T-Zone Serum
The National Reye's Syndrome Foundation, U.S. Surgeon General, the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that aspirin and combination products containing aspirin not be given to children. The powder is also not appropriate for people who are allergic to aspirin. Please contact us and we will prepare a mix without the Salicylic Acid for you if you (or the product user) is in one of these groups.
Properties: Acne reduction, oil control, anti-inflamatory
Use: Use serum on clean skin twice a day. Use acne cream once a day, at night.
T-Zone ingredients: distilled water, sea kelp bioferment, azeloyl glycine, niacinamide, EGCG from green tea, propylene glycol and diazolidinyl urea and methylparaben and propylparaben
Anti-acne cream ingredients: Water, jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) seed oil, sea kelp bioferment, sorbitol, butylene glycol, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) extract, niacinamide, PEG-100 Stearate, white willow (Salix alba) bark extract, stearyl alcohol, liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) extract, green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract, wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) extract, sesame (Sesamum indicum) seed oil, sweet almond (Prunus amygdalus dulcis) oil, avocado (Persea gratissima) oil, retinyl acetate, sodium hyaluronate, polysorbate 20, citric acid, dimethicone, carbomer, triethanolamine, diazolidinyl urea, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, propylparaben.Sea kelp bioferment: this algae extract provides nutrients and also seems to modulate immunity, making the skin more resilient and resistant to problems like rosacea. Fucoidans, a polysaccharide in brown algae may be responsible for the increase resistance to infection.
EGCG from green tea: the polyphenols in green tea are responsible for its medicinal properties. These include (+) catechin (C), (+) gallocatechin (GC), (-) epicatechin (EC), (-) epigallocatechin (EGC) and (-) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Our green tea extract is standardized for EGCG, i.e. it has been enriched to ensure a very high concentration of this particular chemical, but some other beneficial chemicals remain. EGCG has been shown to prevent UV-caused cancerous and non-cancerous skin tumors. It has been suggested that chemopreventives like EGCG slow down the DNA repair that follows damage produced by UV irradiation and, by slowing it down, allow the repair to be more precise, avoiding the mutations that lead to cancer. EGCG is also an effective antioxidant, and scavenging of OH radicals could be another mechanism for its anticancer properties.
Niacinamide: Niacinamide is a vitamin, but even when following a normal healthy diet, topical application of niacinamide will result in increased synthesis of collagen, keratin, involucrin and flaggrin. Topical application of niacinamide will decrease pruritus and inflammation, help acne affected skin, decrease oiliness, alleviate atopic dermatitis, decrease UV-induced skin cancers and help decrease facial pigmentation.
Azeloyl glycine: antibacterial, anti-rosacea, anti-comedo, anti-acne, anti-melasma. Aavoid using on wounds or on areas of eczema, wait until these conditions have cleared before using the serum. Avoid the use of harsh, or drying soaps and cleansers such as alcoholic cleansers, astringents, abrasives, or peeling agents while using this active. This azelaic acid derivative will help the skin to renew itself faster, reducing pimple and blackhead formation; it also helps to kill the bacteria found in acne and rosacea. Applied topically, it will help in the treatment of comedonal acne and inflammatory acne, and of hyperpigmentation, including melasma.
willow bark: The extract of Salix alba increases skin cell turnover, improving health and appearance of photoaged skin. It is also recommended for acne because of its antimicrobial activity against Propionibacterium acnes, the bacteria involved in acne; increased cell turnover will help to prevent formation of comedos and anti-inflammation. This is the natural source of salicylic acid
Liquorice: Glycyrrhiza glabra a.k.a. liquorice root extract has many beneficial effects. Of all the active chemicals in this extract, glabridrin is the one most responsible for the effect of licorice on the skin. Glabridrin inhibits the activities of two tyrosinase isozymes, T1 and T3 (and melanin synthesis) without affecting cell proliferation. Topical application of glabidrin prevents pigmentation and erythema induced by UV-B. The anti-inflammatory effect of this chemical is through the inhibition of superoxide anion production and cyclooxygenase activity. For all of these reasons, glabridrin is a good inhibitor of melanogenesis and skin inflammation.
Saw palmetto: Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is very well known as a natural remedy for benign prostate hyperplasia. Saw palmetto sterols have been shown to inhibit 5-alpha reductase activity, the enzyme responsible for conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and to inhibit binding of dihydrotestosterone to the cytosolic androgen receptor.
Wild yam diosgenin: 5-alpha reductase inhibitor.
Retinyl acetate: retinoids (retinoic acid, retinol, retinyl esters) inhibit synthesis o matrix proteases, increase synthesis of collagen, stimulates division of keratinocytes and fibroblasts and stimulates synthesis of extracellular matrix by fibroblasts.
Canvas base cream: a cream rich in jojoba oil, anti-inflammatory and anti-acne.
Ingredients of Canvas base cream: water; Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil; sorbitol; butylene glycol; cetyl alcohol (moisturizer and thickener); glyceryl stearate; PEG-100 stearate; stearyl alcohol; Sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil; Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil; Persea gratissima (avocado) oil; sodium hyaluronate (water binding, nutrient); polysorbate 20 (emulsifier); citric acid (to adjust pH); dimethicone (skin conditioner, slip agent); carbomer (thickener); triethanolamine (to adjust pH); diazolidinyl urea, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, propylparaben (antimicrobial preservatives).
Acne re-visited
Who?
Acne is a very common skin disorder in the USA, affecting about 85% of adolescents, with comedos affecting practically all teenagers. The number of older people suffering from acne is increasing slowly, affecting 8% of 25-34 year-olds and 3% of 35-44 year-old. Acne maybe normal but this does not make it any less painful psychologically for the young or older people that have it.
What is acne?
Acne is a disease of the follicles where the hair is formed and sebum is secreted. Keratinocytes accumulate and “plug” the pore with the sebum, resulting in a microcomedo. Continued accumulation of materials will distend the pore, forming an open comedo, a blackhead. The dark color is the result of keratinocytes, oxidized lipids, and melanin.
Inside the comedo there is little oxygen and lots of sebum, an ideal medium for the acne bacterium, Propionibacterium acnes, to grow and multiply, and the activity of the bacteria leads in turn to inflammation and irritation.
Cysts can develop when the contents of the sick follicle (keratinocytes, sebum and bacteria) spills into the surrounding dermis, producing a pustule (superficial), or, deeper papule or nodule.
What can we do?
First, remember that acne can leave scars, keloids and changes in pigmentation, so it is important to control acne before it leads to permanent changes in the skin. Second, serious acne should be taken seriously. See you your M.D., because some genetic problems show themselves as acne, and only tests ordered by your doctor can tell you whether your acne is “normal”, i.e. caused by the hormonal turmoil of adolescence or the menstrual cycle, or whether it is a symptom of polycystic ovarian syndrome or other health problems that cause an excess in the production of male hormones by the young woman.
To control acne:
1) Keep pores open, by controlling sebum secretion using niacinamide, EGCG from green tea.
2) Normalize keratinization and prevent the exfoliated keratinocytes from sticking together. Go for white willow bark extract, which will also reduce inflammation. Other helpful actives: sulfur, retinyl acetate. Chemical peels will also help but make sure that the glycolic and other acids are not neutralized using bases like sodium hydroxide, a common ploy to impress consumers with high concentrations of acid that have been converted into useless salts.
3) Decrease inflammation: white liquorice extract. Avoid steroids, the anti-inflammatories that everybody likes because they are so fast, because they with prolonged use they will cause skin atrophy and “steroid acne”.
4) Kill acne bacteria: tea tree oil, Coleus essential oil. Propolis should also work but many of our clients do not like the smell. Avoid benzoyl peroxide, which will kill bacteria but will also age your skin and increase the probability of skin cancer.
5) For women: stabilize the hormonal balance using oral contraceptives.
References: Rigano, L.; Cucchiara, M.(2003) Azeloyl-glycine: a new active in skin disequilibrium. Journal of Applied Cosmetology, 21:177-188.
Fujimura T; Tsukahara K.; Moriwaki S.; Kitahara T.; Sano T.; Takema Y. (2002) Treatment of human skin with an extract of Fucus vesiculosus changes its thickness and mechanical properties J Cosmet Sci, 53(1), 1-9.
Tanno, O.; Ota, Y.; Mitamura, N.; Inoue, S. (1997) Effects of niacinamide on ceramide biosynthesis and differentiation of cultured human keratinocytes. Scientific Conference of the Asian Societies of Cosmetic Scientists, 3rd, Taipei, May 23-24, 1997, 170-176White
T-Zone ingredients: distilled water, sea kelp bioferment, azeloyl glycine, niacinamide, EGCG from green tea, propylene glycol and diazolidinyl urea and methylparaben and propylparaben
Anti-acne mix ingredients: white willow bark, liquorice, saw palmetto and wild yam (diosgenin), retinyl acetate
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Use serum on clean skin twice a day.Use acne cream once a day, at night.
Complete Kit (recommended)
T-Zone Serum only ($12.50)
