SUN CARE
Optimising vitamin D in cosmetics to achieve D-Skin Vitamin D deficiency is a global problem affecting over 1 billion people.1 It urgently needs to be addressed to prevent morbidity, mortality and increased expenses related to treating associated chronic illnesses.2 The active ingredient Nectaria Lithops from Vytrus Biotech is proven to stimulate skin to produce and synthesise its own vitamin D to bridge the gap between vitamin D deficiency and achieving a healthy glow. By Ò Expósito, A Guirado, D Robustillo, A Gallego, M Mas, P Riera, D Luna, S Laplana, T Ruiz, S Ruiz and M Gibert of Vytrus Biotech
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escribed as ‘the sun vitamin’, vitamin D is a steroid with a hormone-like activity. It regulates the functions of over 1 000 genes and is essential for growth and development. Current research indicates that vitamin D deficiency is associated with several illnesses such as heart and autoimmune diseases, amongst others.3 Although there is clinical evidence that links the deficiency to different illnesses and physiological malfunctions, less is known about the role of vitamin D in the skin. As it is synthesised topically and distributed throughout the body, vitamin D has a direct effect on skin health and appearance. Vytrus Biotech has been deepening its R&D in this field and how to apply it to cosmetics.
D-SKIN – A NEW CONCEPT IN COSMETICS Represented locally by Savannah Fine Chemicals, Vytrus Biotech proposes a new concept, known as D-Skin, which increases vitamin D and improves skin’s appearance. The results include: • dewy skin • D-lighted skin • vitamin D-enriched skin • skin-deep hydration • a healthier D-approach to sun care Associated with well-being and health, a plump
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Did you know? Up to 90% of vitamin D is produced by exposing our skin to sunshine and the remainder comes from diet. Natural diet, which most humans consume, contains little vitamin D. and luminous appearance of the skin not only favours, but also radiates youth. There are two factors that directly influence the optical properties of the skin and define a D-Skin to capture and radiate light: skin tone and the texture or quality of skin’s surface.
NEW CELL NECTAR FOR A D-SKIN Inspired by nature, Nectaria Lithops (INCI: Lithops Pseudotruncatella Callus Lysate) is a plant stem cell active ingredient that optimises skin’s microenvironment and stimulates vitamin D synthesis to strengthen, revitalise, volumise and improve the glow of faded skin to achieve D-Skin. Thanks to its mechanism of action (see Figure 1), the active ingredient boosts vitamin D production by the epidermal cells to create an optimal skin environment, hydrate skin’s deepest layers, increase dewiness and cheek volume, and improve microcirculation and skin tone and texture. This innovative approach is based on improving the cutaneous structure, creating an adequate structural space for
Figure 1: Mechanism of action of Nectaria Lithops
vitamin D production while boosting deep water reserves. This is possible thanks to the Lithops culture, which is rich in biomimetic glycocalyx-derived glycoconjugates, organic acids and polyphenols.
BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY Several in vitro tests were performed to understand and demonstrate the mechanism of action of the active ingredient. The product’s antioxidant effect was measured by an enzymatic DPPH assay. A solution of ascorbic acid at 16.5ppm was used as the positive control. It was demonstrated that Nectaria Lithops captured 42% of the free radical DPPH versus the untreated control, showing an antioxidant effect comparable to that of ascorbic acid (50%). The enzymatic collagenase activity was measured in the absence or presence of
