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Science of Skincare: The GroundBreaking Collagen & Skin Elasticity Study For Ninja Level Anti-Aging

February 26, 2020 · 2 Comments

Amongst the countless skincare products and procedures out there, what REALLY restores collagen? A recent study revealed facts that may alter what products you use in the fight against dull, aging skin.

The Collagen Conundrum

There are many collagen types in our body. Each collagen type has a function. Effective anti-aging skincare is not just restoring some form of collagen on areas of visible aging. It requires producing the right kind of collagen in the right place. This gives skin resilience and elasticity. Tricky, right?

We knew the deeper the skin can be stimulated to produce new collagen, the less facial sagging there will be. That’s still true, but now there is more intel.

The Super Science-y Skin Study

A groundbreaking skin study revealed the composition of live young and aging skin. It looked at the baby collagen in the skin. It noted the changes in elasticity with age in the twenties, thirties, and forties.

Special technology imaged the internal elasticity of the skin. It noted the concentration of the individual collagen fibers. They located which ones made skin elastic, taut and youthful. The location and impact of these concentrated collagen clusters were new information.

“The team also studied how the variations in skin elasticity in the papillary dermis would change the look of the skin and discovered that the skin surface of females without any signs of variations in elasticity was more likely to be smooth, whereas that of females with decreased elasticity looked slightly rough” [1]

The Result

The result? Now we know exactly WHERE we need to restore collagen. And we know which type of collagen rejuvenates skin and keeps it “springy”

“The team has found out that type III collagen is abundant in the areas with healthy skin elasticity in the uppermost layer of the dermis, but it decreases in the parts where the skin elasticity has deteriorated. This suggests that the decrease in type III collagen triggers the decrease in skin elasticity” [2]

In sum: what makes skin healthy, elastic and vibrant is collagen III within the dermal cells of the papillary dermis skin layer.

And the study identified the exact ingredient to accomplish the task. It is an ingredient that appears in skincare brands like Shiseido and Tatcha. It is also a natural ingredient that can be organically farmed. It’s Watercress. Yep, Watercress.

Watercress helps makes Type Collagen III in dermal cells

what to do About It

Henceforth, beauty buddies, we tackle anti-aging with the precision of a vapid ninja.

Weâ€˜re featuring select products using Watercress to best advantage to precisely target Collagen III production in the proper dermal cells.

And there are some great skin products in this lineup, including an all-natural Beauty Superfood oil with a Watercress base.

References

Shiseido Succeeds in Visualization of Internal Skin Elasticity – Decrease of Type III Collagen Involved in Age-Dependent Degradation in Skin Elasticity. Shiseido, Shiseido, Apr. 2018, corp.shiseido.com/en/newsimg/2423_c3b40_en.pdf.
Ibid

The Benefits of Copper in Skincare: What To Know

January 21, 2020 · 12 Comments

This article explains the skincare and haircare benefits of copper.

Copper in Skincare: Does it Work?

Copper is one of the recent beauty buzzwords increasingly appearing within skincare. Skin care products with copper are generally on the pricer end of the spectrum. It all sounds promising, but what does research say about copper in skincare?

Copper is available in some foods, supplement form and topically within skin creams and serums.

How Copper Benefits Skin

Copper peptides promote collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production within the skin. All three are vital for skin firmness, texture, radiance, and appearance.


But all three of these components decrease with age. Elastin is especially difficult to replace. Few skin products build Elastin like copper.


Elastin is a necessary part of younger, resilient skin with less sagging. Elastin gives skin its youthful springy and bouncy quality. Elastin is crucial to achieve young-looking skin because it reduces sagging and wrinkles.

Copper peptides also remove damaged collagen. [1]

How Copper Benefits Hair

Copper is useful for hair growth. Copper is used in both hair supplements and topical scalp applications.

How does it work? Copper increases the size of shrunken hair follicles. It stops hair thinning and often reduces premature graying.

Why copper products are expensive

The copper extraction process is costly and produces little skincare-quality copper.

A product requires a certain amount of copper to make a meaningful difference. It won’t be the first listing of the ingredient list, but it can’t be effective if it is the last ingredient of a long list.

How to Get the Most Benefit from Copper Skincare Products

For best results, Copper should be paired with supporting ingredients. These include Peptides, Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and retinoids. [2]

Recommended Products

Some products featuring copper which we find effective include:

Osmotics Cosmeceuticals Blue Copper 5 line features copper in both their skin care and hair care range. We love the attention Osmotics gives to copper-supporting ingredients like Vitamin C and other key ingredients to get the most bang for your beauty buck.

When it comes to proper copper delivery for beauty benefits, Osmotics Cosmeceuticals is the real deal.

Osmotics Firming Eye Complex contains Blue Copper 5, a potent copper peptide to firm eye skin

Farmaesthetics Watercress Eye Gel contains Watercress. Watercress is an antioxidant containing Copper. [3] Watercress Eye Gel is an exceptionally gentle yet highly effective eye serum with quality, natural ingredients.

Watercress Eye Gel contains arnica and caffeine

Watercress Eye Gel contains Watercress with copper

Naturally Copper-rich Ingredients

Konjac Root contains copper amongst its’ many nutrients, as well as Vitamin C. Since copper works so well with C, Konjac Root is a great active ingredient in skincare. Meanwhile, it holds water in skin.

One Konjac Root product we love is Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum, it contains all the actives that work well with copper.

Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum contains copper rich Konjac Root.

Moringa Oil contains copper. Lightweight and non-comedogenic, it is suitable for use on both hair and skin.

SuperNatural Body Glo Body Oil with Bergamot contains copper-rich Moringa Oil along with several other amazing oils to nourish and soften skin.

How to Fix Dry Skin Organically: SuperNatural Body Glo Body Oil with Bergamot

Mango Seed Extract is rich in copper

Mango Seed Extract is high in copper. It is used in skincare and some natural cosmetics.

One we love is Caley Cosmetics Color Wave Natural lipstick. Copper keeps lips smooth and plump.

What Makes Caley Cosmetics Color Wave Natural Lipstick Special

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

Know a good skin or hair care product that contains copper? Tell us!

Have any questions or comments about copper in skincare? The Style Chicks are here to answer them.

Leave a comment or email us at questions@stylechicks.com

References

Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration.Â Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:648108. doi:10.1155/2015/648108
A.A, Abdulghani & A, Sherr & S, Shirin & G, Solodkina & Morales Tapia, E & B, Wolf & A.B, Gottlieb. (1998). Effects of topical creams containing vitamin C, a copper-binding peptide cream and melatonin compared with tretinoin on the ultrastructure of normal skin – A pilot clinical, histologic, and ultrastructural study. Disease Management and Clinical Outcomes. 1. 136-141. 10.1016/S1088-3371(98)00011-4.
Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology, July 2001, pages 392-399

How Pomegranate Benefits Hair & Skin What to Know

January 5, 2020 · 4 Comments

This Ingredient Guide explains what are the hair and skin benefits of topical pomegranate, and how to best use pomegranate in your skincare.

How does Pomegranate Benefit Skin and Hair?

Pomegranate is more than a tasty treat. Those juicy, jewel-like seeds are arils. Arils are packed with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins A, C, K and E plus folic acid.

Pomegranates contains three times the antioxidants of wine or green tea. [1] Arils also hold a beautiful juicy lip stain of natural color.

Pomegranates is the “hostess with the mostess” polyphenol and antioxidant wise. It contains the most powerful type of antioxidant, a tannin called punicalagins. They actually help the body set up something of an antioxidant recycling system that clears toxins and renews cells.

This increased microcirculation and cell renewal reduces new wrinkles and improves skin texture.

What are Pomegranate Benefits?

Topical skin Application Benefits

Rich in Vitamin C, pomegranate reduces skin roughness when regularly applied topically, The high water content is hydrating.

The polyphenols are antioxidants that protect skin cells from oxidative damage. Other antioxidants reduce inflammation ranging from puffiness to acne snd tackle oxidative damage like dark spots and sun damage.

Pomegranate prompts the skin cells to work overtime to produce collagen.

Omega 5 fatty acid reduces skin inflammation and aids in skin repair for scarring, discoloration and acne marks.

Pomegranate

Where does one find Pomegranate is skincare?

Pomegranate Sterols is a safe, natural pomegranate based skin care ingredient. It is made by pressing the arils to extract the juice, which is fractionated. It increases skin barrier formation and improves skin hydration. Testing shows Pomegranate Sterols holds double its weight in water.

How Pomegranate Benefits Hair

Pomegranate seeds contain punicic acid. Punicic acid improves blood flow to the scalp and stimulates circulation. Pomegranate oil makes for a lovely scalp and hair massage oil. It smoothes frizz and conditions hair.

References

Antioxidant Activity of Pomegranate Juice and Its Relationship with Phenolic Composition and Processing Mara I. Gil , Francisco A. Tomas-Barbern, , Betty Hess-Pierce, Deirdre M. Holcroft, and, and Adel A. Kader*,Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2000 48 (10)

Salicylic Acid What it is + How to Best Use it

July 16, 2019 · 6 Comments

INGREDIENT GUIDE: Salicylic Acid is a bHA that treats adult acne with extra skin benefits

Salicylic Acid is effective for teenage, cystic, and adult acne.

It is preferred for mature skin because it does not excessively dry skin that’s already showing signs of aging.

What is Salicylic Acid in skincare?

It is a bHA (beta hydroxy acid). It is a natural ingredient that comes from Willow Bark.

BHAs work from the bottom of a pore up.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHAs) work from the top layer of the skin down.

It works by breaking down layers of thick skin.

What does Salicylic Acid Treat?

Salicylic Acid is also proven effective as a chemical peel agent for various skin issues. [2]

Some of those skin conditions include:

acne
psorasis
eczema
dandruff
seborrheic dermatitis of the skin and scalp
calluses

What are SALICYLIC ACID skin benefits?

Salicylic Acid is a natural bHA that comes from White Willow Bark.

Salicylic Acid is a natural bHA from White Willow Bark.

Salicylic Acid has several skincare benefits:

It purges clogged pores without drying the skin surface.
It does not cause the dryness or Benzoyl Peroxide or Retinol.
Salicylic Acid also helps build collagen to heal acne scars and improve skincare texture. Collagen production is a nice perk of acne treatment!
It can be used daily
Even if you are not acne-prone, dead skin cells can dull a complexion. BHAs helps to prevent acne and promote a smoother, more even skin texture.
it evens skin tone and fades acne marks.

What Ingredients work well with Salicylic Acid?

Salicylic acid works better when combined with another peeling agent.

Using Salicylic Acid and an aHA like Mandelic Acid is proven to be highly successful in the treatment of moderate acne. [3]
Using it with glycolic acid is effective in treating scalp conditions such as dandruff
It should NOT be used with any scrub or Benzoyl Peroxide.
Do not use retinol at the same time.

What are the disadvantages of Salicylic Acid?

Like any active, over use can cause skin irritation.

Best use tip: if used during the day, it should always be paired with sunscreen.

It can be drying to the hair when overused in a shampoo unless that shampoo also contains hydrating ingredients.

When possible, use a hair conditioner from the ears down after a treatment shampoo.

Why use a Salicylic Acid shampoo?

As a shampoo, it is an excellent ingredient to treat any dry or thickened skin patches on the scalp.

These patches can be caused by:

eczema
dandruff
dermatitis
psoriasis

How to Best Use a Salicylic Shampoo

It is generally used once or twice a week to maintain a flake-free scalp.

Your dermatologist may first recommend daily use to treat the problem. Then 1-2 times a week.

There are prescription strength shampoos but many over the counter shampoos can be very effective.

If yours isn’t working, another brand may work better for you. Some come in higher extra strength concentrations of 3%. Generally, 2% can be effective.

BEST USE TIP: You can leave the shampoo on your scalp for several minutes before rinsing it off to maximize the benefits.

What are Salicylic Acid Benefits for Hair?

Even if you don’t have dandruff, it can gently exfoliates the scalp by:

loosening dead skin
dirt
product buildup
excess oil

Salicylic acid helps loosen the “glue” of dry or scaly scalp skin. It also tends to smell better than many medicinal shampoos used to treat these conditions.

BEST USE TIP: It is better to use a shampoo form verses a direct SA serum application. Direct application is too drying to the scalp.

Can Salicylic Acid Grow Hair?

No. It is not known to directly grow hair.

But a clean scalp is a healthy foundation to best grow hair.

Favorite Products Using Salicylic Acid

SKINCARE USES

Peter Thomas Roth Acne Clear Invisible Dots are tiny clear band-aid like dots with salicylic acid to spot treat acne.
Neutralyze Exfoliating Pads combine Salicylic with Mandelic and Nitric Oxide to clean pores fast.
Kat Burki Power Trio Radiance Oil: Combining just three oils, this treatment features Raspberry Oil which contains Salicylic Acid. It pairs nicely with the other restorative and hydrating oils to keep my skin in balance when I am not experiencing active breakouts.
Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel is highly effective on adult cystic acne when used as a pre-emptive or spot treatment.
The Exposed Skincare line uses SA in two ways within their product range. Great for adult cystic acne.
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution is a gentle but effective pre-emptive acne treatment

HAIRCARE USES

CeraVe Gentle Hydrating Shampoo is great for those with sensitive skin because it has ceramides to balance the dandruff treating ingredients.
Neutrogena T/Sal Scalp Build-Up Control Therapeutic Shampoo is great for those with sensitivities.
Nizoral Scalp Psoriasis Shampoo & Conditioner is a classic that is also viewed as a hair growth staple that contains conditioning vitamins E, C, and B5. It also leaves hair shiny.

How to Best Use Salicylic Acid SUMMARY

Beta Hydroxy Acids unclog pores, exfoliate the skin, and promote a more even skin tone. Salicylic acid is one of the few ingredients capable of treating adult acne without being too drying on mature skin.

If you’re new to BHAs, start slowly and be sure use moisturizer and sunscreen to keep your skin healthy and hydrated.

About the Style Chicks Ingredient Guides

The Ingredient Guides

Was this guide helpful? Then you may enjoy our other ingredient guides such as:

Find more skin-friendly ingredients in the Style Chicks Defining Beauty Glossary. The Defining Beauty Glossary contains many helpful ingredients for hair and skin care.

QUESTIONS or Comments?

Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel has Salicylic Acid

Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel contains Salicylic Acid

Know a product that should be on this list? Tell us!

Have any questions about Salicylic Acid?

The Style Chicks are here to answer them.

References

Kessler E, Flanagan K, Chia C, Rogers C, Glaser DA. Comparison of alpha- and beta-hydroxy acid chemical peels in the treatment of mild to moderately severe facial acne vulgaris. Dermatol Surg 2008;34:45-50.
Bari AU, Tolerance and safety of superficial chemical peeling with salicylic acid in various facial dermatoses. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2005 Mar-Apr;71(2):87-90.
Garg VK, Sinha S, Sarkar R. Glycolic acid peels versus salicylic-mandelic acid peels in active acne vulgaris and post-acne scarring and hyperpigmentation: A comparative study. Dermatol Surg 2009;35:59-65.