111Skin's bestselling Repair Serum is now four-times more effective
The story of the now-cult Y Theorem Repair Serum NAC Y2 – or Repair Serum, for short – also tells the tale of how 111Skin came about. The luxury skincare brand may have since become synonymous with A-listers sporting their elite face and eye masks (they’re good on Instagram, and even better IRL), but it is the brand’s signature serum that represents 111Skin’s science-driven innovation.
Back in 2004, US and European board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides was inspired to create a post-operative product for his patients that would help heal their skin. In collaboration with leading Bulgarian biochemical engineers, he created a unique skincare formula: NAC Y2.
NAC, an acronym for N-acetylcysteine, helps replenish glutathione – arguably your body's most powerful antioxidant. As well as protecting your skin against oxidative stress, NAC also plays an important function in tissue-building and barrier repair. “The formula we created was based on the theory that, by providing the skin with NAC, you can stop DNA degradation and halt the ageing process on a cellular level,” explains Dr. Alexandrides.
For the patented formula, the team combined NAC with escin, which can boost circulation and oxygen capacity (both of which are essential for healing), and vitamin C, the powerhouse antioxidant vital for stimulating collagen production. “These three ingredients act synergistically to rejuvenate the healing, repair and protection of the skin,” the doctor says. It explains the NAC Y2 part of the product's name, too: ‘Y’ representing his initials, and ‘2’ indicating the additional ingredients joining the star.
Originally, however, the product was known as the Dramatic Healing Serum, and before it was brought to retail outside of 111 Harley Street – where Dr. Alexandrides’ clinic was back then and still is today – it was tested in space, one of the most extreme environments where skin ages faster. Seeing extraordinary results on all areas of the skin (not only those parts affected by surgery) the success led Dr. Alexandrides and his wife Eva Alexandrides to launch the serum under the brand 111Skin, which was swiftly snapped up at Harrods.
Annalise Fard, Harrods' senior director of Beauty, Home, Fine Jewellery and Watches tells Bazaar: “Harrods is exceptionally proud to have been the launch partner for 111Skin, and to have built together a strong collective business over the last 11 years. At Harrods, we have always believed in the authenticity of the brand, and its ‘born out of clinic’ ethos really resonates with our customers.” Indeed, the discerning Harrods shopper wants return on their investment, hence the retailer’s skincare assortment is “universally rooted in efficacy,” Fard adds. “Repair Serum is the perfect example of a serum with proven benefits as its patented complex offers a whole host of anti-ageing benefits.”
Invariably, others agree, including the cohort of celebrities that are organic fans of the brand. "It’s the first thing that goes on my face before any make-up, and it makes anything I put on after look flawless," actress Priyanka Chopra has said in an interview, while model Sara Sampaio previously revealed “I only use a serum from 111Skin” – that being the Repair Serum.
This popularity translates to sales, too. Last year, the brand – which has flourished into six signature collections, one of which being the Reparative, which harnesses NAC throughout – sold as many Repair Serums that, when stacked on top of each other, matched the height of three Empire State Buildings. Considering the serum costs £215 for 30ml, this is a mind-boggling achievement.
So, why would Dr. Alexandrides want to change the jewel in 111Skin’s crown – today revealing a version (priced at £240) that’s had a face lift? “The challenges of reformulating a product that has been a bestseller and a hero of 111Skin cannot be underestimated,” he admits to Bazaar. But innovation, like business, never stops. “Medical science and surgical techniques are constantly evolving, becoming more precise and deepening our understanding of the skin at the microscopic cellular level; that’s why the skincare I develop has to evolve too,” he feels. Always wanting to bridge the gap between plastic surgery and skincare, the doctor (who has performed more than 12,000 surgeries and counting) utilised his ever-expanding understanding of three-dimensional skin healing, combined with the latest capabilities in skin science and technology, to upgrade the formula to four times the strength of its predecessor.
At the formula’s core there is now a more potent dose of NAC – something you can sense when comparing the two. The updated version is also able to penetrate deeper thanks to a process called encapsulation technology. “Encapsulation means that the NAC has been protected from degradation,” Dr. Alexandrides tells Bazaar. “When we apply creams on the skin, some of them do not penetrate at all, and they just get degraded gradually, not doing any good. By encapsulating, we protect the molecule, and we improve the penetration of the product deeper into the skin layers where it can be more efficacious.” For the serum this means “an increase in the time of the product acting on the skin to eight hours, and an improvement in the depth that the products work,” he adds.
Impressive clinical results and user test trials on the new-generation formulation have proved worth the work, Dr. Alexandrides tells us. “I am also proud of the 111Skin team having this product produced in the highest standard laboratory in Switzerland, creating a new hero, which I believe is now the leader in its category.”
While that category may be ‘anti-ageing’, the Repair Serum isn't only that, he says. “This is a product that specifically addresses dehydration as it instantly increases the moisture levels of the skin by 168 per cent, and the moisturisation effect lasts for 48 hours after a single use. It is also proven to strengthen the epidermal layers of the skin and, in that way, it improves the retention of moisture and the integrity of the skin. It also improves sensitive areas on the skin, removing redness, and accelerates skin healing with an impact on fine lines with sustained use.” It's active, but far from aggressive – making it suitable for all.
So, how does Dr. Alexandrides use the Repair Serum himself? “I use it in the morning and in the evening by applying two pumps to the skin using gentle massage, including the neck area as well.” He recommends combining the serum with the similarly souped up Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel (for the eye area) and following with the Day Cream NAC Y2, which further supports the skin's barrier function. All three new-and-improved products launch today in a bid to further future-proof skin the 111 way. They're beyond on to something.
You Might Also Like
