Pleasure principle

Marina Shcherbinina has always been serious about skincare.

"My grandmother told me, 'don't cry, you will get wrinkles; don't stretch your skin, you will get wrinkles; don't use your towel a certain way, you will get wrinkles'," says the Russian-born founder and CEO of NuBo, which recently launched at Harvey Nichols Hong Kong. "And wrinkles were absolutely forbidden."

The young Shcherbinina learned early on to take care of her skin, and later used her scientific background - from growing up in a family of scientists and degrees from Moscow University - to make creams and make-up when cosmetics were in short supply.

"Russian women are more serious about how they look," she explains. "It's not only about skin but the entire look, the grooming."

After moving to London and working as a beauty editor for a Russian luxury magazine, Shcherbinina took the next step by creating a skincare brand based on the four pillars of "effectiveness, science, purity and pleasure".

Launched in 2008, NuBo is a comprehensive skincare system blending cutting-edge technology and world-class luxury. Its signature three-step Cell Dynamic collection is designed to kick-start skin cell rejuvenation, using high concentrations of active ingredients such as pro-vitamin C, bio-available 24ct gold and snake venom peptide.

"The performance of the products is very important to me. And I know to achieve that, I need to use nature's purest ingredients and rocket science - and put them together," says Shcherbinina, who also shuns the use of harsh chemicals and petroleum-derived ingredients.

Other products from NuBo - a combination of "new" and the French word "beauté" - include eye and lip serums, boosting and brightening treatments, men's body and facial care, and the celebrity favourite, White Diamond Ice Glow Mask.

"Products should be a pleasure to use, not punishment," says Shcherbinina, who uses rose otto, vanilla and other natural scents in all NuBo products. "Only natural fragrances work with our hormones, and they produce endorphins. It's important to feel confident."

Now 46, Shcherbinina maintains a strict beauty regimen that includes three different cleansers depending on her skin's condition, the Cell Dynamic system and a weekly White Diamond Ice Glow Mask.

"It's always complex, and it all depends on individual skin type," she says when asked about must-have products. "But what's imperative is good-quality antioxidants, good-quality hyaluronic acid and plenty of vitamins and sun protection. All the rest depends on your particular skin."

Shcherbinina also maintains the Russian skincare ethos. "If you don't take care of your skin when you're young, it will be more and more difficult to fix it later. And more and more make-up will be needed. And not all make-up, to be honest, is good for you," she says.

Thankfully, the mother of two has benefited from her grandmother's early training and five years of testing NuBo products. "We used these machines that can tell the age of your skin," she says, smiling. "And I'm very happy to say my skin is 11 years younger than I am."