We sit down with Eduard Mauvais Jarvis, the environmental and scientific communication director of Dior Skincare, to learn how to keep our skin on track in the unforgiving Middle Eastern heat. From moisturisers using the hydrating properties of water and gels and masks actively working to preserve and protect the skin to compulsory food groups, here’s nine things to be aware of.
Making Tracks, Photographed by Julien Vallon, MOJEH Issue 30, using DIOR skincare and beauty
With an increasingly busy lifestyle, how important has it become to use hydration products?
A busy life has multiple impacts. Especially in the modern world, where air conditioning is everywhere – from your home to the car, public transportation, work and even restaurants. The very principle of air conditioning is that it induces the condensation of water contained in air and therefore releases dry air. The dryer the air, the harder it is for skin to retain water, which in turn causes chronic dehydration. It is thus crucial to regularly use efficient hydrators to pamper your skin.
Tell us more about the benefits of a hydration mask as opposed to a cream- based moisturiser.
When you apply a thick layer of a hydration mask and leave it on for an extended period, the water content stays high throughout the application time. The skin is occluded under a layer of water that penetrates into it, soaking more layers and thus resulting in a higher moisturising efficiency.
What are the key ingredients in the new Hydra Life range and what are their benefits?
The key elements in the new Hydra Life range remain the core ingredients of the range, centred around mallow extract to stimulate the production and activity of aquaporins – the natural water channels that allow for the circulation of water in the skin and for the ultimate availability of water in cells.
A moisturiser is not a drug, skin doesn’t get used to it, and if it is conceived to help the skin, assuming its natural functions, it should not be stopped.
What is the best age to start using age preventive skincare?
When it comes to prevention, I would say that the sooner the better. From the end of the teenage years, skin has to be regularly moisturised to avoid the damaging effect of chronic skin dehydration. When skin lacks water, it is unable to perform its own regeneration and antioxidant protection. It becomes more vulnerable to environmental aggressions and can age faster.
What are the three most common misconceptions about skincare?
For me, the first one is to consider that anti- aging is a mature woman’s problem. Anti-aging is, before all, a prevention business and should be started as soon as possible with a good moisturiser. The second is that skin tends to get used to a product and that it is necessary to change regularly. This is false – a moisturiser is not a drug, skin doesn’t get used to it, and if it is conceived to help the skin, assuming its natural functions, it should not be stopped. The third for me is to consider that skincare is only about immediate effect. It’s not true. Consider the face of a 40-year-old woman today and compare it to a 40-year-old woman’s face 20 years ago – you will see that they have 10 years of apparent difference.
Making Tracks, Photographed by Julien Vallon, MOJEH Issue 30, using DIOR skincare and beauty
What is the most common mistake that women make in their skincare and how can they avoid it?
The most common one is to mistake dry skin for a lack of moisture. Skin exposed to air conditioning and dry air can be dehydrated and require water essentially, while dry skin constitutively requires water and a lot of lipids. Mistaking one for another leads to using textures that are too heavy and suffocating the skin. Hydra Life textures are purely hydrating, without skin suffocation.
Anti-aging is, before all, a prevention business and should be started as soon as possible with a good moisturiser.
Keeping the products aside, what advice do you have for a healthy skincare routine?
Drinking a lot of water is key… it makes a real difference.
What’s your top tip for coping with the Middle Eastern heat, humidity, sun, and air conditioning?
Never go out without a capsule of Hydra Life Beauty Awakening Rehydrating Mask in your bag! Heat, perspiration, sun, air conditioning all end up in skin dehydration. These nomadic single use capsules are a lifesaver to recover from all these aggressions anywhere, anytime.
Are there any food or lifestyle choices you think we should be making in order to help our skin look younger and fresher?
Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, because they are rich in natural antioxidants. Avoid too much sugar; this can accelerate the course of aging. Don’t eat too much salt and drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration.
