I was having lunch recently with a friend who told me — slightly apologetically — that she had given up on skincare altogether.

Over the years she had bought beautiful products, but never really stuck with anything. Her final straw was spilling a $135 serum, and that was that.

I told her about a concept I truly believe in and it's what drives our formulations: additive skincare.

What is Additive Skincare?

Your skin’s chemistry changes as you age.

We gradually produce less of some of the compounds that keep skin youthful and vibrant. The natural oil (sebum) that your skin produces has less of the biological components that helps keep skin looking young. Sorry!

Additive skincare focuses on replacing these components — using ingredients that resemble what skin naturally produces.

Here are three key things skin tends to produce less of with age, and how plant ingredients can help restore them.

1. Sebum Mimicry & Lipid Balance

As skin matures, sebum production doesn’t just slow — its composition changes.

The lipids responsible for softness and flexibility decrease, leaving skin less bouncy and sometimes more papery.

Additive skincare replaces these missing lipids with oils that closely resemble skin’s natural compounds.

At Desavery: We achieve this using oils such as camellia, meadowfoam, rice bran, and fig seed — selected for their similarity to skin’s natural lipids and their ability to integrate seamlessly.

2. Linoleic Acid & Barrier Lipids

Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid and a key part of the skin’s barrier.

As skin ages and sebum production changes, linoleic acid levels decline — weakening the barrier and increasing moisture loss and sensitivity.

By replenishing linoleic acid, the barrier structure improves and hydration retention increases.

At Desavery: Our linoleic acid support comes from oils naturally rich in it — including prickly pear seed, fig seed, grapeseed and rice bran oil.

3. Hydration & Water-Binding Capacity

As skin changes, it doesn’t just lose moisture — it loses the ability to hold onto it.

Natural hyaluronic acid levels decline, which can leave skin feeling tight and looking less smooth even when moisturised.

Additive skincare restores this water-binding capacity.

At Desavery: We use a highly effective hyaluronic acid at a meaningful level — making hydration a structural step in skin health.

A Simpler Way to Think About Skincare

The goal of additive skincare is not to overwhelm the skin.

It’s simply to support the biological elements that keep it functioning beautifully.

Sometimes the most effective skincare isn’t about doing more.

It’s about restoring what skin once produced naturally.

Andrea
Founder, Desavery