Therapies & Protocols

What is a professional cosmetic protocol?

A professional cosmetic protocol is a documented sequence of steps, products and timing whose logic has been tested before it reaches your skin. It is not the same as a procedure. A procedure is a single intervention: one mask application, one peel, one ultrasound session. A protocol is the entire session, in the order things have to happen for them to give the best possible result.

Why does order matter? Because the skin takes its signals one after another, not all at once. When an enzymatic peel dissolves the surface dead cells, the serum that follows penetrates deeper. When the toner brings the skin's pH back to 5.5, botox-like peptides work in the conditions that suit them best. This is basic skin biochemistry, not marketing. That is why two professional products used in the wrong order, or without a prep step in between, deliver a weaker result than the same products in the right sequence.

A protocol also differs from a "product line". A line is a set of formulas that can be used together. A protocol is an instruction: this product, this amount, this long, before the next step. The dependency of each step on the previous one is what separates professional work in the salon from experimenting at home.

Why a professional protocol outperforms a random procedure

Skin reads coherent signals better than mixed ones. When one session tells the tissue "regenerate" and the next, three days later, tells it "exfoliate aggressively", the two signals collide and the skin fails to respond well to either. When the protocol is built so each step supports the next – cleansing, exfoliation, pH balancing, penetration, activation, fixation – the result is more than the sum of its parts.

Some synergies only work inside a protocol. Penetration enhancers (such as propanediol or propylene glycol) ease the way for the actives that follow, but are pointless without a prep step. The pH shift between an acid peel and a neutraliser puts the skin in a state where certain peptides activate. Occlusion at the final step holds the actives in place in the hours after the session.

A protocol is not magic. It is discipline. One session of a well-executed protocol will give you more than three random procedures. That does not mean every protocol is for you. It means that when you do the right protocol, it works the way it should.

Protocol categories: what is behind each line

Collagena Professional

Collagena Professional is the brand's patented baseline collagen line, designed for sensitive and mature skin that does not tolerate aggressive actives. At its core is a collagen hydrolysate made with a patented Bulgarian technology, with peptides small enough to reach the upper layers of the epidermis. Who it is for: sensitive, dehydrated and reactive skin; a first professional therapy; people over 35–40 starting anti-ageing care. See all Collagena Professional therapies or read more about the collagen hydrolysate behind Collagena.

Collagena Highline

Collagena Highline is the intensive anti-ageing line, with higher concentrations of actives and additional peptides. Choose Highline over standard Collagena when the skin has entered a mature phase (45+), when static wrinkles are visible, when you have a specific goal in a short timeframe (an event, a photoshoot), or when the standard line has already given you its maximum and you are looking for the next step. Highline is not "better" than Professional; it is more intensive, which is why it does not suit sensitive or unstable skin.

DMS Exosomes & Phospholipids

The DMS (Derma Membrane Structure) line uses technology that mimics the skin's natural lipid membrane: phospholipids in ratios close to those in the stratum corneum. This lets the formulas work with the skin's own barrier instead of bypassing it. Exosomes are micro-vesicles that carry signals between cells; in cosmetology they are used as messenger molecules that "remind" older cells how younger ones work. To be honest, clinical data on cosmetic exosomes is still early compared with peptides. What we can say with certainty is that the skin looks denser and brighter 24–72 hours after a DMS protocol session. We do not claim exosomes "regenerate" skin; we claim the protocol supports the visible state of the barrier.

Chemical peel (AHA 12% / AHA 15%)

Chemical peels are the right tool when the skin needs controlled renewal: hyperpigmentation, pronounced texture, acne marks, a thickened stratum corneum. We work mainly with glycolic acid (AHA) at two strengths: 12% for lighter work and 15% for more intensive work. Why these strengths? Below 10% the effect is mostly cosmetic. Above 20% serious risks appear: post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, chemical burns, a barrier compromised for weeks. The 12–15% range gives a good balance of benefit and risk with correct application. Contraindications: thin skin with visible capillaries, active skin infections, isotretinoin in the past 6 months, a tendency to keloids, pregnancy. After an AHA peel SPF50 is a must for at least 14 days, or the risk of pigmentation is very high.

How to choose the right protocol

Choosing a protocol starts with four questions. One: what is the real state of your skin now – not a year ago, today? Two: how sensitive is your skin to actives – does it react to retinol, AHA, high-strength vitamin C? Three: what stage of life are you in – hormonally, stress-wise, sleep-wise? This decides how intensive a protocol your skin can take without a setback. Four: how much time can you realistically give, to the sessions and to the home routine? A course of 6 sessions every 10 days plus daily home care is a different thing from a single session every 3 months.

If you are not sure where to start, begin with the skin-concern filter in the catalogue above: pick a concern (acne, pigmentation, fine lines) and see which therapies match. If you have several concerns at once, do not skimp on a consultation: write to us through the contact page or speak with a specialist at one of our partner salons.

And one honest note: for mature skin with acne, do not skimp on a consultation. The two have opposite needs – one wants richer hydration, the other sebum control. Without a specialist to balance the priorities, you risk worsening one problem while solving the other.

Safety, contraindications and what to expect

Within EU Regulation 655/2013 on cosmetic claims, we describe what the formulas do without promising medical outcomes. We do not claim the protocols treat skin diseases, we do not call the products hypoallergenic without a clinical basis, and we do not say "100% safe", because no product or protocol is safe for every skin at every moment. There will always be individual reactions, which is exactly why contraindications and consultations exist.

A protocol is NOT for you if you have an active infection in the area, open wounds or active dermatitis; you are pregnant or breastfeeding (for certain actives); you had laser or surgical treatment in the past 4 weeks; you have an active sun allergy or took isotretinoin in the past 6 months. The list is not exhaustive: the full contraindications for each protocol are on the therapy's page.

What to realistically expect: mild redness for 1–3 days after more active protocols (normal), more sensitive skin for 5–7 days after a peel or intensive anti-ageing (normal), a one-off rise in sebum 24–48 hours after a deep cleansing therapy (normal). When to call your cosmetician or a doctor: if redness has not faded after 5 days, if an itchy rash appears, if you feel pain instead of tingling, or if the area starts to weep or ooze. These are not typical reactions and need to be checked.