But the epidermal cell structure is unique in the way it reorganizes how light interacts with it. Edouard Mauvais-Jarvis, scientific director for Dior, says that it acts as a natural optical filter with diffusion properties that help to even out color and texture. "But aging impacts cells that act as filters," he says. For their new product, scientists sought to mimic how healthy filters work by adding special mineral powders found in Japan—one with mica platelets, another with silica particles—to the flower extract formula. The powders tested well for their light diffusion properties, minimizing redness and other age-caused textural imperfections. What's interesting about Dreamskin is that it appears creamy pink (from the color-correcting mineral powders) but applies transparently. It is designed to be worn during the day, or under makeup. Quite a clever bit of trompe l'oeil and the latest wearable magic from Dior. The Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-369-6072; dior.com. Call the store in advance to experience Dreamskin with a complimentary Dior Institut Express Facial. V SETTING THE TONE Dior scientists cite uneven texture as skin's main age giveaway. Las Vegas dermatologist Douglas Fife says the local climate is the main perpetrator. "Intense sunlight and the extremely dry climate are the two main environmental factors that lead to uneven tone and discoloration," says Fife, who is fellowship-trained in Mohs micrographic surgery. "Sunlight does the most damage—leading to uneven coloration, skin thinning, and wrinkles." He notes that the arid climate's drying effect can cause cracks and weaken the skin's natural protective barrier. "These cracks allow irritants and allergens to get through the skin and cause redness and inflammation, which in some individuals turns to brown discoloration." PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF PARFUMS CHRISTIAN DIOR (MODEL, FLOWERS, SERUM); BY SONGQUAN DENG/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (STRIP); ANDREY BAYDA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (SIGN) YOU, EVEN BETTER VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 072_V_SS_YEB_Winter14.indd 72 1/10/14 11:00 AM