Stars in your eyes and star dust on your face who wouldn't want it? Now, it is literally possible as men's skincare takes a leap out of this world. Ritu Raizada meets Roger Aoun who is bringing some innovative touches to the world of male grooming and good looks.
As a young boy of four, his mum would often shout at him for staying awake till very late. But all little Roger wanted was to watch stars in the dead of the night 'shooting and falling'. Despite the constant admonitions, he would sit for hours watching the 'action'. His eyes would be closing but such was his fascination with stars that he would resolutely keep at it even making a few wishes on the falling ones. One such wish was to go to space one day and 'pocket' a few stars.
Today, in his 40s, London-based Roger Aoun says that particular wish has not come true but he has grown up to modify that wish and fulfil it in a different way. In a manner of speaking he does have stars in his pocket.
As managing director and owner of Beauty Lab, a UK-based company that offers beauty products for targeted skincare issues, Aoun is currently celebrating the creation of 'Xanthe', a line of skincare products for men, some of which contain an 'out of the world' ingredient meteorite dust. "It is the first male skincare product to contain an ingredient from the solar system," he says. "By incorporating meteorite dust in our formulations, we have taken skincare to another level." No doubt many men are over the moon these days!
Why meteorite dust of all things? "Well, meteorites have two main organic substances, which are Uracil and Xanthine," he explains. "These have been found to perform beneficial functions for the skin such as neutralisation of free radicals and carbohydrate metabolism in tissues. Since they are made of complex organic chemicals like DNA and RNA, meteorites give an unrivalled and very powerful microdermabrasive quality to the product. We chose to include ingredients from outer space for their richness in actives and their 'pure' status. They enjoy the status of being untampered by humans, thereby giving the best possible skin benefit to consumers."
The scrub also contains the goodness of quartz, papaya, Canadian Willow Herb, menthol, glycopure, tea tree, grapefruit and lavender.
That's a lot of stuff going into a man's skin. Just how necessary are these ingredients? Why cannot a man simply beg, borrow or steal his wife's face wash, moisturising cream, cleanser, scrub, and eye gel?
Aoun answers in a yes and a no respectively. Yes, it is important for men to have a dedicated skincare routine and no, a man should not use his wife's products on himself believing it will have the same effect.
"I am glad men are slowly becoming aware of the importance of a cleansing, toning and moisturising (CTM) regimen," he says. "But the truth is, most men still think it is a feminine pursuit. All this might sound like a lot of hard work but the benefits are numerous." Men should understand that their skin gets more easily dehydrated because of everyday shaving: "It is very important for them to make sure that their share of vitamins and minerals are delivered directly on to their skin, even if in smaller proportions. So while women show signs of ageing sooner, men get their share of wrinkles a little later."
Hmm. That is so unfair. But there is hope yet. Wrinkles in men, when they appear, are quite pronounced. They are deeper and have more heft. In women, wrinkles arrive more gradually.
"A man's skin," Aoun says, "is thicker and richer in collagen and the epidermis is often more oily. This is precisely why it is more resistant than a woman's skin to the effects of the sun and other environmental factors. It is only post-40 that a man's skin starts to thin. This happens primarily because the levels of collagen decrease naturally, causing deep fine lines on the face and neck area."
Fine, but what about these rather formidable ingredients? Just what is their contribution? "Nature is full of products that work in a particular way. What science does is to actually mimic the activities of the chemicals or extracts of these chemicals and stabilise them as well. For instance, plants and herbs have been used because of their healing properties for ages and we are still harnessing these benefits and combining them with the latest technology.
"Uracil's use in the body is to help carry out the synthesis of many enzymes necessary for proper cell functioning. Xanthine, on the other hand, is a substance found in tea, coffee and colas.
"Chemically, Xanthine is a purine responsible for carbohydrate metabolism in tissues. Both products work on the surface of the skin and primarily act as fine exfoliating particles within this formulation.
"They are also excellent exfoliatiing agents. When I started working on my products, I was sourcing something very gentle but extremely effective. I have a keen interest in the newest ingredients and latest skin technology. There came an opportunity when the meteorite dust was presented to several larger skincare houses as well as to me and I was impressed with the results of this as a scrub. It also fitted into the concept of the Xanthe range."
"I was born and brought up in Beirut, Lebanon," says Aoun. "I enjoyed my childhood a lot. My father was a successful businessman and my mother a housewife. When I turned 18, I went to the UK to chase my dream of catching stars. I even got an opportunity to study aeronautical engineering at Manchester University. But I actually ended up pursuing computer science. Shortly after, I moved on to work in varied fields like marketing and even had a stint in R&D for well-known European FMCG companies.
"After that, I got involved in cosmetics and skincare. I have now been involved full-time in R&D, manufacturing and launching new brands in the UK and worldwide for over 15 years. I have two manufacturing plants in the UK, a country I landed in 25 years back."
Aoun is now the Creative Director of Igma, a London-based beauty laboratory that specialises in researching and identifying pioneering beauty product components. Beauty Lab offers a sophisticated range of performance-related head-to-toe products using the latest technologies in the world of beauty. "I have enlisted the expertise of established ingredient-scientists like Dr Barbara Brockway (a protein and peptide expert) to create exciting new ranges such as Beauty Lab and Xanthe," he says.
While devising products, Aoun says he is inspired by personal experiences, research and trends in the market. Listening to people also inspires him. "Ideally, all men should take an active interest in their skincare routine," he says.
But have not men of today come of age? "Broadly speaking, in terms of accepting a grooming ritual, men have definitely gone beyond the daily shave," he says. So where would he like to see them go? The whole nine yards, ideally. The younger male consumer, according to him, is now becoming more 'aware'. For example, the other star product in his range, Active Ab-Firmer, is selling like hot cakes, a sign that men take their body and image seriously." But is it really possible to firm abs minus effort and sweat? Would it not be easy for everyone to simply smear lotions and potions over their abdomen and forget about diet, lifestyle and exercise?
"It is not as simple as that," he counters. "It is very important to exercise and follow a good diet. But a product like this can help give targeted assistance on an area like the abs, which are undoubtedly difficult to tone once they go to flab. A blend of natural ingredients act in synergy to prevent preferential fat deposition in the abdominal area, which is specific to men.
"Ab-firmer contains palm oil, lemon peel extract and Guarana extract, which is a climbing shrub considered to have astringent properties. The product also contains capsicum to improve blood circulation; arginine, which is a conditionally nonessential amino acid meaning most of the time it can be manufactured by the human body and does not need to be obtained directly through the diet. The biosynthetic pathway, however, does not produce sufficient arginine, and some must still be consumed through diet. The product also contains caffine, Xanthine and neroli oil. When applied topically on the skin, neroli oil can help skin cells regenerate and rejuvenate to combat ugly scar tissue, promote a smoother skin, fight stretch marks and broken capillaries."
"Cosmetic surgery statistics in the UK reveal that men are now open to non-invasive treatments such as Botox and fillers," he says. "This has filtered through to the male grooming field and there has been an increase in demand for moisturising, exfoliating and suncare products. "However, I think older men (45-plus) are not aware or maybe not interested at all."
How has men's skincare suddenly gone so high-tech? "Why not?" he laughs. "It's high time we got our due. Yes, it is taking time but things are changing for men. The trick is to offer a very simple, uncomplicated line of skincare, which requires minimal regimen with a minimum number of steps for application, followed by results. My personal opinion is that it is enough to use two or three very effective products every day, each having dual or triple purposes.
"Honestly, I think trends have finally evolved and male skincare has become very sophisticated. This awareness is partially because beauty magazines demystify cosmetic terminology and educate readers. Besides, just like women, man too want more results without having to go 'under the knife'."
Aoun's work ethos is very simple. "I believe in working hard and focussing totally on my goals. People falter because they take their eyes off the goal. Life is not about getting it right the first time it is about tenacity and determination. My upbringing and the role my parents have played in my life has taught me to be disciplined and determined. That coupled with moving to the UK on my own made me a responsible person.
"I focus on what I want out of life make a positive impact in the world of skincare and offer a good range of products that are accessible to all. And it is exactly what I am doing."
He smiles as he looks back on how far he has come in life: "As a child, at one point of time, I wanted to be the president of my country. Now I dream of finding time to do the simplest things in life and I inevitably end up postponing them because I am such a workaholic! My mother always told me that 'with determination, you can move mountains', and because time waits for no man (or woman!) I have to admit I really have started believing and acting accordingly."
So what next? Moon dust in an exfoliator? "I will think about it," he says. "Probably I will formulate enough products to rival women's skincare range." What does he do when he takes a break from work? Strum his guitar under the night sky. And hope that he can catch a falling star and make another wish.
