Although you may not be familiar with Barbara Salomone, there’s a good chance you’re very familiar with the legacy she left behind. Salomone was one of the first licensed estheticians in the United States, and is sometimes referred to as the “architect of the modern American facial.” She is also behind the Bioelements skincare line, which is used in spas and sold directly to consumers. Here’s a closer look at Bioelements and Salomone, what Biolements sells and is it worth a try?
What’s Inside Bioelements Skincare?
Here’s a closer look at the active ingredients commonly used in Bioelements skincare products. Vitamin C, peptides, and retinol make up the core ingredients for the Bioelements skincare line. These ingredients should all be part of your skincare routine.
Vitamin C
We’ve been hearing for years that Vitamin C is the best anti-aging ingredient. It’s a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from free radicals, the unstable molecules that contribute to the formation of premature wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
Vitamin C also helps fade dark spots, evens out skin tone, and increases radiance. As if that wasn’t enough, research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis.
Bioelements vc10 Daily Glow has an antioxidant concentration of 10% vitamin C, which is triple-sourced from powerful vitamin C derivatives and natural acerola cherries.
But our favorite Vitamin C serum is Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of Vitamin C that work together to help fight free radical damage. We recommend using it every morning.
Peptides
As you age, your body’s production of collagen and elastin slows down. These two proteins are responsible for your skin’s structural support. As a result, the skin loses its natural plumpness and smoothness.
While collagen is necessary for maintaining youthful-looking skin, the collagen protein is too large to absorb into the skin topically. That’s why applying skin care products that contain collagen won’t provide the anti-aging benefits you’re looking for.
This is where peptides come into action. Peptides are the building blocks of protein, and they are easily absorbed into the deeper layers of skin due to their smaller size.
Bioelements Power Peptide Toner contains one anti-aging peptide to help smooth wrinkles.
If you’re looking for a peptide serum, we recommend Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 plant-based peptides to promote plumper and smoother-looking skin. It also has skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
Retinol
Retinol is the go-to anti-aging ingredient recommended by dermatologists and skin experts. It’s clinically proven to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve uneven skin tone, restore skin firmness, and shrink the appearance of enlarged pores.
The only downside? Retinol can often lead to side effects like skin dryness, peeling, and irritation.
It’s in Bioelements Age Activist Clinical Youth Serum.
Use retinoids at night. We recommend this retinoid oil serum. It contains Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, an ingredient that provides similar benefits with less irritation.
What Is Bioelements?
The family owned Bioelements is the brainchild of Salomone. According to the company, she worked as a makeup artist in the 1970s and in 1978, became one of the first licensed estheticians in the U.S. In 1985, Salomone opened a skin learning center where she educated other estheticians about techniques and ingredients, with a focus on assessing skin and an individual’s concerns. In 1991, Salomone launched the Bioelements line of products. What made them unique was that the products could be blended to offer a customized facial experience. As day spa owner Alison Andrews told Dermascope magazine, “She truly was one of the pioneers in modern skin care. The Bioelements line took custom blending to an advanced level with excellent education, branding, marketing, and with a strong presence in the professional skin care world.”
Salomone passed away in 2017 but the Bioelements continues to educate estheticians and develop a product line.
What is the Bioelements Philosophy?
Bioelements embraces its esthetician roots and focuses on product customization. As Bioelements explains, “We are skin scientists – creating personalized, clinical formulas for use in the spa, and at home.” The company states that it focuses on “Efficacy-Forward Ingredients” – “Our skin-beneficial ingredients are innovated in the lab, or come straight from nature.” Biolements is also a clean beauty company, stating “The concept of clean beauty is nothing new to us – we’ve been skin-conscious, mindful and responsible formulators since 1991.”
What Does Bioelements Sell?
Biolements sells a full skincare line that includes moisturizers, masks, toners and serums. The selection of moisturizers is based on skin type and concern. The Barrier Fix Daily Hydrator has a whipped texture and is formulated with the moisture magnet hyaluronic acid. It is meant to hydrate, protect and soothe the skin. Crucial Moisture is an emollient cream designed to deliver hydration to parched skin with dimethicone, a type of silicone, and Chinese herbs. The Beyond Hydration gel formula is for oily skin and contains pro vitamin B5.
Bioelements cleansers are formulated for various skin types, including dry, oily or sensitive. The Moisture Positive Cleanser is meant for dry skin and contains essential oils to leave skin feeling clean without feeling stripped. Bentonite and kaolin clay are some of the key ingredients in the Urban Undo Cleanser, which is designed to give skin a deep clean. The Sensitive Skin Cleansing Oil is a two in one product that removes makeup and also cleanses the skin.
The exfoliators and masks from Bioelements are designed to help brighten the skin, give it a deep clean or add extra moisture. The Amino Mask contains five percent sulphur along with lactic acid to gently slough away dead, dull skin cells. Rare white truffle oil powers the Radiance Rescue Mask, which is meant to help brighten the complexion. The Pumice Peel, designed for all skin types, is a manual exfoliating scrub. Bioelements also offers a few serums. The Quick Refiner is a leave-on gel with AHAs (alpha hydroxyl acids) and there is also a version for the eye area.
How Much Do Bioelements Products Cost?
Bioelements products are in-line with department store brands. Some of the priciest products are the moisturizers. Beyond Hydration cream is $40, and the SPF 50 FaceScreen is $56.50. The LightPlex MegaWatt Skin Brightener is $68.50. Cleansers are between $30 and $39; the Makeup Dissolver Perfected is $30.50 while the Decongestant Cleanser, a lathering gel, is $39. Masks and serums are $39 to $62 dollars.
Is Bioelements Cruelty Free?
Yes. The company states on its website, “We are all animal lovers at Bioelements. Animal testing is not, nor has it ever been, part of Bioelements’ product development, ingredient formulation or production.”
Where Can I Buy Bioelements ?
Bioelements products are sold on its website and through its network of affiliated spas which offer Bioelements facials. Some products are also sold on Amazon and the Dermstore.com
Does Bioelements Work?
When deciding if a product may work for you, a little experimentation is always needed as one person’s hero product may do nothing for you. Customer reviews and editorial write ups are a good starting point.
Some Bioelements products have received editorial awards and writes ups, but very few are recent.
Allure magazine reviewed the Vitalization Rich Intensity Body Crème in 2009, and it is also a Reader’s Choice Breakthrough winner. The magazine noted, “This custardy cream is very, very thick—so thick, in fact, that a few editors here found it too heavy to handle—and it leaves behind a slight, slippery film. The good news: All of those peptides, amino acids, and antioxidants really do deliver soft, smooth results. By the time you’re done slathering it on, there won’t be a dry patch in sight.”
The Triple-Action, Rapid-Resurfacing Facial Kit Review was an Allure Editor’s Favorite in 2013. The writer said, “It sounds like a lot of work (OK, it kind of is), but the three-step kit made our skin noticeably soft and smooth. Save it for once a week, when you’ve got ten minutes to spare, and don’t slap on too much cleansing oil—it’s thin and runny and tends to drip down the face.”
In 2012, Harper’s Bazaar named the Bioelements Lutein Indoor Protective Day Crème a Beauty Must Have. “It’s not new to the market, but it’s a beauty editor favorite and it’s basically genius for your average working girl.” In 2014 the magazine’s digital fashion/features editor called the Bioelements Flash Foam Cleanser one of her beauty must-haves.
But what do real people think of Bioelements? On Influenster, one of the most reviewed Biolelements products is the Gel Therapy mask, for dry skin. It has a 4.3 out of 5 star rating, based on more than 300 reviews. Satisfied customers praised its hydrating qualities, like Jessica B. “Holy hydration and glow after this mask! I love using it not only on my skin but also my client’s skin. It is very fresh and your skin feels replenished afterwards. This is an amazing easy to use product that does wonders for your skin!” Another skincare professional weighed in. “As an aesthetician, this is the perfect calming, hydrating mask to relax the skin at the end of a facial. It gives the skin a beautiful glow without any oily residue. I would highly recommend this to all skin types,” wrote Natalie B. People who gave it low ratings generally felt that it didn’t do anything for their skin, like Dee D. “I didn’t like this mask. Although it is supposed to hydrate the skin I found my skin felt fragile, thin and dry afterwards.”
The Bioelements Restorative Clay Mask also gets a 4.4 rating, based on around 180 reviews. Bridget M. wrote that she uses it on her clients. “This product is amazing! Minimizes pores and you see a difference right after the mask is taken off. I use it twice a week and on my clients with oily and acne prone skin.” Some people found it difficult to apply; “I was not impressed with the Bioelements clay mask. It was difficult to apply. I did not see any difference in how my face looked or felt..”
On Amazon, one of the most reviewed Biolelements products is the Bioelements Crucial Moisture. The cream gets a 4.4 out of 5 star rating, based on more than 200 reviews. Seventy percent of customers would recommend it. Fans wrote that it “Cleared my skin up completely!” and called it “the best.” A user named Jane wrote “I’m floored at the results. I use a very small amount of the acne treatment morning and night over my entire face, followed shortly after with this moisturizer and within less than a week my skin is completely clear.” Customers that didn’t love it found the smell off putting, or found it to be too drying, like Evie. “This did not work for me at all. I tried it for about a month or so and I felt like it dried my face our more than usual. So I stopped using it I might need something else.”
What Are Some Alternatives to Bioelements?
There’s no need to compromise when it comes to finding skincare that’s effective and safe.
If you’re looking for effective skincare products that skip harmful toxins, one brand we recommend is Carrot & Stick.
Carrot & Stick is committed to creating plant-derived formulas that deliver extraordinary results without relying on toxic chemicals or standard preservatives.
Carrot & Stick takes a tough love approach to skincare, perfectly balancing the gentle nurturing of plants with innovative science.
We recommend this serum & moisturizer.
