What are free radicals and oxidative stress?
Antioxidant is one of the most frequent words in the language of cosmetics and physical and mental well-being. However, few people really understand the mechanism of oxidation and the cause of the formation of so-called free radicals because, in fact, its explanation is complex.
First of all, let’s clear the air by saying that oxidative stress does not equate to the idea of mental stress. We can feel very calm and indeed happy, but at the same time suffer this real metabolic imbalance.
We will try to clearly describe this mechanism, and then explain in detail how MyCli Research has chosen to counteract this phenomenon through its antioxidant formulas.
The word free radical refers to the terminal portion of a molecule that loses one of its electrons and tries in every way to recover it by “stealing” it from other molecules, which in turn remain unbalanced in a chain that is called, precisely, oxidative stress. Among the molecules that most frequently suffer this “injury” are the oxygen molecules that are transformed into ROS, an acronym that stands for reactive oxygen species. This process is completely physiological and normal: our body produces and permanently neutralizes thousands of ROS but under certain conditions ROS take over and trigger excessive oxidative reactions, damaging all our cells and even reaching their DNA, the genetic code that preserves our health.
As with all biological processes, with advancing age the body is less and less efficient in its continuous “destressing” action.
Factors that increase the presence of these unstable molecules are:
– at skin level, the interference between oxidative stress and the entire biology of the skin: it slows down cell renewal, degrades collagen and elastin, depletes hyaluronic acid both in quantity and quality, resulting in a dull, wrinkled and thin appearance;
– the environment from which the skin must protect us: sun and polluting metals cause high quantities of ROS.
The MyCli approach
MyCli has studied in depth how to not only counteract ROS generation, but also how to counteract them, both topically and systemically.
As with all areas of focus, we have selected the best raw materials with excellent delivery technologies and bioavailability. In this field, bioavailability is one of the factors that makes the difference, as many antioxidants lose their ability to capture free radicals if they are not adequately protected.
As the old mothers’ recommendation to drink the juice immediately after having extracted it from the oranges makes us understand, the quality of the antioxidant raw materials is fundamental to have a real cosmeceutical in&out action.
A second factor of effectiveness is the concentration of these substances in the formula: the correct concentrations that determine a clear and scientifically detectable action are those present in our products, which respect the functional doses recommended by the producers of raw materials themselves.
MyCli formulations
We chose to focus on a few antioxidants, but at maximum dosage:
– Vitamin C (3-o-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid) pure and stable to oxygen and light. The solubility in water and the small size of this form of Vitamin C facilitate its penetration through the epidermis until it reaches the basal layer and the dermis where it exerts a powerful antioxidant and collagen synthesis action.
– Vitamin E (Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate) in its water-soluble form, compatible with the cosmetic vehicle, protected from oxidation and excellent in its trans-epidermal permeability properties. It acts in synergy with Vitamin C, strengthening it and ensuring an effective scavenger activity and stimulating the synthesis of ceramides.
– Mito-Re-Charge Complex: an exclusive combination of Ribose, Carnitine HCL and Resveratrol, for the construction and storage of ATP, the cellular energy current, which ensures the perfect performance of all the functions of our cells.
– Pro-taurine (Oxothiazolidine): a highly bioavailable molecule, capable of protecting fibroblasts from damage induced by UV and IR rays and ensuring their survival and proliferation.
– Lactobionic Acid: an alpha-hydroxy acid composed of Gluconic Acid and Galactose. Thanks to its strong hygroscopic power, it is an excellent ingredient able to bring water to the skin layers, guaranteeing water homeostasis and enhancing the antioxidant action of vitamins C and E.
– Resorcinol (Phenylethyl Resorcinol): stable molecule that interacts with one of the skin’s chromophores, melanin, modulating its production. Its chemical characteristics make it one of the safest melanogenesis inhibiting ingredients documented in the scientific literature.
– A-like (Retinol similar – Bakuchiol): a molecule that behaves like Retinol (Vitamin A), but without undergoing the degradation processes typical of Retinol itself (oxidation and instability). Its effectiveness guarantees stimulation and cell renewal and is one of the key factors in the treatment and prevention of photo-aging.
– De-Carnosine (Decarboxy Carnosine HCL): a powerful peptide capable of protecting collagen fibres from darkening and stiffening (anti-glycation action) and preserving the metabolic activity of the cells. Its structure makes this peptide one of the molecules most resistant to enzymatic degradation.
– The LCS (Logistic Cosmetology System) is a combination of lipids, polymers, silicones and emulsifiers which carry the active ingredients to the different areas of the skin and release them in a targeted and stable manner. At Vitaboost they are essential for speeding the way to the deeper layers and for facilitating the application of the various products.
– Reduced Glutathione: a molecule composed of three amino acids (glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine) which acts as an enzymatic cofactor of antioxidants, that is, it associates with an enzyme and makes possible its activity in defending cells from free radicals and oxidative stress. Numerous studies have demonstrated the depigmenting properties of Glutathione which tends to stimulate the production of pheomelanin (light melanin) to the detriment of eumelanin (dark melanin).
