A foundation is in contact with your skin for hours at a time.

So when developing Ctrl+ SKIN, we didn’t only think about coverage, finish and feel. We also looked at how the formula could support the skin underneath.

That’s why two key parts of the formula are Ectoin and Synergistic Moisturising Complex, selected to help protect the skin from environmental stress and support its moisture balance.

But what do these ingredients actually do? And what do the tests show?  Let’s take a closer look.

Ectoin is an amino acid derivative belonging to a group of molecules called extremolytes. In Ctrl+ SKIN, it helps protect the skin from environmental stress, support the skin barrier and maintain a skin-friendly microbiome.

Clinical testing has shown that Ectoin helps protect against skin changes associated with air pollution, including pigmentation and fine lines. Testing has also shown a reduced increase in a biomarker linked to cellular stress following blue-light exposure.

Ectoin has also been tested in relation to Langerhans cells, which play an important role in the skin’s natural defence. Under the conditions tested,100% of the Langerhans cells were protected against UV-related changes.

Ectoin is not a sunscreen and does not replace SPF, but these results indicate its protective role against environmental stress.

And when it comes to the skin microbiome, testing showed no negative effect on the growth of the natural bacterial flora studied, which is why Ectoin is considered microbiome-friendly.