Arctic skincare secrets

If you've wow-ed to the scenes of pristine Arctic wilderness in David Attenborough's BBC series Frozen Planet, you might be interested to hear that those icy northern seas also hold the key to anti-ageing skincare ingredients that can work wonders on your skin.

Well, if those pure waters allow breathtaking creatures like the narwhal, walrus and whale to thrive, maybe there's something we can learn from them too.

Scandinavian cosmetics companies are increasingly looking to harness the resources of their region to bring us beauty products that can nourish and protect. Click through to find out more about the beauty powers of shrimp shells, Arctic lichen, salmon and Icelandic glaciers...

Norwegian shrimp shell extracts

Kerstin Florian: Correcting Eye Rescue, £98

Under-the-eye pads treat dark circles, puffiness and fine lines. Simply spritz the eye pad with hydrating Neroli Water for a brighter, visibly plumped, more luminous, under-eye area.

The Eye Rescue pads are constructed from marine fibers called Chitosan, derived from a specific species of shrimp shells - Pandalus Borealis - found only on the coast of Norway. Chitosan is extracted from the shells through a sophisticated process that removes the protein (the cause of most shellfish allergies) resulting in an extremely low probability for reaction.

Similar to collagen (but more natural), Chitosan has been proven to reduce trans-dermal water loss, improve the skin's softness by 20% and smoothness by 114%; decrease wrinkles by 35%, improve skin elasticity, promote skin regeneration and  provide essential antioxidant protection.

Simply spritz the eye pad with hydrating Neroli Water, then place it under your eye close to the lower lash line and leave for 15-30 minutes. The result? A brighter, visibly plumped, more luminous, under-eye area.

Arctic marine algae

Skin Science

Marine extracts from the Arctic Ocean are among the invigorating, anti-ageing ingredients of  the Skin Science skincare brand from Norway, that can delay skin ageing by 20%. So what's the secret, and what does the North Pole have to do with it?

Skin scientists woke up to the skin-softening super-powers of pure marine algae after studies showed that salmon workers whose hands suffered prolonged exposure to Arctic waters showed few signs of ageing.

Our tester loved the Skin Science Stimulating Serum. She says, 'This product is absolutely fantastic. It took a few days - I'd say five - before I started to see an improvement but I thought it really smoothed out any blemishes I had.

'My daily make-up routine is just moisturiser, a light brightener and some Mac powder on top, but when I was using Skin Science serum, I felt like it looked like I had foundation on. I honestly thought it made a big difference. There is no fragrance to it and it doesn't feel luxurious when you apply it but hey, the proof is in the pudding and I would use nothing else if I could afford it.'

Arctic lichen

BlanX whitening toothpaste

The unique combination of ingredients in BlanX® is apparently proven to give you healthy white teeth and a whiter smile. But how?

The secret of the BlanX range (which comes in four formulations, including one for sensitive teeth) is in its unique formula which contains extract of Arctic lichen. This selectively kills 'bad' bacteria while leaving the good bacteria needed for a healthy mouth. It also inhibits plaque from sticking to teeth - a major cause of decay and staining.

The active ingredient of Arctic Lichen combats the bacteria responsible for causing cavities. It removes bacteria that sticks to enamel and penetrates deeply into teeth to remove bacterial residues and stains caused by food and drink. Arctic Lichen also stops plaque from forming.

And if that isn't enough to convince you, BlanX even offers a 30-day guarantee, and all toothpastes in the range come with a free BlanXometer so you can literally watch your teeth whiten by the day.

Icelandic glacier water

Remember Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano in Iceland that erupted causing global air traffic chaos? Flights across the world were grounded because of the clouds of volcanic ash spwed out of its crater.

Now you can buy perfume for both men and women that contains water from glaciers in Iceland. 

Icelanders believe that ancient Eyjafjallajökull is surrounded by a mystical energy built up through millions of years, and the EFJ Gydia perfume for women contains elements of this energy.

EFJ Eyjafjallajokull Gydja is a spicy, light and fresh Eau de Parfum fragrance with hints of citrus, vanilla, roses and bergamot. Each bottle comes with a piece of lava stone from the 2010 eruption.

For every bottle sold, a donation is paid into the fund to help train and equip female rescue volunteers in Iceland who spring into action when a volcanic eruption occurs.