Although it’s difficult with current testing standards to determine what level of protection individual ingredients provide, that hasn’t stopped the industry from incorporating a host of natural ingredients into their formulas. At Coola, plant phyto-protectors, such as plankton, red algae, and red raspberry seed oil, are used to help boost sunscreen formulas naturally. While it’s hard to quantify what type of protection they’re providing, it’s certainly appealing to think that nature can lend a helping hand. Others prefer to remain focused on proven results. “Sunscreens should only offer formulas with FDA authorized ingredients,” says Clarins’s Marie-Helene Lair. High-tech ingredients also play a role. “Multifunctional and stable enzymes, for example, help to fight infrared rays and offer anti-pollution protection," says Image Skincare’s Dawn Clifford. "Teprenone is another ingredient that provides anti-aging benefits by reducing stress to the telomeres, thus protecting the DNA. Stem cells and peptides are also used for regeneration, protection, and repair.”
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