Tag Archive for: Peptides

The Gold Standard in Skincare: Superhero Ingredients

When choosing the correct product for your skincare goals and needs, understanding ingredients is imperative. We always go back Dr. G, to understand the power player ingredients and why he formulates with them. Below are some favorites and where to find them.

Retinoids attack hyperpigmentation, stimulate the skin to generate collagen and hyaluronic acid, increase radiance by reducing pore size, safely exfoliate and increase cell turnover. Find them in Wake Up Call and Hands to Heart.

Peptides encourage skin cell growth and collagen production. Peptides are made up of a string of amino acids held together by tough bonds of nitrogen and carbon that act as messengers to send out signals which tell the receptors on your skin cells how they should perform. Find them in Plant Profusion Neck Cream.

Acetyl hexapeptide is a powerful wrinkle-reducing neuropeptide that works by hindering a signal protein called catecholamine that triggers muscle contraction, thereby relaxing your facial muscles. Find it in Needle-less serum.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids or AHAs (Lactic acid, Glycolic acid and Fruit acids) are used as a facial exfoliator and are an excellent choice for people with sun-damaged skin, aging skin or normal to dry skin types. AHAs do not cause sun sensitivity and come in the forms of lactic acid which is derived from milk, glycolic acid which is derived from sugarcane and fruit acids which are derived from fruits (citrus and apples/malic acid). Found in Fresh-A-Peel.

Beta Hydroxy Acid or BHA (also called salicylic acid) comes from acetylsalicylic acid which is the same source as aspirin. In general, beta hydroxy acid is a more effective treatment for acne-prone skin. BHA is the only acid that can dissolve the keratin plug inside a pore, which will ultimately form a pimple. BHA can cause sun sensitivity and must always be used in conjunction with sunscreen.  Find it in Detox Clarifying Gel.

Mallow extremely soothing and loaded with anti-inflammatory properties. Find it in our Detox Cleanser as part of our proprietary DETOX complex.

Elderflower promotes blood flow and loaded with vitamins A, B, C and E. A true powerhouse ingredient. Find it in Skin Balancing Mask.

Arnica helps with bruising and the darkness involved and contains flavonoids, polysaccharides, and sesquiterpene lactones. Also contains the beneficial oil, thymol, clinically shown to cause the smooth muscles in your blood vessel walls to contract, thereby dilating them and increasing blood flow and circulation. Found in Bright Eyes.

Milk thistle Fatty acids, including linoleic acid, Vitamin E (antioxidant/environmental stressors, Silymarin, which is actually a group of three flavonoids (anti-aging, antioxidant purposes from environmental stressors). Found in Fleuressence Botanical Cell Oil.

Japonica flower one of the most important medicinal herbs in history, may provide extraordinary levels of calming properties. Loaded with key benefits to improve the appearance of flaws. Found in Facial Detox Mask.

Achieve your most healthy and glowing skin when science and nature combine.

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Dr. G Weighs in on Sleep & Skin

Waking up looking refreshed requires more than just the absence of under eye darkness or puffiness, the skin tells the story. To understand better what actually happens to our bodies and minds while we sleep and why it is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle, we sat down with Dr. G to get the scoop.

What controls sleep?

Hormones play a major part of healthy sleep. Melatonin is a hormone made in the brain by the pineal gland and helps to regulate the sleep wake cycle. Human growth hormone or (GH) is released during sleep and hence it’s name, helps to regenerate and grow healthy cells. Studies have shown that ingesting oral melatonin before bed can increase growth hormone by over 150%. As melatonin levels decline with age, only minuscule amounts of the small quantities produced by those suffering from sleep problems actually reach the skin. Ingesting melatonin before bedtime is extremely effective in getting the hormone levels back in balance and delivering a healthy sleep.

Other studies have shown that going straight to the source and applying melatonin directly to the skin may allow those suffering from insomnia to benefit from it’s rejuvenating powers, not only for restoring the appearance and texture of skin, but also in getting a good night’s sleep.

What ingredients should we use night and why?

The restorative power of sleep is vital for rejuvenating and repairing the skin and is controlled by the hormone melatonin. Melatonin production increases and peaks around 2am, so applying a night cream before bed enhances your skin’s ability to rest and reset. Wearing anti-aging products at night allows skin to absorb all the nutrients and ingredients while being in a relaxed state and out range of UV rays and pollution.

During the nighttime hours, the skin springs into action to repair itself back into balance through a restorative and renewal process.The most potent anti-aging ingredients to look for in a night cream include: Retinoids, Peptides and Melatonin. The efficacy of melatonin as a topical agent also offers a promising avenue to enhance the skin’s nightly repair cycle.

  • Retinoids attack hyper-pigmentation, stimulate skin to generate collagen and hyaluronic acid, increase radiance by reducing pore size, safely exfoliate and increase cell turnover .
  • Peptides encourage skin cell growth and collagen production. Peptides are made up of a string of amino acids held together by tough bonds of nitrogen and carbon that act as messengers to send out signals which tell the receptors on your skin cells how they should perform. A few of the most beneficial peptides include palmitoyl pentapeptide-3,which is a peptide that triggers a natural heal-and-repair response that stimulates the development of collagen and elastin, encourages new fibroblast growth, and increases the production of skin cells. Acetyl hexapeptide-3 is a powerful wrinkle-reducing peptide that works by hindering a signal protein called catecholamine that triggers muscle contraction, thereby relaxing your facial muscles.
  • Melatonin plays a key role in rejuvenating skin by stimulating the growth of major skin cells such as keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Fibroblasts produce the essential proteins collagen and elastin, which provide structural support for the skin. Melatonin has also been shown to be effective against skin aging. It has powerful antioxidant properties by quenching mainly hydroxyl radicals, the most damaging of all radicals.

What can we do to ensure a good night’s sleep?

Set yourself up for success by making your bedroom into a successful sleeping area. Sleep with your head slightly elevated can help with fluid retention in the facial area. Fluid retention occurs while we sleep because we are lying flat and circulation can be affected. Excess sugar, salt and alcohol will add to fluid retention. Consumption of all these pollutants can escalate swelling and puffiness to the eyes and face. Try to avoid alcohol before bed as it leads to uneven sleep rhythms in the brain as well as fluid retention.

Top tips for a good night’s sleep:

  • Keep your bedroom at a cool temperature
  • Silk pillow case-softer and less absorbent than cotton-silk won’t dry skin out and also causes less pulling and tugging if you’re a face sleeper
  • Wear earplugs to ensure silence
  • Noise machine- used to calm babies and help them sleep, noise machines can be beneficial for falling asleep as well as staying asleep
  • Stop using electronics an hour before bedtime and keep your phone/tablet out of the bedroom-blue light interferes with sleep
  • Eat plant based high fat foods with dinner to stay satiated and balance blood sugar while asleep
  • Wear an eye mask -keeps light out
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Best multi-dimensional products for glowing clear holiday skin

December is all about holiday skin health. Too many cocktails, sugary treats and fatty hors d’oeuvres can lead to breakouts, redness, inflammation, eye puffiness and overall skin pollution. Instead of giving up all the festive treats, reach for multi-dimensional products to keep skin looking healthy, clear and bright. A few easy steps everyday can turn back the hands of time and holiday overindulgence.

Holiday culprits:

  • Alcohol seems almost unavoidable during the holiday season. Small amounts in moderation are okay and if possible try to stick to red wine (at least you get the resveratrol bonus). Alcohol contains a ton of sugar, which causes glycation (the breakdown of the proteins in the skin (collagen and elastin), ultimately causing skin to sag and age. Glucose also causes cells to be malformed and irregular thus creating free radicals.
  • White Sugar (which is in everything) also causes glycation. When choosing a holiday treat to either eat or bake, try adding Honey or Cacao, as they are great alternatives to white sugar and they are both super foods. Cinnamon can also be substituted and it helps with inflammation!
  • Fried food also causes glycation and in some cases breakouts. Regular exercise and exfoliation can prevent and reverse these issues.

 Best Multi Dimensional products to reverse damage:

Dr. Goldfaden really is the ingredient guru when it comes to formulating and combining effective and innovative ingredients. Not only do all his products have a reason for being but they contain multi dimensional ingredients which work in tandem to deliver numerous results.

Doctor’s Scrub

Exfoliation is the best method for ridding pores of pollutants. Scrubs can get into the pores and clean them while also removing dead skin cells, bacteria and prior free radical damage. Our Doctor’s Scrub exfoliant combines spherical ruby crystals, to remove dead skin cells and bacteria, and hydrating emollients jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid and apricot oil. The end result is glowing, smooth, and hydrated skin.

Plant Profusion Supreme Serum

After removing all the dead skin cells your skin can accept and absorb a treatment serum. Our Supreme Serum is an anti-aging serum that is made up of plant stem cells and other supercharged anti-oxidants. The specialize complex, PURFLORA, found in the entire Plant Profusion collection consists of Raspberry Leaf Extract, Comfrey Stem Cells, White Tea Leaf Extract, Garden Crest Sprouts and Birds of Paradise extract. The benefits result in skin tone and texture improvement, overall brightness, the appearance of reduction of unwanted pigmentation and increase of the skin barrier function.

Bright Eyes Dark Circle Concentrate

Arguably the first place over indulging appears is the eye region. Darkness, puffiness and overall sagging will improve with an appropriate brightening and de-puffing eye cream. The eye region gets dehydrated very quickly as we do not create the same type of oil as the rest of face and the delicate nature of the skin. Bright Eyes triple action eye concentrate will not only make the eye area look and feel more hydrated, but it can double as a makeup primer! Powerhouse ingredients, soy and rice bran peptides have been shown to reduce venous blood clotting. They have also been shown to have a localized effect on the hemodynamic properties of blood vessels and to increase blood supply to the superficial tissue of the eyelids. This means they help with circulation and distribution of blood flow, avoiding clotting and dark circles. Moreover, these two peptides have been shown to inhibit elastase and collagenase, which degrade collagen and elastin in the skin, thus helping the skin retain its natural firmness.

Cheers to clear, glowing holiday skin!

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