Gabrielle Chanel once said "a woman is only as good as the light and peace she radiates". And mastering the light is now the latest talking point in promoting the 2013 whitening products.
First, the inspiration comes from pearl's whiteness and radiance. Chanel Le Blanc Intensive Night Whitening Treatment features a brightening pearl protein extract to nourish the skin, and the resulting smoother surface better reflects light.
Guerlain's Blance de Perle combines a pearl extract with detoxifying ingredients. The French brand has been fascinated with this iridescent gem since the 19th century, and the first Lotion Blanc de Perle (white pearl lotion) was introduced in 1830. Parisian socialites flocked to the Guerlain boutique on Rue de Rivoli to buy this skin-brightening lotion to enhance the aristocratic pallor of their skin.
Clarins compares the skin to millions of micro-mirrors and says interactions with the light are responsible for its appearance, including colour and radiance.
However when light hits the skin, only 4% to 7% of this is reflected on the skin's surface, and more than 90% penetrates the skin and interacts with internal structures.
Inside the epidermis, for example, melanin pigments reflect brown and yellow light whereas inside the dermis, haemoglobin pigments reflect red. Clarins White Plus Total Luminescent was developed based on this understanding of the natural reflecting properties of skin components.
Biotherm defines these skin components as chromophores. Its scientists believe that 55% of light is absorbed and 40% is re-emitted through melanin, haemoglobin and glycated collagen that respectively give the skin greyish, red, and yellow tones, and therefore obscure the skin's brightness.
Tackling the colour barriers was the basis for formulating White D-Tox Liquid Light serum, which also contains light reflectors to switch on a skin glow.
The launch of SK-II Cellumination Day Surge UV comes with a simpler explanation of how to achieve glowing skin by balancing red, green and blue light (RGB variance), which combine to create white light, and the reflection lends the skin a translucent aura.
