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You know how oil and vinegar don't actually mix, but when you shake 'em together and force 'em to, they taste delicious? Apply that logic to your beauty routine — sans the taste-test — and you've got our new favorite type of product. Bi-phase beauty is cropping up left, right, and center in the skin-care and beauty aisles — and it's instantly recognizable. Like our friends oil and vinegar, the ingredients sit on top of one another — separate, but occupying the same bottle.
This proves super-efficient. "A bi-phase product allows the formulator to combine two very separate formula compositions into one, offering a unique texture, experience, and feel," says Tammy Yaiser, vice president of product development at Algenist. "It also offers the convenience of multiple benefits in one product."
One example is Algenist's Genius Peel, which has a water phase that includes glycolic acid and an oil phase with microalgae oil. When shaken together, the ingredients mix to create a formula that exfoliates and nourishes the skin — eliminating the need for a two-step process. "Often, the bi-phase format is desirable because it allows highly concentrated, single-phase formulas to be combined without the need for extra emulsifiers, binders, and/or stabilizers," Yaiser explains. Less of these fillers means more potency in the long run.
But, you need make sure you're using these products properly — otherwise they won't work. "It's best to make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions closely and use the products as directed," Yaiser advises. "This ensures you're using, mixing, and applying the product in the intended concentrations."
Intrigued? Ahead, find a handful of other bi-phase buys. We like to think of them as Shake 'n Bake for your beauty routine.
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