SheSociety talks with the founder of Enbacci, Yong-Li Zhou, to learn more about the Melbourne-based skincare company, who harvest and utilise fruit and plant based stem cells in their targeted range of skin and body care products.
Enbacci pioneers the extraction and use of fruit and plant based stem cells. What exactly are stem cells?
Stem cells are best described as undifferentiated cells, which have the potential to differentiate into specific cells with individual functions. For example, in the human body, stem cells have the potential to become muscle cells or other organ cells. As such, it has been recognised that stem cells have big potential in regenerative medicinal use.
How do stem cells affect human skin when applied topically?
Fruit and plant stem cells are essentially supercharged antioxidants. When the fruit and plant stem cells are applied topically, they go on to fight free radicals, helping to protect the skin from the signs of ageing.
The Vitis Vinifera range is Enbacci’s leading 3-step skincare range suited for all skin types. How does its main ingredient, grape, make this range universally suited to all individuals?
When we were designing these products and researching key ingredients to incorporate, we found that grape stem cells are particularly suited to protecting the skin from environmental damages. Exposure to environmental stressors such as pollution, UV radiation and even artificial heating or cooling can affect the skin leaving it more susceptible to breakouts, irritation an ageing. We felt that as we are all exposed to such environmental stressors, it would be important to make products that could be universally suited to all individuals.
Another successful product from Enbacci is The Age Revitalising Eye Cream containing apple stem cells. Why is an eye cream important in a skincare regimen and what makes the apple most suited for the eye area?
The skin around our eyes is typically thinner and more delicate than skin around other areas of our face. Due to these differences, the skin around the eyes are unable to retain as much moisture, which therefore makes it prone to the first signs of ageing (eg. fine lines). Eye creams have been formulated to accommodate the thinner and delicate skin, which is why it is important to include it in ones’ skincare regime. We chose to formulate our eye cream with apple stem cells as the variety of apple they are cultivated from have superior longevity and storability. Research has gone on to show that the stem cells of these apples are particularly good at helping the skin to retain moisture so as to protect the skin from the appearance of ageing.
The Complete Body Firming Lotion contains the stem cells from the dwarf soapwart plant. What makes this flower so special?
Through natural selection, the saponaria pumila (dwarf soapwort) flower has developed special protective mechanisms that have allowed it to survive through the last Ice Age! It is through these defence mechanisms that make the saponaria pumila stem cells great antioxidants for firming and toning the skin.
What inspired you to launch Enbacci?
Family was the inspiration behind Enbacci. The catalyst to creating an Australian made luxury skincare line ultimately started with my mother’s sensitive skin. After years of suffering with sensitive skin, Mum and I were determined to find a solution that would not leave her skin irritated and with open sores. We wanted to create something that was uniquely and proudly Australian knowing that Australia has bountiful access to resources and is equipped with some of the best infrastructure. Enbacci is a brand that projects our love of travel, discovery and exploration, innovation (having utilised fruit stem cell technology in our highlighting products), and most importantly, our familial values. It is through these values that we are able to connect with our clients.
What advice can you give someone looking to improve their skincare game?
My advice is just to keep it simple. The simpler your skincare routine, the more likely you are to stick to it. Once you have something down pat can you then add to it. As such, I always recommend ensuring you are using a suitable moisturiser. Number one mistake I see is people not moisturising, which is more common in those who have oily skin type. It is a common misunderstanding that because ones’ skin is oily, they don’t need moisturiser. This is far from the truth where skipping this step can often lead to more damage. Applying broad spectrum sunscreen daily is my next top tip. About 80% of ageing can be attributed to UV radiation, which is unfortunately inevitable. All we can do is delay the signs of ageing by using preventative measures to protect our skin from a young age.
What’s next for Enbacci?
Enbacci has recently launched two new sheet masks to our collection of products; our Vitis Vinifera Rejuvenating Face Mask and our Age Revitalising Face Defence Mask formulated with grape and apple stem cells respectively. These are now available online and in store for purchase. With the launch of these new products, we wanted to create a campaign that would allow us to reflect on the Australian identity as we believe it is central to Enbacci’s sense of identity. It is reflected through our business with Australian developed and made products, our spirit and more importantly, us, the co-founders. As an immigrant and first generation Australian born Chinese, we are representative of only a small proportion of the population that makes up Australia. You can head to https://youtu.be/i1wvtLmt5k to watch out latest campaign video and share with us on Instagram or Facebook what the faces of Australia are by using the hashtag #IAMTHEFACEOFAUSTRALIA. In other new, our Melbourne Flagship is about to become a new beauty destination. With space dedicated to skin treatments and other beauty pampering whilst indulging on a glass of sparkling or two, we are excited to be taking our luxury products and service to a whole new level. This is scheduled to be available by the end of the year.
SheSociety is a site for the women of Australia to share our stories, our experiences, shared learnings and opportunities to connect.
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