Aussie Momma’s awesome question…Prai’s new Mordial Stellar serum is a new product that is getting raves on the beauty boards. Apparently it has an ingredient that is found on Mars. I think it is all marketing hype. What do you think?
The Left Brain’s awe-struck response:
This has to be one of the more bizarre claims claims I’ve come across. Here’s exactly what their website says:
PRAImordial Stellar Serum helps reverse this process by counteracting the loss of collagen as we age. Its luscious formula incorporates a customized blend of ingredients including Iron Rose Crystal derived from Hematite discovered on Mars, D-Galacturonic Acid, a powerful peptide/protein complex, and thirst – quenching hydrators, all working together to support, maximize and preserve collagen levels for younger-looking skin.
What is hematite and what does it do for skin?
Hematite is form of iron oxide, specifically iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3.) Its rust-red color makes it useful as a pigment in paints and even in blushes. But it’s not a good ingredient for providing skin moisturization benefits. In fact, in concentrated form it can be irritating to skin – the ancient Egyptians took advantage of this fact and actually used it to booby trap at least one mummy’s tomb. (According to Wikipedia, archeologists had to put on full body suits to protect their skin before entering the hematite filled chamber.)
Martian Mordial?
So it it true that hematite was discovered on Mars? Well, yes, NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor and the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft both located the mineral on Mars through its spectral signature. But I fail to see how that’s relevant to the product proposition. The entire idea is laughable – do they really mean to imply that they mined the ore from the Martian surface and brought it back to Earth for use in this skin lotion? How absurd! So yes, Aussie Momma, this is marketing hyperbole!
Here are the rest of the ingredients in case anyone is interested:
PRAImordial Stellar Serum Ingredients
Propylene Glycol, Water (Aqua), Cyclopentasiloxane, SD Alcohol 40B, Cyclohexasiloxane, PEG/PPG18/18 Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, C4 24 Alkyl Dimethicone/ Divinyldimethicone Crosspolymer/Isodecyl Isononanoate, Tripeptide 1, Tripeptide]10 Citrulline, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Lecithin, Polydiethyleneglycol Adipate/IPDI Copolymer, Hematite Extract, Galacturonic Acid, Dimethiconol, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Zingiber Cassumunar Root Oil, Carbomer, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, alpha]Isomethyl Ionone, Fragrance (Parfum), Silica (CI 77811)Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Tin Oxide (CI 77861)
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i just saw this recently launched on hsn(yes, i’m truly a beauty fanatic, i read all and watch anything related to skincare products!) and i was floored by the ridiculousness of it all. they try to pass of using something found on mars but, as cathy k says, ‘sourced in brazil’. uh huh. oh, and then they have some scientist come on and talk about the hematite on mars as if that lends some form of credibility to hematite’s use in skin care, prai’s product specifically. i can’t say when i’ve last seen such a blatant pushing of the ethics envelope! it doesn’t help that there is alcohol as the fourth ingredient….i’ll pass, thanks!
when will i learn to proofread? i meant ‘pass off’ not pass of in the second sentence!
Thanks so much for a great laugh. I think its the first extraterrestrial beauty claim I’ve come across. When something is so ridiculous its easier to refute its pseudo-science. But when the claims for skin rejuvenation seem almost reasonable, its harder to separate truth from science fiction. Beauty Brains does an incredible job of keeping it real.