Novachem's Lumiglow™ Product Delivers Bright and Smooth Skin

Bright and Smooth Skin with Novachem Product Lumiglow™

Prevent, Treat and Care:

Today, bright skin appearance is one of the most desired characteristic features by people since it is associated with smooth, healthy, youthful, fresh and rested skin. Brightness can be customized according to age, gender or skin type (dark and light); this customization process is known as Glowstumization and relates to radiance, which is one of the important characteristics of brightness. From a technical standpoint, brightness is the ability of a surface to reflect light. In cases of rough, uneven, open-pored or insufficiently cleansed skin; this light reflection becomes difficult and scattered, resulting in the skin appearing dull and lifeless. The rougher the surface, the more difficult the reflection becomes. In the opposite case, when skin is homogeneous, exfoliated, clean and smooth in texture, rays reflect in all directions and consequently a bright, luminous and homogeneous skin appearance is achieved.

So, Why Does Brightness Change?

One of the main reasons for loss of homogeneity in skin tone and brightness is continuous exposure to external factors encompassing a range of factors we are exposed to throughout life, such as smoking, stress, nutrition, chemicals, environmental pollution, climate change and/or UV rays. This exposure generates reactive oxygen species that accelerate and destabilize the melanin production process, causing hyperpigmentation and light damage. Melanin pigments are responsible for giving color to skin or hair and are produced primarily in melanocytes located at the dermal-epidermal junction. The number of melanocytes is the same for each ethnic group; what varies is the distribution, amount and size of melanin. Therefore, there are two main types of melanin: pheomelanin, which colors from yellow to red, and eumelanin, which colors from brown to black. The pheomelanin/eumelanin ratio determines skin color; in other words, the higher the amount of pheomelanin, the lighter the skin color, and the higher the amount of eumelanin, the darker it becomes. As mentioned above, at the biochemical level, melanin is synthesized in melanocytes. The melanin synthesis process starts from the amino acid L-tyrosine and consists of a series of L-tyrosine oxidations in which the tyrosinase enzyme plays an important role. This enzyme is bound to the copper element, which catalyzes the first two steps of melanin production: 1) Hydroxylation of L-tyrosine to L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). 2) Oxidation of L-DOPA to the corresponding quinone, L-dopaquinone. Finally, eumelanin and pheomelanin are obtained through different pathways. These reactions are affected by reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the exposome; this situation causes excessive and uncontrolled melanin production, consequently resulting in rough tone and spotted matte skin.

How Can We Achieve Homogeneous and Bright Skin?

The most effective way to achieve homogeneous-looking, bright and radiant skin is a healthy care routine that encompasses not only good hydration and nourishment, but also cleansing, exfoliation, moisturizing creams, care masks and sunscreen use. All these products included in the cosmetic routine should have active ingredients with moisturizing, antioxidant and brightening properties that help make skin tone homogeneous. Additionally, these ingredients should have the ability to balance the melanin synthesis process, neutralize hyperoxidation, inhibit and regulate tyrosinase activity; as these are essential for bright, radiant skin and a more even tone. In nature, we can find perfect alternatives that help achieve smooth and bright skin and provide many benefits. Novachem has developed a natural-origin cosmetic active ingredient supported by in-vivo efficacy tests that meets the chemical properties required to have healthy and bright skin. Lumiglow™ is a biodegradable active ingredient rich in delphinidin and ellagic acid derived from the Maqui (Maki) fruit, native to the Andean Patagonia region and one of the world's most antioxidant fruits. It prevents and reduces hyperpigmentation, increases the natural brightness of the skin by achieving a lighter and more even skin tone. It also helps reduce redness and is suitable for sensitive skin. Through the triple action mechanism of Lumiglow™ ingredients (delphinidin and ellagic acid), it provides a brightening effect on the skin and a more homogeneous tone. Delphinidins from the anthocyanin group act in this active ingredient in two (2) ways: 1. They inhibit the expression of the tyrosinase enzyme and as a result melanin synthesis is inhibited. 2. They neutralize reactive oxygen species produced by the exposome and reduce the photo-oxidation of pre-existing melanin. On the other hand, ellagic acid: 3. Inhibits the effect of tyrosinase due to its chelating effect on copper, which is a cofactor required for tyrosinase activity.

1. Analytical Tests

1.1. Total Anthocyanins: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis with diode array detector (DAD). 1.2. Ellagic Acid: Analysis in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with UV-Visible Diode Array Detector (DAD). Due to its origin, Lumiglow™ contains ellagic acid, which acts by chelating copper in the active site of the tyrosinase enzyme.

2. In-Vivo Efficacy Test: Brightening Effect and Skin Color/Homogeneous Tone

The following tests were performed on the faces of 15 volunteers (focused on the cheek area) using 3% Lumiglow™ serum in two applications during summer months. The in-vivo efficacy test was conducted on days 0 and 28 using instrumental analysis through non-invasive bioengineering techniques with a chromameter and analyzed by the CIELab system, which enabled the determination of L, a*, b* and ITA angle parameters. Brightness (L* Parameter) increased by up to 13.8% and 100% of participants showed improvement in skin brightness. A reduction of up to 42.7% was observed in the red component of skin (a* Parameter) and 80% of participants showed reduction in skin redness. Homogeneous skin tone (ITA angle) is calculated with the L (brightness) and b* (b* is an indicator of skin color related to melanin) parameters. An increase in this angle indicates lighter, more homogeneous skin tone. An increase of up to 88.3% was observed in the ITA angle of the skin, and furthermore, 90% of participants showed an increase in skin homogeneity.

3. In-Vivo Efficacy Test: Base Portrait Photofinder and parallel polarized light.

Brightness analysis obtained from photographs was determined by integrated intensity, which is the brightness parameter. In this test, integrated intensity was found to have increased to 43.9%.

Results

Maintaining healthy skin depends not only on good nutrition but also on the development of cosmetic care routines that can increase brightness and maintain the skin's homogeneous tone. Therefore, achieving skin with these characteristics; maintaining skin with an even tone and natural brightness is possible through balancing complex processes such as melanin synthesis with substances that help prevent and treat hyperpigmentation processes of the skin. Lumiglow™ provides a bright effect to the skin, homogenizes skin tone, brightens it and at the same time naturally protects it from exposome produced by ROS (reactive oxygen species). The most important advantages of the product are its triple action mechanism, the balance in its formulations and the powerful antioxidant from natural and biodegradable sources suitable even for the most sensitive skin.

References

Miranda-Rottmann et al., 2002 - Juice and Phenolic Fractions of the Berry Aristotelia chilensis Inhibit LDL Oxidation in Vitro and Protect Human Endothelial Cells against Oxidative Stress. Myoung-Gun Choung, 2013 – Antimelanogenic effect and whitening of Anthocyanin Rich Fraction from Seeds of Liriope platyphylla. H. Shimogaki et al., 2000 – In vitro and in vivo evaluation of ellagic acid on melanogenesis inhibition. Author: Paola Lázaro Communication and Marketing Coordinator Novachem Translator / Compiler: Özge Yüksel Özel Technical Manager Cosmetics and Detergents IMCD Turkey