I had a chance to chat all things STEM with Alison Crumblehulme, co-founder and president, and Jessica Kizovski, co-founder and lead formulator at Veriphy. Veriphy is a natural skincare line featuring a superstar ingredient, Photoglycogen. Photoglycogen is a 100% plant-based form of glycogen that boosts the skin’s natural ability to produce elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid for optimal hydration and a youthful, healthy glow.
Veriphy also tackles the lack of women in STEM head on with their scholarship, “The Veriphy Skincare Award for Women in STEM” to encourage women to pursue STEM careers where it is awarded each fall to a young woman at the University of Guelph.
AND the brand is Canadian!
Women are greatly underrepresented in STEM fields, so it was refreshing to see that Veriphy is led by a team of women in STEM. Is this something Veriphy did purposefully and how does Veriphy hope to continue supporting women in STEM moving forward?
We first met at a small biotech start up where PhytoSpherix was discovered. The idea to develop Veriphy was sparked once we realized the efficacy of this natural ingredient. As Veriphy was founded and is run by women in STEM, we found it important to advocate for other women to find their voice and not feel discouraged by the low female representation in STEM fields. Both of us coming from a STEM background, we wanted an integral part of our brand to also be focused on supporting and advocating towards other women, so that they are able to find their voice and not feel discouraged to pursue careers within the STEM fields.
Less than a year after your launch and Veriphy is in Shoppers Drug Mart! That must be so exciting to partner with such a well known Canadian company. With this increased visibility what sets Veriphy apart from other skincare brands currently on the market?
Veriphy’s beginnings are deep-rooted in scientific discovery. We launched our first product line because we saw a need for clean, cruelty free beauty and the significance of women lead businesses. All of our products are developed and manufactured in Canada using sustainable packaging and practices. In primary studies, Phytoglycogen has clinically proven to boost natural production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid in the skin. We continue to formulate our products utilizing Phytoglycogen in our in-house lab to bring only the highest-quality products to our skincare line, so you can feel good about choosing Veriphy!
The superstar ingredient in your line is a plant-derived glycogen (phytoglycogen) – why was it important to you to move away from deriving this ingredient from animal sources and move to a plant based version instead?
An important aspect of Veriphy skincare is that we are cruelty free and vegan. Utilizing plant-derived glycogen helps us deliver all the amazing benefits while keeping our guarantee that we are vegan and cruelty free. Glycogen is an interesting ingredient and something that consumers are looking for.
We believe that it is the bridge between natural and clinical skincare. Animal derived versions of glycogen require harsh chemical extraction, which could fragment the molecule. Our plant-derived glycogen is a water-based extraction using only physical forces powered by renewable energy. It is a green and sustainable ingredient.
How does the plant-derived phytoglycogen differ from the animal-derived glycogen in terms of performance?
Plant-derived glycogen has the same bioavailability as animal-derived glycogen. The real benefit of using plant-derived glycogen is that there is no real difference. Plant-derived glycogen is more sustainable, vegan and cruelty-free, which is very important to us.
Everyone here at Veriphy skincare loves brainstorming and coming up with names! It’s one of our favourite parts of the process because it brings our products to life.What are the chances that I can get a hint about any upcoming launches or what’s next for Veriphy Skincare?
We have a lot of exciting new products in the works, our formulators are hard at work to create new products! We did however, just add another product to our line this past November called, CTRL+ALT+DEL Facial Cleanser. Our CTRL+ALT+DEL Facial Cleanser is gentle and sulfate-free, which uses the power of phytoglycogen and a mild surfactant blend to eliminate dirt, oil, and makeup. Cannabis Sativa Oil, Arnica, Green Tea, and Cucumber Extracts work to visibly reduce the appearance of redness while soothing and calming the skin. This cleanser is Canadian-made, cruelty-free and vegan. Like the rest of the Veriphy line, it is formulated without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, fragrance, silicone oil and mineral oil.
Win a Veriphy Triple Treat Skincare Kit
UPDATE:
This contest is now closed. Congrats to Calida L from New Westminster, BC for winning the Triple Treat Discovery Kit!
Thank you to everyone who participated and be sure to follow me on Insta for more contests.
