The demand for all-natural, organic skincare, and clean beauty is evolving as consumers seek healthy skin with visible results.
In the past, simply offering a skincare product that harnessed the power of nature while avoiding harmful chemicals was considered sufficient. The concept of all-natural beauty was not only beneficial for personal health but also gentle on the environment, so it was a perfect fit for skincare. Terms like “clean ingredients” and “derived from nature” became popular marketing phrases, promoting the use of plant-based ingredients such as antioxidant-rich green tea, vitamin-C-packed camu camu, and soothing herbs like rosemary, chamomile, and lavender. Spas have historically embraced these natural elements in their facials and body treatments, aligning with their mission of promoting health and beauty. However, as consumers become more discerning, there is a notable shift in what they expect from these products, signaling a demand for effectiveness beyond just being “natural.” As international skincare expert Pietro Simone notes, the emergence of organic and natural products alone is not sufficient to meet the desired results; a deeper transformation in skincare is now essential.
The current focus is on achieving true skin health—characterized by clear, even-toned, smooth, and radiant skin free from redness, flaking, irritation, and inflammation, which exemplifies genuine inner and outer beauty. The COVID-19 pandemic has played a significant role in this shift, prompting many people to reassess their health priorities, with 62 percent of Americans indicating that their health has become more important than ever in the aftermath of the pandemic. Dr. Dennis Gross, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, emphasizes that skincare is increasingly viewed as part of an overall health regime rather than just a beauty ritual. This trend, which began to emerge before 2020, gained significant momentum during the pandemic, as more individuals prioritized their overall well-being.
Shane Upson, the director of spa and wellness at the Lapis, the Spa at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, echoes this sentiment. “Consumers are shifting their focus from merely achieving ‘glowing skin’ or ‘hydrated skin’ to understanding the necessary steps required to achieve these outcomes,” Upson explains. The pandemic allowed individuals ample time to reflect on what truly matters, leading to a transformation in how we approach wellness and self-care. This change in perspective directly influences skincare choices, with an emphasis on addressing underlying concerns rather than just surface-level issues.
Skincare experts like Simone remain committed to the principles of clean beauty, focusing on the advantages of natural ingredients while eliminating harmful elements such as artificial colorants, synthetic fragrances, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde. However, the integration of biotechnology plays a crucial role in modern skincare, allowing for the reformulation of natural ingredients in laboratory environments to achieve the desired results. By combining potent additional ingredients, these products can effectively cater to the health-focused desires of consumers.
Harnessing Biotechnology for Enhanced Skincare: Achieving Desired Results
Formulating skincare products in a laboratory setting has historically been viewed negatively, especially during the 1980s and 1990s, due to a backlash against chemical-based ingredients. Many consumers believed that if a product was synthesized in a lab, it must be synthetic and potentially harmful. In contrast, today’s advancements in biotechnology are seen as the future of skincare, with consumers increasingly welcoming these innovations. Scientists are now able to amplify the beneficial properties of natural ingredients using cutting-edge skincare technologies while eliminating harmful and ineffective components. “Biotechnology fuses the precision of chemistry with the natural requirements of biology,” states skincare engineer Lindsay Wray, PhD, of Bolt Threads, a raw ingredient supply company based in Berkeley, California. “We can create naturally inspired ingredients with greater accuracy.”
Simone’s clean, results-oriented products exemplify this approach. In his laboratory, he modifies plant-based ingredients to eliminate potential allergens and incorporates advanced delivery systems that enable ingredients to penetrate deeply into the skin for maximum effectiveness. The outcome of this clean biotechnology is compelling: healthier, more radiant skin that consumers can visibly appreciate. “The skin’s natural barrier is designed to prevent the absorption of harmful substances,” he explains. This barrier functions as a biological safeguard, but with biotechnology, harmful materials can be excluded, allowing beneficial ingredients to reach deeper layers of the skin without causing harm.
“Biotechnological ingredients can be custom-designed to possess specific properties, making them exceptionally effective for targeting particular skincare challenges,” says Manon Pilon, an international spa educator and consultant, who serves as the director of research and development for Derme&Co. This company specializes in providing organic skincare and spa equipment to various establishments. “For instance, ingredients derived from biotechnology can effectively combat signs of aging, enhance hydration, reduce inflammation, and fortify the skin’s barrier function. While natural and organic ingredients have long been favored in skincare, biotechnology serves as a complementary force rather than a replacement.”
Additionally, the use of nanotechnology—which involves reducing skincare ingredients to nanometer sizes—allows for deeper delivery of these ingredients. This technology, combined with effective delivery methods such as pH balancing and the incorporation of molecules and compounds like peptides, phospholipids, and plant-based stem cells, represents the future of skincare. These innovations cater to the desires of consumers and spa-goers for healthier, more beautiful skin. “Today’s consumers are more informed and demanding,” Wray points out. “They expect products to be effective without compromising their values, and the formulation must feel good while delivering tangible results.”
With the rise of social media and the prevalence of video calls, skincare concerns have become increasingly visible. As a result, skincare professionals are now utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to showcase results. “AI technology can now provide clients with comparisons of their skin’s condition before and after treatments, making results more tangible,” explains Pilon, who has also contributed to developing an online skin diagnosis tool powered by AI. This tool identifies skincare issues and demonstrates how effectively products and treatments are performing.
Innovative Spa Treatments for Optimal Skin Health
In response to the growing consumer demand for visible results, spas are incorporating advanced clinical-based treatments designed to penetrate the skin’s barrier and deliver clean, effective ingredients at deeper levels. These treatments include less irritating yet powerful options such as microneedling, radiofrequency (heat) energy, lasers, LED light therapy, and other clinical-grade therapies—once exclusive to dermatologists—are now making waves in spas across the nation. These methods work by creating controlled damage to the skin, stimulating its natural healing processes, and enhancing collagen and elastin production. “To achieve significant results, we must induce a level of trauma to the skin,” states Simone, whose skincare clinics in London and New York offer these potent treatments. “Traditional facials with exceptional massages can only provide minimal results, typically around 20 percent, while many consumers are seeking 80 to 90 percent improvement.” These advanced treatments frequently use clean, plant-based ingredients to meet the expectations of spa-goers.
Dr. Gross was among the pioneers in utilizing controlled skin injury without downtime through his innovative Alpha Beta Professional Peel, now available at over 400 spas nationwide. This treatment is a key component of the Renew & Restore Facial at Miraval Life in Balance Spa Berkshires located in Lenox, Massachusetts. He has also developed the FDA-cleared DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, a red and blue LED light therapy mask that utilizes specific light wavelengths to address and prevent signs of aging and acne without side effects.
The popularity of LED therapy is rapidly increasing in spa facial treatments across the country. “I find LED therapy to be one of the most effective methods for delivering ingredients deeper into the skin,” shares Emily Jones, lead aesthetician at The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, Pennsylvania. This spa incorporates LED light therapy into its Hydrafacials and Restore and Repair facials. “The application of light waves promotes deeper penetration of ingredients, facilitating skin repair. Red LED light stimulates collagen and elastin production, enhancing circulation, while blue LED light possesses antimicrobial properties to eliminate acne-causing bacteria. This method targets deeper layers of the dermis, providing the desired benefits without being invasive, and it requires no recovery time. Moreover, it complements various other skin treatments, including microneedling.”
Additionally, the incorporation of CBD (cannabidiol) into skincare treatments is on the rise as the hemp industry continues to expand. With ongoing research into the benefits of CBD and other cannabinoids, such as CBN (cannabinol), spas are increasingly integrating these components into treatments and post-treatment therapies to alleviate inflammation and redness while promoting skin healing. “CBD exhibits remarkable properties for reducing inflammation,” notes Sarah Mirsini, the founder of MASK skincare, a line of clean CBD-infused products available in over 200 medspas nationwide. “CBD is being utilized in spas following treatments like lasers, microneedling, and microcurrent therapy to soothe inflammation, enhance healing, and achieve better overall results.”
While powerful, clean ingredients and clinical treatments are essential for achieving healthy skin, at-home care and preventive measures are equally critical, according to Dr. Gross. He emphasizes that effective skincare requires a combination of regular spa visits—ideally once or twice a month—alongside a consistent at-home regimen to maintain results. “The future of skincare will include a broader presence of my products in spas, as consumers continue to seek safe, effective, and scientifically validated ingredients,” Gross asserts. “While there will always be room for natural ingredients, it is essential that these are paired with clinically validated delivery systems to ensure real, measurable results.”
“CBD is phenomenal for inflammation. It’s being used in spas after lasers, microneedling, microcurrent therapy, and more as a way to soothe inflammation and help to heal the skin with better results.”
–Sarah Mirsini, founder of MASK skincare
