Diamond powder, gold, caviar or truffle. The cosmetic industry increasingly amazes us with formulas that promise almost miraculous results thanks to the power of cosmetic ingredients with an air of super-gods. These promises of new skin are directly proportional to the digits that make up their prices. The question is: does the price justify the quality?
Among the most ostentatious cosmetic ingredients is the humble saffron, also called "red gold." A sacred spice that Cleopatra added to her baths for its aphrodisiac aroma and Indians offered to Buddha, its value, depending on its origin, can reach between 8,000 and 10,000 euros per kilo (if Spanish, which is the best quality).
It earned its cosmetic prestige thanks to Ayurveda, where it is used almost as a panacea in its miraculous Kumkumadi Tailam, a beauty elixir with a significant presence of the costly spice capable of mitigating acne and its lesions, restoring luminosity, and improving the overall complexion of the skin. The reason for its exorbitant price is that to obtain one gram of saffron, more than 150 flowers are needed (something it shares with its friend the rose). It is a meticulous and artisanal work that cannot be industrialized and must be done by hand.
In the Top Ten most expensive
"One of the most exclusive and expensive active ingredients I've found is Glycyrrhiza Glabra extract (Licorice root Extract), and it costs so much because it contains a molecule called Glabridin," comments Pedro. In 2007, the value of licorice trade was around 42 million US dollars, according to a report by the US National Library of Medicine.
The reason? Its myriad of properties. The beneficial effects of licorice have been thoroughly discussed in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine for its anti-inflammatory, soothing, tonic action... As well as in the texts of ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Pedanius Dioscorides of Anazarbus (Adana), father of pharmacists in the 1st century AD, already mentioned that it was very effective in treating stomach and intestinal ulcers.
Chinese licorice is the most expensive due to its high glycyrrhizic acid content. However, in cosmetics, the most valued is Glabridin, a fat-soluble molecule with a whitening action similar to hydroquinone (97.33% of the former compared to 99.41% of the latter), without its side effects, as it acts by inhibiting tyrosinase and melanin formation.
Schizandra, the magical five-flavor berry that also beautifies
The Schizandra Berry or Schisandra Chinensis (Wu Wei Zi in Chinese), did not leave Eastern medicine circles (it has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for more than 2,000 years) until the "Midas queen of beauty," Gwyneth Paltrow, put it on the American wellness track a few years ago.
Called "the five-flavor berry" by Chinese Medicine, it is considered to contain the five elemental energies: wood, fire, water, earth, and metal, which makes it a supreme balancer of all the body's energy meridians, toning the three treasures of being – Jing (essence), Shen (spirit), and Qi (vital energy) –.
This "super berry" is credited with commendable adaptogenic properties and the ability to improve skin condition by nourishing it from within. But it is also an excellent cosmetic ingredient: "I chose this ingredient for several reasons," says Pedro Catalá, "because its supplier inspires my full confidence. The in vivo tests of the ingredient are spectacular. It is perfect for sensitive skin because it is soothing by modulating pro-inflammatory modulators. In addition, it improves tone, limiting melanin synthesis and its dispersion. Its price is 1,300 euros per kg. and I decided to include it in Ultra Revitalising Elixir."
Ultra Revitalising Elixir is developed from a saccharide hydrolysate, a mixture of active compounds obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of Schisandra berries, with a unique composition of peptides, sugars, and hydroxy acids. This combination improves barrier function and softens even the most sensitive skin.
Iris Germanica, the most revered fragrant root
Alongside Oud (a difficult-to-obtain ingredient resulting from the resin that the Agar tree exudes to defend itself from the attack of the fungus Phialophora parasitica, whose essential oil can cost more than 25,000 euros, depending on its degree of purity), the Iris rhizome or Orris extract, is another of the most coveted ingredients by perfumers and one of the most expensive in the industry.
The most exotic thing about this exclusive extract is that to be able to enjoy its scent, between three and five years must pass. After this time, it is harvested and dried. In this complex process, the Iris bulb changes its character and generates an odorant molecule called irone, which gives it its enormous olfactory value.
A justification for its price that it shares with other species such as rose and saffron, from which tons of flowers are needed to obtain scarce drops of essential oil. "The aromatic note of Iris Germanica or Orris Butter, one of the most expensive extracts in cosmetics, is present in my last three body launches. Even traces infuse that very special aroma and do not have a disproportionate impact on the final cost of the formula," comments Pedro.
Antioxidant Burst Shower Gel, Jojoba Quench Body Serum and Great Barrier Relief Cream, are infused with the characteristic powdery and delicate nuance of Iris to elevate the act of body care to another level.
Quality (and endorsement) better than quantity
At this point in the discussion, we can conclude that yes: more expensive ingredients exponentially improve the formula. "I only work with organic extracts from a very reputable supplier, and their cost is approximately 10 times more than other suppliers who offer the same at a lower cost, but the quality is noticeable," says Pedro.
"I also like to work with the unsaponifiable part of vegetable oils, which is the most concentrated fraction where the most active functional molecules reside. It is more expensive, but of higher quality and benefits than a plain vegetable oil."
"Choosing an organic vegetable glycerin instead of a classic vegetable glycerin is also more expensive, but its ability to penetrate the stratum corneum, attract water and retain it to maintain moisture, radically improves," concludes the formulation expert.
"Quality is a valid argument in cosmetics and it has a price, but it also offers efficacy and performance. The most important thing is to stick to high doses supported by studies that work. It's not about creating a beautiful INCI, it's about taking care of the skin." Pedro dixit—.
Finally, it is worth noting that in addition to using the best ingredients with the highest degree of purity, the true value of Twelve Beauty is its craftsmanship. How products are prepared, how ingredients are handled, the packaging, the personalized notes sent with each order, and of course, the empathy and closeness with which they treat their clientele.