Why You Need OXYGEN-C in Your Skincare Regime.
by Dr Curtis Crasto, R&D and Technical Manager at Skin Physics®
In 2017 Skin Physics® known for its beauty innovation launched a new skincare line, OXYGEN-C™ with mostly natural formulations to deal with a key beauty problem, the link between chronic (long-term) stress and skin ageing.
The 3-product ‘de-stress’ treatment regime includes:
- Super Serum for Total Anti-Age & Stress Control (30 ml)
- Immediate Eye Lift Serum (15 ml)
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Over-Night Restoring & Contour Treatment Cream (50 ml)
The choice for the OXYGEN-C trademark name comes from its overall technical design using active ingredients (botanical extracts, carbohydrates, vitamins & minerals) to help ‘de-stress’ the skin and help it recover so it looks less-fatigued, well-rested, and radiant. The goal of the OXYGEN-C regime is to recover healthy skin on the inside, so that your skin looks happy on the outside.
OXYGEN-C’s formulas contain a high concentration of active ingredients whose biological targets have been demonstrated by cellular studies and its skin treatment benefits have been proven by clinical studies on human subjects.
This cosmeceutical formula targets various external signs of stress - ageing wrinkles and fine lines, dry and irritated skin, puffy eyes and dark circles, uneven pigmentation and redness, dull skin and loss of radiance.
Let’s take a look at a first aspect of “OXYGEN” in the product name that uses a blend of mineral ingredients to help ‘energize’ and ‘boost healthy collagen’ so that the skin looks active, less wrinkled and more radiant.
OXYGEN
We might recall the OXYGEN bars of the late 1990s that found its way into spas and beauty skincare care companies in 2012-2013. Some of these oxygen-infused skincare brands used stabilized hydrogen peroxide that breakdown into water and oxygen, to supply oxygen in the skin.
Per-fluorinated hydrocarbons (PFCs) have also been used for its ability to hold on to atmospheric gases and deliver oxygen into the skin. However, at this time there is not sufficient data about the long-term effects of these chemicals on human and animal health, as these are stable compounds and can bio-persist in the environment making it into our food chain.
And while getting a clean, pure oxygen facial treatment sounds appealing (and can be costly at $150 to $200 per oxygen facial) there are questions whether an excess infusion of oxygen into the skin is helpful or quite the opposite, harmful!
While with age and environmental stress, our skin cells are less metabolically (energetically) active, the presence of excess oxygen and loss of activity of the cells natural- antioxidants (SOD, Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase) can result in generation of reactive oxygen species: singlet oxygen, peroxy and hydroxy radicals from hydrogen peroxide.
This oxidative stress (from an increase in reactive oxygen species or ROS) in the cell leads to injury of the mitochondria, the cell’s energy production units, including vital DNA and other cellular proteins.
Therefore, an excess infusion of oxygen can in fact do quite the opposite – it can damage, slow down or kill our skin cells (keratinocytes, fibroblasts, melanocytes, etc.).
OXYGEN-C a ddresses this problem of energetically slow skin cells by naturally activating these with an essential blend of mineral supplements. These minerals are made bioavailable to the skin by complexation with amino acids: Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate and Copper Gluconate.
Biological studies using this mineral blend not only activates the mitochondrion with increased cellular metabolism, but a placebo-controlled human clinical study on 22 subjects (average age 37 yrs) using a topical formulation of a 1% mineral blend showed an increase in skin oxygen flow (+5% after 30 mins, +9% after 2 hrs).
The increase in blood oxygen flow that makes oxygen immediately available to the cell is indicative of these minerals ability to quickly stimulate cellular respiration, hence cellular metabolism.
Activated skin cells of keratinocytes and fibroblast are therefore able to produce its structural proteins. So it is not surprizing that a placebo-controlled study on 23 subjects (average age 40 yrs) showed an average reduction of wrinkles in 28 days, using a twice daily topical application of this 1% mineral blend. Smoother skin texture (-7% average reduction) and reduction in wrinkle appearance (-5% average reduction) were seen in 76% of the test subjects.
Beyond its ‘energizing’ power this mineral blend also shows a >80% protective effect against free radical oxidative stress and an anti-glycation effect.
Glycation is an ageing phenomenon where sugars bind to cellular or extra-cellular proteins. This results in the formation of altered, non-functional glycated proteins or advance glycation end-products (AGE). Extra-cellular proteins such as collagen and elastin when glycated will become rigid which results in loss of skin firmness and visco-elastic property of the skin that leads to wrinkled and crepey looking skin.
This OXYGEN-C blend of minerals is able to protect extracellular, dermal collagen from glycation by +70% against a glycated control (and compared to a positive control +23% for Carnosine) showing the potential of OXYGEN-C to protect the skin from becoming rigid, keeping the skin more supple, and limiting the appearance of wrinkles.
Before launching the range to the public, we let a small trial group of Skin Physics customers put it to the test for themselves.
Here’s what they said just 14 days after they began applying the range..
Q. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE TEXTURE / FRAGRANCE OF THE SUPER SERUM?
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The texture is very smooth and easily spreads on my skin. It has a tightening effect and feels fresh and nourishing. I love the fragrance, it’s calming. – Debbie
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The serum feels lovely when I put it on after cleansing. It is soft and soothing, The fragrance smells like other high end serums I have used, fresh. – Megan
Q. HOW DO YOU FIND THE SERUM ABSORBS INTO YOUR SKIN?
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It absorbs well and you only have to wait a minute before doing the next step of moisturising. – Debbie
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I was impressed with how it absorbed, not too quickly, but evenly and without any residue or stickiness. – Rachele
Q. HAVE YOU NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN THE TEXTURE OF YOUR SKIN?
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Yes definitely.. my skin feels a lot smoother. And guess what?? My husband actually said how good my skin is looking.. I mean he never notices anything lol! – Jane
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The texture of my skin definitely feels smoother and firmer. – Debbie
Q. IS YOUR SKIN FEELING NOURISHED & HYDRATED?
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I have noticed that it feels plumper, especially around my eyes. – Megan
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I really love the serum, it gives me a similar feeling to when I’ve had my 8 glasses of water! – Debbie
Q. HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY OTHER IMPROVEMENTS?
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I have actually noticed a slight evening of my skintone over the past 10 days, perhaps a little ‘brighter and tighter’ – Justine
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My skin looks brighter and plumper. I'm convinced my crow’s feet have reduced too – Megan
Q. HAVE YOU NOTICED A REDUCTION IN FINE LINES?
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Definitely around my eyes. I used to have quite big crow’s feet when I smiled and a line between my eyes. I think they are a lot less obvious. – Megan NSW
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Yes, reduction in fine lines, crease between nose/cheeks appears smoother too. – Justine
Q. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE NIGHT CREAM?
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Soothing texture, soft, delicate, pleasant fragrance. – Justine
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I like this cream, I pick up a very, very subtle floral base and the cream’s feel & texture feels quite luxurious, the thickness is deceiving as it doesn’t leave any oiliness or take forever to absorb. It’s quite a clean but enriched feeling once applied and my skin most certainly feels invigorated and hydrated by the morning. It feels smoother and softer too. – Rachele
Q. ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK?
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Generally more even skin tone, less breakouts, finer pores - Justine
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My skin definitely doesn’t feel as dry as it usually does. – Debbie
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My skin looks really bright and fresh. Again, the wrinkles around my eyes are disappearing. I have had a few interesting comments this week. I met a new person at work and she asked how old my kids were... She was shocked they were so old as she thought I was only 27 (I'm 37!) - Meagan
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
Q. HOW DO I APPLY THE RANGE?
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In the Morning Apply OXYGEN-C Super Serum & Immediate Eye Lift by pressing serum into damp, cleansed skin with an open palm to release the active ingredients.
Follow by layering your SPF, Moisturiser & Makeup as normal. -
In the Evening Apply OXYGEN-C Super Serum & Immediate Eye Lift by pressing serum into damp, cleansed skin with an open palm to release the active ingredients.For best results, follow by layering OXYGEN-C Overnight Restoring and Contour Treatment Cream.
Q. CAN I USE OXYGEN-C WITH MY DRAGON'S BLOOD or ADVANCE SUPERLIFT ® PRODUCTS?
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Absolutely!
Serums are a lot more concentrated than moisturisers and packed with active ingredients designed to penetrate your skin in ways that your everyday moisturisers can’t. However, serums aren’t a replacement for your everyday moisturiser, moisturisers are richer & designed create a barrier on top of your skin to moisturise the outer layer and keep all of the good stuff in! Therefore, when you couple your serum with your daily moisturiser or night cream you are giving your skincare a extra boost by allowing the concentrated active ingredients to directly penetrate the skin, then forming a protective moisturising layer on top of this to protect and hydrate your skin all day/ night long.
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