Q&A With... Dr Marko Lens of Zelens

You may have noticed a renowned skincare brand has launched on Face the Future recently. Friends, say hello to Zelens. If you're into skincare then I'm sure you'll have already heard of this brand, but for those of you who haven't (where have you been?!) or those who just want to find out a little more before making their first purchase, we had a Q&A with the man behind the brand, Dr Marko Lens.

We are incredibly excited to be launching Zelens on Face the Future! Could you please tell us about how you developed the brand?

Zelens is a result of my over 20 years of clinical research in the field of skin aging and skin cancer. I decided to combine high tech ingredients together with botanicals that work in synergy to effectively fight a complex process of skin aging.

All Zelens products undergo rigorous testing and the clinical results are published on your website for all to see. Was this borne out of a frustration of companies making grand claims for their products without having the evidence to back them up?

I think that the current market is full of claims. Unfortunately many of them are just marketing claims without any clinical evidence. Many claims are misleading for the consumers. I am of the opinion that we should be honest towards consumers and we should share with them objective clinical results that can be achieved while using cosmetic products. I do not believe in miracles!

The Power D Treatment Drops have caused quite the stir at Face the Future HQ, as we preach to our customers the importance of vitamin D but find it is quite hard to come across in skincare products. What are the benefits of your Vitamin D drops and who are they suitable for?

Power D drops actually contain pro-vitamin D which is naturally present in our skin, and upon exposure to the UV light converted into vitamin D. Scientific evidence shows that vitamin D is important to reinforce skin barrier function, protect skin against environmental aggressors and help the natural skin renewal process. Power D also contains a high amount of lipids that mimic those naturally present in our skin and thus it boosts skin moisture and helps to achieve fuller, thicker skin.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one of your products with you, which would it be and why?

Difficult question. However, so many journalists like to ask this question. If I had pick up only one I would certainly go for Daily Defence Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30. Why? Because it is a great moisturising cream that contains a plethora of antioxidants, DNA repairing enzyme and ingredients that boost the skin's immune system. And of course, because it protects the skin against UV light- which is the most detrimental factor for premature skin aging.

You regularly conduct lectures on the development of skincare technologies; what do you believe will be the next big breakthrough in the skincare industry?

There are so many innovations in cosmetics. I am so happy to see that we are using more and more research findings on the skin biology and aging process in developing our cosmetic formulations. The big thing is in the field of epigenetic which studies how we can can actually, with cosmetic formulations, affect our genes. Ideally we would like to switch on our good genes and switch off our bad genes.As previously mentioned, I do not believe in miracle ingredients and overnight erase of wrinkles. Aging is a complex involving so many different cellular and biochemical processes and a big breakthrough will happen when we understand what mechanisms are the most important to be targeted by cosmetics in order to slow down premature skin aging.

If any of our clients were looking to try Zelens for the first time, which three key products would you recommend?

They would need to book in for a Skin Consultation so I can see their skin and ask questions about it so I know what to recommend for them. 3 of our Best Sellers from our range are: PHA+ Bio-Peel Resurfacing Pads, Triple Action Advanced Eye Cream and 3t Complex Anti-Aging Cream.

To kick start your Zelens regime, you can view the full range online here or call our skincare experts on 0113 282 7744.