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.