The world does not need another skincare company. When I started THIS IS SILK, I had spent fifteen years as a barrister, and I did not set out to build a skincare range.
But when I discovered the extraordinary power of silk for skin as a direct result of experiencing what silk did for my skin, and because what I read about the medical provenance of silk was so remarkable, I couldn’t believe that such a proven and powerful active ingredient was not already in skincare.
I firmly believe that we must justify our existence not only to our customers, but also to society and the environment. So we abide by the following principles for all our THIS IS SILK offering.
We hold these principles dear and they are a guiding light, especially in rapidly changing times, where so much is driven by trend. Silk has been enhancing our lives for over 8,000 years, and to honour this, we will take our time and do things correctly.
I. The Foundation: Skin Health First
Silk has been used to accelerate wound healing since Ancient Greek times. Silk is currently being used in cutting-edge regenerative medicine.
Silk is a protein which has a strong affinity with our skin. Both silk and skin are barriers in nature, and silk and skin share 90% of the same amino acids.
Silk is highly reparative by nature, and when applied to our skin seeks to protect, repair and regenerate our own skin cells.
My deeply personal experience which led me to discover the science of silk taught me that whether we worry about or take pleasure in our appearance, the most compelling thing we can do for our skin is to care for its health. Healthy skin is naturally hydrated, more resilient, more able to repair and renew itself, and ultimately, healthy skin always looks vital.
A skin health first approach also respects the passing of time as well as the innate intelligence of the human body. Ageing is both a privilege and an immutable fact. Our body and skin bears witness to this privilege, and silk is a powerful yet healthful active ingredient to improve signs of ageing whilst visibly protecting and enhancing the skin’s own renewal processes.
This principle governs our choice of who to work with, from a Professor of Cellular Regeneration with decades of experience in wound healing and tissue repair, to our formulating scientists who have a pharmaceutical background. It also governs our approach to formulations, which are created from scratch and involves deep research on the ingredients we use.
II. Integrity and Trust: Proven by Science and Evidence
In a world where new products are being released and marketed every minute, we take a different approach. My background as a barrister means that I take a serious approach to claims, facts and proof.
Silk has been desired and studied for centuries and the scientific evidence for its regenerative properties and affinity with the human body is growing.
We build on this remarkable body of evidence by providing proof of the efficacy of our silk skincare. SF–VII®, our proprietary silk peptide technology, was engineered by a renowned expert in Cellular Regeneration, and proven in an independent, university-run, cellular study. SF–VII® was proven to significantly enhance collagen synthesis within skin cells.
We entrusted the Power Up Silk Concentrate to Skintest, an independent Swiss laboratory for instrument-measured clinical tests, and to Cutest, a laboratory run by a renowned cosmetic scientist, for independent user trials.
III. Skincare without Compromise: Powerful and Pleasurable
THIS IS SILK exists to bring the regenerative power of silk into skincare. The medical history of silk and the scientific literature on the benefits of silk for skin are overwhelming.
My favourite fact which perfectly encapsulates this power of silk is that when silk is applied to a wound, each stage of the wound healing process is significantly accelerated and the skin ‘knits’ back together much more neatly with the silk, than without it.
But to focus only on the silk is to ignore the immense and uplifting sensory and emotional benefits of silk. In a technology-first world with increasing levels of disconnection, applying silk to skin does something quite wonderful.
Silk on skin makes skin feel like silk. Skin is left feeling exquisitely soft to the touch, and as skin is touched, and the softness is felt, sensors in our fingertips fire messages along nerves to neurons in our brain, releasing sensations of calming pleasure and happiness.
To honour both the science and the unique sensorial benefits of silk, we enhance the sensory pleasure of skincare (where appropriate) with aromatic extracts, so that the silk skincare is both powerful and enjoyable. We believe firmly in taking great pleasure in life, and this principle enhances the scientific benefits of silk.
