What we reject in our formulas: the dermatological vision of "Primum non nocere"

"Primum non nocere". First, do no harm.

This maxim, inherited from Hippocrates and taught to every doctor, has always guided Dr. Sylvie Peres' practice. It also forms the foundation of Alaena's philosophy.

Because we are aware of health and environmental challenges, all of our commitments reflect our convictions. If Dr. Sylvie Peres pledges to ban certain synthetic ingredients from our formulas, it is because she is convinced that human health cannot be separated from the health of all living things. And if we commit to creating a different cosmetology, it is because ethics guide each of our decisions.

When medicine meets the precautionary principle

During her years of practice, Dr. Sylvie Peres observed an increase in inflammatory diseases, skin sensitivities, hormonal imbalances, and chronic pathologies linked to the degradation of our environment. This observation led her to question our daily exposure to certain substances present in our food, our medicines, our environment, and our skincare products.

While science today allows for the development of ever more effective molecules, it also reminds us that authorization does not necessarily mean absolute safety. The history of medicine has repeatedly shown that certain effects are sometimes only identified after years of exposure.

Faced with this reality, we have chosen to apply a simple principle: when scientific uncertainty persists, we always favor the safest alternative.

Why we question certain additives

This reflection does not only concern cosmetics. It also extends to food supplements, where many technical additives are used to improve texture and preservation. These ingredients are currently authorized. However, some recent scientific publications question their potential effects on the gut microbiota, low-grade chronic inflammation, energy metabolism, and cumulative exposure to certain synthetic substances.

The Longevity Complex: applying "Primum non nocere" to micronutrition

This requirement guided each step of the development of the Longevity Complex.

After more than five years of research, Dr. Sylvie Peres designed a unique formula combining Cartidyss® marine collagen, microalgae-derived omega-3s, coenzyme Q10, astaxanthin, and phycocyanin, to act on several biological mechanisms involved in skin aging: oxidative stress, low-grade chronic inflammation, collagen loss, and slowing cellular functions.

This holistic approach to skin longevity has led to significant results after 90 days of use, including a reduction in wrinkles, an improvement in dermal density, and an increase in skin thickness.

But developing a food supplement dedicated to longevity was not just about selecting the most documented active ingredients. It also involved questioning all the accompanying ingredients.

For what sense would a longevity approach make if it relied on excipients, bulking agents, or additives whose physiological interest is limited or whose long-term effects are still being studied?

That's why we applied the same founding principle to the Longevity Complex that guides all Alaena developments: Primum non nocere.

And to understand why the effectiveness of a supplement does not depend on an isolated active ingredient, but on the quality of its formulation and the complementarity of its ingredients, also discover our article "Why a simple collagen capsule is not enough to permanently improve skin quality".

Ingredients we chose not to use in the Longevity Complex

As a precautionary principle, we chose to exclude several ingredients widely used in the food supplement industry.

We chose not to use synthetic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, E1201) and crospovidone (E1202), for which some studies question the residual presence of monomers and their environmental fate. These polymers are classified as probable carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Our formula contains neither acesulfame-K (E950) nor sucralose, as some scientific studies are now questioning the metabolic interest of intense sweeteners and their potential interactions with the gut microbiota.

We also chose to exclude microcrystalline cellulose (E460), maltodextrins, and synthetic cellulosic derivatives such as hydroxypropylcellulose (E463) and hypromellose (E464).

The Longevity Complex also does not contain emulsifiers such as carboxymethylcellulose or polysorbate 80, which are currently being researched for their potential effects on the gut microbiota and are suspected endocrine disruptors.

We also chose to exclude polyols such as sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol, as well as silicon dioxide, some nanoparticulate forms of which continue to be evaluated by scientific authorities.

Finally, we chose not to use magnesium stearate (E572) or magnesium salts of fatty acids (E470b), frequently used as technological lubricants in the food supplement industry.

This approach is not about asserting the danger of these ingredients. It reflects our desire to apply a precautionary principle consistent with our medical practice: when scientific controversy persists, we choose the most prudent alternative.

The same requirement for the Anti-blemish Food Supplement

Our Anti-blemish Food Supplement meets the same high standards in terms of formulation. We have opted for a formula without titanium dioxide, nanoparticles, artificial colors, sweeteners, flavors, or controversial additives.

Its composition combines natural active ingredients selected for their dermatological and metabolic benefits: burdock, milk thistle, fumitory, rosemary, nettle root, spirulina, buckwheat sprout, and zinc. This synergy acts on internal imbalances involved in acne by supporting hepatic detoxification functions, regulating sebum production, and contributing to inflammatory balance.

True to our approach to living cosmetology, we prioritize useful, precisely dosed ingredients over formulation artifices. Because a food supplement intended for daily consumption must be evaluated not only for its effectiveness but also for the integrity of its composition.

We are convinced that an effective product is not just a product that acts quickly.

A truly effective product is one that respects biological balances, preserves the body's natural functions, and sustainably supports tissue vitality. Our ambition is not to constrain the body's biological mechanisms, but to support its natural capacities for protection, repair, and regeneration. This approach requires more research, more rigor, and more evidence. But we believe today it is the only sustainable path. If Dr. Sylvie Peres commits to banning certain ingredients from our formulas, it is because she is convinced that human health cannot be dissociated from the health of all living things.