About Dr. Hannah Sivak
Dr. Hannah Sivak founded Skin Actives Scientific in 2006 to provide the best actives in the world at prices attainable to the consumer, Dr. Sivak completed her doctorate research at the Institute for Biochemistry Research in Buenos Aires, under the direction of Dr. L.F. Leloir (Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, 1970).
She has published more than 60 papers internationally, including refereed journals and books, on different aspects of biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and biotechnology. She was a Research Fellow at the Universities of York and Sheffield in the United Kingdom from 1980 - 1990 and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Michigan State University from 1990 - 2002. She retired from academia in 2002, and now consults as a scientific advisor while overseeing formulation for Skin Actives Scientific.
Dr. Sivak’s Story
In 2006, I arrived in Arizona following the rest of my family. Before arriving, I had failed to get a job in academia in the local universities. In my early fifties, it was my first time out of the academic "ivory tower."
Looking for a job, I saw a request by a skincare company looking for a scientific advisor/writer. It was a part-time job, paying a fraction of what I used to get as a research professor, but it was a job and I accepted gratefully. I did a good job, taking into account that it was my first contact with the "real world". I had no practical expertise, but my background was useful. Searching the scientific literature, I found neglected ingredients that could benefit the skin via biochemical mechanisms that I was familiar with (and some that I had to learn about). With my expertise in biochemistry, botany, and plant physiology I started advising and writing promotional articles.
I found out is that the skincare industry uses science mostly for advertising and not necessarily to improve the activity of the products they sell. That was disappointing, a wasted opportunity. My son suggested that we could make better skincare products if we put my knowledge to use in formulation instead of providing advertising materials for others. We started a company with a view to doing things in a different way: evidence-based skincare. And here I am. A skin science expert in the real-world making skincare products that people use and educating about how our skin works and what to do to keep it healthy and young.
– Hannah Sivak, PhD
Publications
- Published articles in 39 Refereed Journals
- Credits for contributions in 26 books and conferences
- Written 2 books including The Scientific Revolution in Skin Care
The Scientific Revolution in Skin Care
Dr. Sivak’s book, “The Scientific Revolution in Skin Care,” is available in both English and Spanish translated editions. She has published more than 60 papers internationally, including refereed journals and books, on different aspects of biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and biotechnology. She was a Research Fellow at the Universities of York and Sheffield in the United Kingdom from 1980 - 1990 and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Michigan State University from 1990 - 2002. She retired from academia in 2002, and now consults as a scientific advisor while overseeing formulation for Skin Actives Scientific.
Resources