Talking About Skin Care Means Talking About Science!

At Skin Actives, one of our favorite things to do is to take a complex scientific idea and try and sum it down so you can understand what you're putting on your skin.

Science is a practical method for observing, and then hopefully understanding, the physical world in which we live.

Today we’re talking about mitochondria; what they are, what they do for us, and why and how we need to take care of them.

What are mitochondria?

Mitochondria are such a fundamental part of life on earth, just as much as it is on skin. Human beings are made of cells, just like all animal and plant life on earth. We depend on food to get energy. Our cells need the energy to keep going. The mitochondria in our bodies convert that food into energy we can use to live.

It’s that simple!

Plants require the rays of the sun, and animals and humans require nutrients from the environment around us. In all cases, these different sources are the food that we require.

Fun fact: Just to give you an idea of how important mitochondria are for us humans, there are some theories that attribute human aging to the gradual process of  mitochondria aging.

Why is it important to take care of our mitochondria?

As we age, so too do the mitochondria in our cells. This is a function of  life, the very process of living tires mitochondria out. Thus, older mitochondria are not as efficient at producing energy as younger mitochondria. As a result, older skin produces less energy than what is necessary to keep your skin functioning at peak levels. For example, some of the processes that begin to break down are the production of new proteins and hyaluronic acid, reinforcement of the skin barrier, defending against bacteria, and so on. You know, the things you rely upon your skin to do!

Skin Actives Solutions

What can you do to keep your mitochondria vital and working young? Well, as usual, our old nemesis, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS*), are one of the huge forces that age mitochondria and the body in general. The kicker is that mitochondria actually produce ROS* as part of their normal function.

This means that you are going to have to do some double duty in fighting these reactive oxygen species. Antioxidants are your friend, so make sure you are using them! Consider adding some of our ROS* Terminator directly to your favorite serum or cream. If you’d like a more formulated option, our entire Advanced Ageless line of products is designed to address free radicals.

On top of that, while you can’t add new mitochondria to your skin, but you can feed the mitochondria you have. Our Mitochondria Concentrate is a great way to get your cells the material they need to keep your mitochondria healthy and strong. Or, if you are looking for a ready-made product, try out our Revitalizing Nutrient Cream.

Additionally, one of the ways that Mitochondria provide energy is as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the form of energy our cells can use to do “housekeeping,” grow, and divide. Skin Actives keeps ATP on hand for you to easily add to your formulations or favorite creams.

Other ways to take care of your mitochondria

While you can’t add to your mitochondria, you can give them even more help! Actives that contribute to the formation of cell membranes, such as lipids, will pick up some slack and give your mitochondria an easier time doing what they have to do. We’ll never stop recommending our Every Lipid Serum for this concern, or for so many others. It’s just that good.

Meanwhile, and we say this all the time but it bears repeating, please apply sunscreen daily, regardless of the time of year. Reactive oxygen species are aging your body and your mitochondria. We take in these free radicals passively from our exposure to the sun, so limit your time out in the rays and always, always put on some sunscreen before you step outside. We’re confident that our Anti-Aging Day Cream with SPF 30 will become your favorite light, anti-aging SPF, and for your arms and legs, try our advanced protection sunscreen.