the B. spot

While I love using new bioactive ingredients in skin care products that I develop and use on a daily basis- there is something to be said for simplicity!  I know that the choices can be overwhelming and ingredients/claims indistinguishable if you aren’t a chemist who works with these materials day in and day out.  ***Sidebar-please continue to email me about your product questions; I enjoy helping you decipher between bunk, junk and truly functional products:o)*** This post is for those of you who yearn to go back to basics and stick with the ABC’s of skincare!

If you ask a dermatologist what ingredient is the gold standard for reducing wrinkles and clearing up your skin then 9 out of 10 would say retinol- for good reason!  Retinol is a tried and true ingredient that has been tested and retested from many different angles (but not enough on skin of color) and has been proven to work to reduce the signs of photoaging (premature aging caused by too much sun exposure over time) and controlling breakouts.  All Trans Retinioic Acid aka Retin A aka tretinoin aka Vitamin A is a drug that many dermatologist will prescribe for you if you have trouble with acne.  There are downsides to this drug such as extreme drying/peeling/flaking and use during pregnancy is something that you should discuss with your doctor.  However, an added benefit of this drug is how it can reduce the number of fine lines and wrinkles!  But tretinoin is a drug and cannot be used in cosmetics so have derivatives like retinol to do the job.  Retinol is a wonderful ingredient but has its own share of issues such as causing skin irritation and photosensitivity- no skimping on sunscreen when using products with retinol- this goes for ALL skin tones.  It also oxidizes quickly so it must be kept in proper conditions otherwise it will turn brown (sign of oxidation).  You will see retinyl palmitate on ingredient labels of products that claim to have vitamin A.  This is a less potent form of vitamin A and requires a higher concentration for any effectiveness. 

Vitamin B3, or niacin (also known as nicotinic acid) or niacinamide hasn’t been studied as much as the other vitamins.  However, what the studies done did show was that at certain levels, vitamin B3 can help even out your skin tone (prevent skin yellowing and control blotchiness), reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, improve skin texture, and increase the barrier function of your skin. 

When asked how she keeps her skin vibrant and even, Halle Berry revealed that she applies pure vitamin C on her skin daily.  Real vitamin C that’s truly beneficial to your skin is L-Ascorbic acid; it is really unstable in aqueous (water based) formulations and oxidizes rapidly.  Most likely, if Ms Berry breaks a vitamin C capsule and rubs it on her skin, it is not L-ascorbic acid but an oil soluble and more stable form that, when applied, breaks down on your skin into different compounds- one of the them being ascorbic acid.  What does vitamin C do for your skin?  Vitamin C boosts the production of collagen that will, in the long run, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  It also inhibits melanin production and increases microcirculation; these changes can decrease hyperpigmentation and create luminosity. 

Tomorrow we’ll go over different product that have gone backto the basics!