Due to skin problems, she created an innovative brand of phytocosmetics - interview with Martina Bakarčić, director of development and innovation of the Matičnjak brand ( https://www.telegram.hr/super1/power/zbog-problema-na-kozi-osmislila-je-inovativni- brand-phytocosmetics-we-spoke-with-martino-bakarcic/ )
"The product must work, the brand must be authentic, that is recognizable and meaningful, cosmetic preparations must not contain any substances that harm the skin, health and the entire ecosystem, the truth must be clearly communicated - there are no quick solutions because beautiful and healthy skin requires a routine, discipline and the right products, and strong cosmetics care for the skin with clearly visible elements, natural texture, fragrance and color - it's a fine interplay of nature, science and skin", Martina Bakarčić, co-owner and director of development and innovation of the company, lists the five rules for a successful cosmetic brand. Matičnjak sativa doo, which stands behind the brands Matičnjak and OPS Biotics+.
Namely, the Matičnjak brand began to develop in 2007, but recently, in addition to the production of natural food products and various nutritional supplements, it also began to produce first-class phytocosmetic preparations based on innovative medicinal plant extracts.
The basis is ingredients from nature
"OPS Biotics+ in its formulations contains only what the skin needs - skin identical ingredients, i.e. natural plant components that mimic the natural components of our skin. These ingredients are the best we can offer the skin: natural lipids, the entire spectrum of vitamin C from rose hips, silymarin from sika, oleoeuropein from olive leaves, resveratrol from the skin of black grapes, stem cells from apples. The well-known nutraceuticals that strengthen the body, with our brand, have also played a role in strengthening and protecting the skin," Bakarčić points out.
The brand currently offers seven products, and they are intended for every skin type and every age. "For example, in the biological milestones of the skin, the first drop in antioxidant capacity occurs already in the teenage years, so it is already necessary to treat the skin with vitamin-antioxidant preparations, and we recommend OPS Biotics+ vitamin C serum as the best choice, because it strongly protects the skin, and in its formulation does not contain any toxic cargo. So, vitamin C serum from teenage days until the end of life", advises Bakarčić.
Products for every purpose
The 3 Biotic line is in charge of skin immunity and barrier, which helps healthy skin to resist problems caused by age or external stressors. Also, people who have impaired skin integrity as seen by dryness, spots or premature aging will also benefit from 3 Biotic preparations, because silymarin, olive leaf, prebiotics and probiotics will strongly modulate its immune response so that it becomes healthy and beautiful again .
"The Triple CBD line will regulate excess sebum and clear up pimples, acne, age spots, and that at any age, because acne is not just a teenage problem. Omega ceramides build the skin matrix, and again, in the forties, according to the biological milestones of the skin, cellular aging occurs, and omega acids are the most important promoters of healthy cellular functioning", explains Bakarčić.
The important role of omega acids
Therefore, omega acids are also the starting point of almost all OPS Biotics+ products. "Unsaturated fatty acids from hemp, flax or walnut vegetable oils are vitally important complexes that we are obliged to consume in our daily diet because our body is unable to produce them. They are an integral part of each of our cells, improving cell flexibility, communication between cells, metabolism and gene expression".
They are also crucial for a number of physiological functions - they are needed by all vital organs, including the skin. "Most dietary or beauty supplements today focus only on ingredients such as collagen, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants, while forgetting about good fats, which are actually the basis of proper nutrition, health and beauty," concludes our interlocutor.
They have something that others don't
Although she was not too attracted to cosmetics, the idea for OPS Biotics+ came to her precisely out of her own need. "After the birth of my first girl, Maša, melasma appeared on my face. My face became full of gray and brown spots, hyperpigmentation also appeared. I didn't do anything about it. After the birth of my second daughter, Lada, I noticed even more spots. My solution was to go for treatments at a dermatologist, who sobered me up with one sentence and warned me that if I don't take care of my facial skin regularly, all the treatments are useless," he recounts.
Also, the doctor listened to her dilemmas about creams and serums and how she didn't know what to treat her face with, to which he pointed out that studies show that it is precisely the botanical elements from the medicinal herbs sikavica, olive, black grapes and omega that show excellent benefits in the treatment of skin conditions. "He listed all those extracts that I developed in innovations, and he had no idea what I do and what I do. And that's when I realized that we have something that many do not have - our own extracts that can present the best cosmetics, not only on the regional market, but also on a wider scale. After that, I gathered my cosmetics specialists and here, after two years of development, the products are here," said Bakarčić proudly.
A team of top experts
Along with her as the team leader, experts in formulations and extraction are phytotherapist Ivo Bačlija, technologist at the Uni. B.Sc. Eng. chem. Tech. Uroš Cepek, and an extremely important part of the team that oversees and directs every step, Dr. Matteo Zanotti Russo, who started his career thirty years ago in Italy on the extraction of medicinal herbs and biological matrices in cosmetics, and today is a member of the European Commission's team for cosmetics.
"Each member of the team is an important piece of the puzzle. Mr. Bačlija, as the best phytotherapist or as he likes to call himself - herbalist, is an erudite in the region regarding medicinal plants, while engineer Uroš is an excellent expert in extraction methods. Doctor Zanotti Russo is a passionate researcher and connoisseur of cosmetics and skin. He especially got involved in our story because he felt the passion, knowledge and will and recognized us as an innovative challenger in the cosmetics industry, which, as he claims, is not often encountered", Bakarčić points out.
Technological innovations help everything
The foundation of innovation is certainly the numerous extraction methods used in the production of cosmetic preparations. First on the list is cold pressing, which is used to separate the highly potent vegetable oil from the dry active ingredients. This is followed by sieving, i.e. mechanical isolation of specific assets or proteins, and finally the Max machine is used to extract silymarin, vitamin C complex, resveratrol, oleouropein and other medicinal plant substances.
"These are extractions that do not interfere with the structure of medicinal plants. In our formulations, we use extraction processes for optimal utilization of the complete phytoactive profile of the plant, pure and stable as it exists in nature. The end result is the previously mentioned natural bioactive extracts with some of the highest concentrations of organic, bioactive ingredients on the market," explains Bakarčić. Also, he points out, it is important to note that the entire process they have in their hands, from the production of extracts or herbal omegas to finished phytodermatological formulations, ensures overall quality control, which few brands offer on the market.
They receive an inquiry for export to the foreign market
In the future, they want to communicate as much as possible with their customers, primarily to point out the importance of herbs, nutrition and emotions, which, in addition to care, affect the health of the skin and the entire organism. "You can see everything on the skin, and the skin we see on ourselves today was made deep in the dermis four weeks ago, so each treatment needs a minimum of that amount of time to show its power. There are no quick solutions", emphasizes Bakarčić.
"At the same time, we would like to become a recognizable skin care brand in Croatia, just as we are a recognizable brand of herbal nutritional supplements. Our pedigree is good, so our expectations for OPS Biotics+ are also positive. It is interesting that we have already received inquiries for export, as soon as we entered the domestic market. Foreign markets yearn for such cosmetic brands, where the quality and innovation of the preparations is real and not part of a marketing strategy".
