July 27, 2023
The need for sunscreen to protect against UV exposure and cancer risk is mainstream knowledge. Lesser known is the impact of blue light or high-energy visible light (HEV) to the skin. A look at the research reveals...
On the light spectrum, blue light is right next to UV light which contributes to 90% of the visible signs of skin aging. The sun emits both UV and HEV light. Of concern is that someone working on a computer might not be aware of the exposure because they are indoors or might not think it requires sunscreen protection. This exposure can produce free radicals which break down collagen and elastin and create dark spots. There is one study that shows the hyperpigmentation produced by HEV light being darker and more difficult to eliminate than from other light sources. It is known that HEV light penetrates the skin more deeply. Skin penetration of UV light ranges from 100-400 nanometers and into epidermis and dermis layers. Deeper HEV light penetration ranges between 380-500 nanometers and penetrates the hypodermis. HEV light has been shown to initiate the inflammatory cascade, of particular concern for reactive skin conditions.
If you want to protect your skin from HEV light, not every sunscreen is effective. Physical sunscreen ingredients, such as zinc oxide, reflect the blue light away from skin and chemical sunscreens do not. Setting your devices to night mode also significantly switches blue light emissions to yellow light. Blue light blocking screens decrease the emission of HEV from devices such as computer screens and cell phones. If the screen is effective, you should see a blue reflection on the protective side when you hold the screen up to any light source with HEV light.
(We purchased a cell phone screen that did not pass this test. The second one passed and was an EyeJust screen. We have no affiliation with this company.)
July 27, 2023
Honey is the one ingredient that can be called magical. All of the amazing properties in this one substance cannot be duplicated in the lab. There are 181 ingredients in honey, 16 types of sugars, 6 enzymes, 11 organic acids, water, amino acids, proteins, 9 vitamins and 9 minerals. Many of these compounds, individually, are star skincare ingredients. Honey applied topically, provides antioxidant, exfoliating, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal benefits to the skin. All while binding moisture to the skin. Methylglyoxal (MGO) in honey is responsible for its antimicrobial properties and is 100x higher in Manuka honey than other honeys. Manuka honey is a hospital prescribed treatment for drug resistant staph aureas (MRSA) because of its power against the bacteria and its debridement of skin cells.
Beeswax, too, is a most impressive skincare ingredient with over 300 compounds, such as vitamin A. The sterols in beeswax are lubricating, softening and provide a lasting barrier against transdermal water loss. Beeswax also contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-yeast compounds. This makes sense as the hive is the bacterial and structural barrier against disease and environmental elements. With our beeswax and honey product, we carefully control processing temperatures in order to protect the skin loving compounds. Our beeswax and honey are from cruelty free farmers.
July 27, 2023
For the sake of this comparison, I will speak to skin rejuvenation in terms of wrinkle smoothing, skin thickening and reduced hyperpigmentation and inflammation, as reported by credible research. Peptides, THD Ascorbate and Retinol all tout solid research for these desired outcomes, with the exception of retinols being frequently associated with inflammation, generally at start of use, but ongoing for some users. The mechanism of action for all of these ingredients is varied.
Peptides are internal messengers that turn on or off functions in your body. Health concerns can result from the turning off of protective genes and the turning on of harmful genes. In skin, for example, rice peptides stimulate fibroblasts and messenger RNA expression to produce pro-collagen VII and fibrillin. While peptides have been used for many years in skincare, a latest favorite as described by Harvard longevity scientist, Dr. David Sinclair, is Decapeptide-52. This peptide increases collagen and hyaluronic acid production while not causing the expression of aging genes. This peptide also causes a reduction in IL-6 and IL-8 which are precursors to psoriasis, rosacea and eczema. Per Dr. Sinclair, aged and wrinkled skin samples were smoothed and thickened with the use of this peptide.
Vitamin C is naturally found in skin and is used for collagen synthesis and melanin suppression. Collagen formation decreases by 1% per year after age 20. The effectiveness of topical C in supporting collagen synthesis depends on the stability and tolerability of the product. To stabilize ascorbic acid, you need a pH of 3.5 which is very acidic and notoriously irritating. Less irritating forms of C, such as magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and ascorbyl-6-palmitate are easily oxidized and become less effective. When a C product is exposed to air and turns yellow, it has oxidized and should not be used. Kakadu plum contains 2% C, but it is not very stable. THD Ascorbate is stable at a pH of 7 (neutral), oil soluble, better absorbed than other forms of C and produces more hyaluronic acid formation.
Retinol effectively smooths skin wrinkles via rapid cellular turnover. The rate of skin cell turnover slows with age and retinol brings new skin cells to the surface more quickly. It is considered the gold standard by many dermatologists for skin rejuvenation. However, current research done by One Skin shows that retinol can speed up aging because it diminishes the skins microbiome and has a negative impact on gene expression. Specifically, there is a 10-fold increase in the expression of one of our aging genes after treating with retinol. For those that experience inflammation with retinol use, this inflammation also ages the skin.
Donamay Skin includes Decapeptide-52, hydrolyzed rice protein, THD Ascorbate and no retinol. It is worth giving an honorary mention to Niacinamide that not only effective in reducing, lines, pore size and inflammation, but also turns on your sirtuins which protect against aging. All ingredients are matched by absorption mechanism into 3 product layers without the use of emulsifiers. Emulsifiers combine ingredients into a lotion form and these combinations are not ideal for absorption of some ingredients.