The term “clean beauty” does not seem to have a clear definition. Because of this, there is often a lot of confusion about the term, its true meaning, and the intent behind products marketed as such. For Italian skincare expert Pietro Simone, clean beauty is simply an effective, no-frills approach to the skin. “My focus is on avoiding ingredients that are not necessary or have the potential to be negative for the skin,” he tells the TZR. “I really believe in evolution, so my formulations are constantly evolving to produce new, greener, more effective results.” His latest collection of skincare essentials, the FIERCE Collection, is free from artificial colors, essential oils and a variety other ingredients normally considered “impure” – not just for marketing purposes, but to get the greatest performance possible.
I saw – and felt – these formulas in action when I visited Simone’s New York City studio for a facial with the FIERCE collection. I warned him that my skin is very sensitive and prone to reactions and fully expected to have a red, irritated face (as I usually do after a facial). Apart from a clarifying mask, I hardly felt any tingling on the skin during the treatment, but it was clear that these products still had a stunner. The hormonal pimple on my chin had noticeably decreased in size and redness, and my skin looked plump and radiant – as if it had drunk a lot of water.
Although Simone evaluated my skin before starting and selected the products accordingly (we focused on hydration), the 18-piece kit is suitable for all skin types and stages of life. “In general, people choose their skin care products based on their biological age, and I wanted to create something that was accessible to everyone,” he says. The collection deals with skin problems that can occur in every phase of life (acne, rosacea, irritation) as well as menopause and hormonal imbalances.
The FIERCE collection formulas contain some standout ingredients powered by Revolutionary Skin Drone Technology that helps them penetrate deeper into your skin so you can see more benefits faster. In contrast to other vitamin C products, which oxidize quickly and therefore become unstable, Simone uses leading vitamin C glutathione, a stabilized and 100% permeable ingredient.
Bio-fermented Reishi compound helps combat hyperpigmentation and prevent further imperfections by increasing the skin’s natural regenerative healing properties. And of course, no skin care collection would feel complete without retinol. However, Simone’s Star Retinol formulation contains a natural biodegradable lipid carrier, which means that the risk of irritation is much lower. This advanced retinol improves scars, minimizes pores, and fights multiple signs of aging, including environmental aging and thinning skin.
You will find that one of the hottest skin care ingredients, glycolic acid, is nowhere to be found in the collection. Simone is known for his strong stance on the popular AHA scrub, which he laughs at when I speak to it. He makes it clear that he has no vengeance against the ingredient, he just has never found it very effective. “I just never felt like I was getting great results,” he says. “Many of the products currently on the market, such as scrubs, may have glycolic acid in the product, but it won’t be the only active ingredient.”
Another hot take from Simone? Don’t mix your skin care brands. It’s not the most realistic advice – especially for a beauty writer whose job it is to try a lot of products – but it does explain that it really is the best way to test a product’s effectiveness. “When someone is using several different brands at the same time, it is much more difficult to determine what will work best for your skin,” he says. “My collections are carefully bio-engineered to produce lasting results and you can see them very quickly, but mixing too many products can delay or tarnish these effects.”
But don’t panic – Simone admits that mixing skin care brands isn’t a cardinal sin; Rather, it just needs to be done carefully. “For example, I’m not going to mix an organic brand that uses essential oil with a brand that uses active ingredients and retinol because I’ve seen the many different categories of active ingredients stress the skin,” he says.
And that’s essentially the ethos behind Pietro Simone’s skin care routine – avoiding unnecessary, potentially irritating ingredients so your skin only gets what it really needs.
The complete FIERCE collection, which includes personal care, is available on Amazon.
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