New 20 Night Cream

Description

INGREDIENTS: distilled water, cetearyl alcohol (and) ceteareth-20, shea butter, rose butter, camellia seed oil, centella asiatica extract, beta glucan, ginger root extract, pomegranate seed oil, rosehip seed oil, cornstarch, cetyl esters, tocopherol, retinol, hyaluronic acid, palmitoyl dipeptide-5 diaminobutyloyl hydroxythreonine (and) palmitoyl dipeptide-6 diaminohydroxybutyrate; gluconolactone (and) sodium benzoate, fragrance, EDTA

INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED:

Cetearyl alcohol (and) Ceteareth-20: This is the emulsifier in the formula. An emulsifier is a compound that is able to bind to both polar and nonpolar molecules in a solution. In skincare, an emulsifier is what holds the oil and water phases of the formula together. There are lots of different types of emulsifiers, with different properties. This particular emulsifier is what is known as an ‘oil in water’ emulsifier, because it emulsifies a small oil phase in a larger water phase.

Shea butter: One of my all-time favorite skincare ingredients! This butter is obtained from the karite tree, and it’s also a great source of antioxidantsand skin-nourishing fatty acids (stearic and linoleic). It also penetrates skin readily. This is just such a wonderful ingredient for skincare.

Rose butter: This is a hard butter infused with rose essence. It is functioning as an emollient and skin soother in this formula.

Camellia seed oil: Camellia seed oil is a fast-absorbing oil with antioxidant activity. It is present in this formula as an emollient.

Centella asiatica extract: Centella asiatica extract has been shown to speed up wound healing by stimulating collagen synthesis. It is also an anti-inflammatory and increases the tensile strength of skin.

Beta Glucan: Beta glucan is a polysaccharide purified from mushrooms (but can also be purified from cereal grains, yeast, bacteria, and fungi) that functions as a ‘protect and repair’ molecule due to its ability to increase natural self-protecting capabilities of the skin and accelerate skin recovery. It also has good water-binding capacity and therefore moisturizing effects, and has been shown to stimulate collagen production in-vitro and can reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Ginger Root Extract: Ginger root has excellent anti-aging properties due to its ability to almost completely inhibit collagen degradation through the inhibition of the enzyme collagenase. It facilitates the maintenance of protein levels in the dermis and also skin flexibility. It also acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Pomegranate seed oil: Pomegranate oil boosts collagen production, enhances skin elasticity, reduces the appearance of scarring, promotes the reversal of skin damage, and leaves lasting moisture without leaving a greasy residue or clogging pores.

Rosehip oil: Rosehip seed oil has loads of antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids, so it is very anti-inflammatory. In this formula, it is present as an emollient and anti-inflammatory active.

Cornstarch: This ingredient acts as a thickener in this formula.

Cetyl esters: This ingredient provides ‘slip’ to the formula, allowing the product to slide more easily across skin. It also acts as a thickener.

Tocopherol: Tocopherol is Vitamin E, and acts as a preservative in this formula, preventing the oxidation of the oils in the product and increasing the shelf life.

Retinol: Retinol is the gold standard in anti-aging active ingredients. It is one of the few actives that has been thoroughly researched and clinically proven to reduce wrinkle depth. It acts by stimulating skin cell turnover, bringing fresh, new skin cells to the surface for a brighter complexion. NOTE: Retinol breaks down in the presence of UV, so if you are using a retinol-containing product during the day, be sure to sunscreen up.

Hyaluronic acid: HA is one of skin’s own natural moisturizing factors. It is hygroscopic, meaning it is able to pull moisture from its environment, which makes it great for a non-greasy addition to formulas meant to moisturize skin. It has antioxidant and antibacterial activity as well. The form used in this formula has been hydrolyzed (chopped into small pieces) in order to penetrate more deeply into skin.

Palmitoyl dipeptide-5 diaminobutyloyl hydroxythreonine (and) palmitoyl dipeptide-6 diaminohydroxybutyrate: The dermal/epidermal junction (DEJ) provides structural and functional integrity to our skin, but that functionality starts to decline around the age of 30. This decline in functionality proceeds and is even accelerated by external and environmental influences such as UV light, resulting in decreasing skin compactness, elasticity and a lack of skin firmness. This peptide active stimulates the activity of protein components in the DEJ, which leads to an improvement in DEJ structure. The result is firmer skin, improved skin compactness, and better skin tone.

Gluconolactone (and) Sodium benzoate: This is the main preservative in this formula. It prevents the growth of bacteria, mold, fungus, yeast, etc.

Fragrance: This is the scent that is added to the product. Fragrance oil manufacturers are not required by law to disclose what compounds are in their fragrance oils. However, some will tell you what is NOT in their fragrance oils, and I base my fragrance oil purchases on this information. I make sure my fragrance oils are free of phthalates and known carcinogens. Because fragrance may be a source of irritation in a product formula, I offer all my products fragrance free as well as scented.

EDTA: EDTA is a metal ion chelator. This means that it scours the solution for metal ions, and once it finds them, it binds them very tightly, which makes them no longer a danger. Metal ions are highly reactive molecules that can cause oxidative damage to proteins, lipids, and DNA in cells. They are known to cause allergic reactions in skin, and generate inflammation.