Skin Wellness, Part 2: Epigenetics and Skin Health
By Traci Cassell • June 25, 2020
Are we solely the genes that we inherited? Or, can we manipulate our genes through our habits and environment? The answer is both. For years, the scientific world thought DNA determined our entire makeup, from personality to health. However, with the scientific study of epigenetics, we now know that much of who and what we are is defined by epigenetic factors.
What is epigenetics?
In short, epigenetics describes the effect of components other than our DNA sequence, which turn our genes on and off. Components may include internal and external environments, the products we use, the foods we eat, and our lifestyles and habits, such as sleep, attitude, and exercise. All these things come together to play a role in the health of our DNA. This is decidedly exciting news: This means we can help improve some of the damage we’ve done!
What does this mean for skincare?
We know our skin isn’t the same throughout our lives, and it isn’t age alone that affects our skin. We face a series of everchanging conditions, such as acne and oily skin when we’re in adolescence, dryer skin with more lines and loss of elasticity when we’re older, or compromised and irritated skin when we are exposed to allergens.
Traci Cassell is Vice President, Anti-Aging for Coast Southwest. Traci has more than a decade’s experience in the personal care industry, expanding Coast Southwest’s strategic emphasis on innovative anti-aging skincare and haircare solutions. Traci partners with suppliers from around the world build Coast Southwest’s sophisticated ingredient portfolio, which is based on cutting-edge, cosmetic science and advanced raw material technology. With expert knowledge in all phases of product development, marketing, and brand-building, she and her anti-aging category team technically support Coast Southwest sales representatives and advance customer projects through personalized collaboration with the company’s state-of-the-art applications laboratory.
Other epigenetic causes of skin damage are air pollution, especially particulate matter, too much or too little sunshine, and even exercise and emotions can affect the wellness of our skin and how it looks on any given day. The products we use on our skin can have an epigenetic impact as well.
Epigenetic-targeted skincare formulations
When we think of skin wellness and how to maintain it, the scientific study of epigenetics can be applied to skincare formulations very effectively. We are now able to address the following with epigenetic targeted skincare.
- Improving the microbiome
- Boosting collagen synthesis
- Protecting against pollution
- Decreasing glycation caused by sugar intake
- Increasing moisture content
- Enhancing firmness and elasticity
According to Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, Ph.D., of the Salk Institute, “The evidence we have now indicates that, yes, altering the epigenetics of the skin may have a big effect on its rejuvenation.”
For formulators, the ability to work with ingredients that target epigenetic factors of the skin creates an exciting new world of possibilities for delivering best results to consumers.
Environmental epigenetic risk protection
With exposure to today’s higher pollution levels, there’s an increased interest in how to mitigate and repair the damage that environmental pollutants can cause to our skin health. Epigenetics is an important part of the solution.
One such ingredient to address the pollution problem is from a line of Infinitec delivery ingredients specific for epigenetic protection, called, Activys Anti-Pollution. Encapsulating active marine and algae such as Aspergillus Ferment, Spirulina Platensis, Ascophyllum Nodosum, and Phomidium Persecinum, Activys Anti-Pollution can increase antioxidant synthesis, shield against free radicals, improve DNA protection, reduce inflammation, and lessen particulate matter adhesion which reduces heavy metals on the skin. It’s ideal for use in any type of daytime and leave-on product.
How our diet affects skin health
Enjoying a healthy diet has a great deal of impact on skin health. Eating well can improve not only the vibrant skin glow that everyone wants, but it can improve the overall health of our skin. Healthy skin means a healthy and functioning skin barrier, which will protect against moisture loss and help keep the harmful things out.
Sugar is one of the main dietary culprits to skin dullness, aging, and yellowing. Sugar causes protein glycation, or advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are caused by sugar. Besides eliminating sugar from our diets, what other solutions are there? Infinitec’s line of delivery ingredients specific for epigenetic protection is Activys Anti-Glycation, specifically to help prevent and reverse glycation.
Sugar crystalizes on the proteins in our dermis such as our collagen and elastin fibers. They become discolored, weak, and less supple. This crosslinking occurs in the presence of oxidation reactions, so we definitely need to increase antioxidants in our skincare products and in our diets. Activys Anti-Glycation delivers just that.
Tried-and-true ingredients with advanced ingredient technology
Peptides have been used for decades in skincare and deliver a host of results from supporting collagen and elastin function to encouraging the skin to act younger. Peptides signal the skin cells, encouraging better cellular function, and improving the epigenetic environment. There are many peptides available and each has a unique function.
However, with advanced ingredient technology, such as Infinitec’s Cosmetic Drones and MVP (Most Valuable Peptides) which combine peptides and a delivery system, formulators can achieve results-oriented skincare products with enhanced skin penetration, performance, and efficacy.
Another familiar ingredient in the beauty and dermatological community is glycolic acid. This well-studied ingredient can improve cellular turnover, thereby, enhancing a fresh and healthy look and feel. Glycolic acid is known as the “holy grail for exfoliation.” The new technology in GlyAcid®, created specifically for personal care use, is a formaldehyde-free glycolic acid that comes in both the solution and crystalline formats.
Peptides deliver a host of results in skincare
The bottom line
The Salk Institute study breathed some excitement into skincare applications on a genetic level. The study of epigenetics and how it can be applied to skincare is still new for chemists, formulators and brands. As industry leaders learn more, the study of epigenetics will allow formulators and product developers to create new and performance-driven products for their customers.
Combine that with new advancements in ingredient technology, and we continue to see how science plays a significant role in the advancement of the beauty industry.
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