Waterless skincare isn’t just about innovation; it’s about contributing to sustainable beauty practices that address the ongoing water crisis, making an impactful choice for both our skin and our planet. And despite the rapid growth of this sector of the industry in modern skincare, there are still a few common misconceptions that need clearing up.
1. Myth: Waterless Skincare is a New Phenomenon.
Reality: It is rooted in age old tradition
Waterless skincare is often hailed as a new breakthrough in skincare, an emerging trend – and whilst it may be the first some have heard of it, waterless skincare has been utilised for centuries, with civilisations using rich butters, balms, oils and botanical extracts to nourish the skin long before water took centre stage in modern formulas. This ancient approach to skincare, pure, potent and undiluted is now met with modern science – where it can align seamlessly with knowledge of the skins multiple layers and the way certain ingredients are able to penetrate deeper as well as a greater understanding of processes like ‘trans epidermal water loss’ – meaning we are better able to formulate skincare products that work with our skins natural molecular make up and not against it. Which encapsulates perfectly why at Vemel we believe in sticking with methods that have stood the test of time. So we continue to combine this passion with contemporary scientific insights to revive age old practices that have time and time again produced results.
2. Myth: Waterless Skincare Doesn’t Offer Adequate Hydration
Reality: Waterless formulas provide deep, long lasting nourishment to the skin
Water has long been used as a way to create a lightweight and easy to apply texture in skincare products, leading many of us to believe products of this texture (heavily diluted with water) must therefore be more hydrating to the skin. Fortunately, the science has been able to put an end to these misleading claims once and for all. Most often listed as ‘aqua’, water makes up a whopping up to 80% of most water based skincare products, with further dilution and quality deterioration with every added synthetic filler and emulsifier that is included. So when it comes to the actual hydration/moisturisation these products offer, the results are enough to make you never give another water based moisturiser a second glance. Although water filled moisturisers might feel initially hydrating, most of the water content in the product evaporates from the skin only a mere few hours later (known as ‘trans epidermal water loss’) leaving that tight dry feeling – the lack of occlusive or emollient ingredients paired with the significant water content means any hydration that is provided can only be temporary.
In order to offer that same light weight feeling without the water dilution, our founder Agi struck the perfect balance between intensely nourishing and light, easy to apply when she created the Collagen Boosting Hydration Cream. Perfect to inject a little youth back into the skin, this cream has been thoughtfully formulated to include a combination of nutrient rich yet fast absorbing oils like Desert Date and Apple Seed Oil, as well as collagen boosting Collamung Ferment, rejuvenating Apple and Argan Stem Cells and sustainably cultivated biotech Green Algae Lipid Extract to improve skin renewal; a powerful blend of nature’s very best to breathe life into tired skin. Despite all these incredible ingredients, the Collagen Boosting Hydration Cream is still able to maintain a weightless texture through the use of Organic Barley Leaf Juice – intentionally selected to offer maximum goodness, in a lighter texture, and clinically proven to have increased hydration by 41.4%. This powerhouse for hydration, repair and anti-aging effects means your skin is able to get all the goodness, undiluted.
And it doesn’t stop there, the Vemel Biome Active Essence, a mist that harnesses the power of nature, rejuvenating and revitalising the skin with every spritz achieves clinically proven results like 12% less trans epidermal water loss and a 36.4% increase in skin moisture (in just 4 weeks!) without any added water, despite it’s water like consistency. With Organic Young Barley Leaf Juice, Algae Extracts, probiotics and bio ferments like acerola, radish and lactobacillus, this skin mist does the absolute most – from enhancing collagen production, ensuring elasticity and leaving the skin with a radiant, youthful glow. Powered by nature, free from water.
3. Myth: Waterless Skincare Doesn’t Actually So Much For the Environment
Reality: Not including water in skincare/beauty products significantly reduces the amount of water being consumed by the beauty industry.
According to a study by Energy5 (2023) the beauty industry uses roughly around 120 billion litres of water. Not only does this include water used in products, it accounts for the significant use of plastic used by the beauty industry for packaging which requires a significant amount of water to produce as well as creating knock on effects like the detrimental affect certain ingredients can have on marine wildlife and water sources once the products are washed down the drain. This is why at Vemel we believe waterless skincare is not just a product on a shelf, it is a way of life, a mindset. The truth is, waterless skincare products remove the dependency on water, instead swapping it out with more potent and concentrated active ingredients, this way we are able to conserve water while enhancing skincare performance. And without water acting as a filler, each and every ingredient in the formula serves a purpose, allowing for better absorption and deeper nourishment, meaning products go much further too. Take for instance our very own moisturiser, the Vemel Vitamin Rich Face Butter – made up of only 10 ingredients, from rich plant based butters, to algaes and oils, this moisturiser offers maximum efficacy and delivers an abundance of nutrients in each and every application, without causing further harm to our planet.
Ultimately, behind each product, there is a process. And behind each brand there is a story – at Vemel, ours is rooted in simplicity – in a world overwhelmed with choices, waterless skincare simplifies your routine with fewer ingredients, greater potency, and less waste – but never ever compromising on quality skincare.