Climate Change + Pollution: Our Formulas Can Help!
As a Bostonian, I regularly experience constant and sudden changes in weather, as well as pollution living in the city. When I was about 27, I started to experience dermatitis when the weather would rapidly change, and have gotten it almost every year since. So, because we are a Boston-based company and since I have personally experienced just how much climate change can affect skin, this was heavily considered while creating Intoxicated’s custom-made serums.
Although each of our serums are different and therefore have different benefits, all of our serums do contain Hyadisine, which is essentially a modified version of Hyaluronic Acid. Hyadisine is for instant skin smoothing and plumping, and gives HA-like benefits as well as protects the skin against environmental factors. The bacterium producing hydasine was collected in an intertidal bay called Douarnenez, located in Brittany, France. There, organisms that inhabit that bay are highly dynamic due to the exposition to harsh factors such as wave action, thermal and desiccation stress, UV exposure and nutrient depletion.
So, this was an obvious ingredient for all of my serums because of the hydration and protection factors. However, with that being said, two of our serums in particular have extra protectants against climate change and pollution, being our Snake and Snail Serums.
SNAKE:
In our Snake Serum, we added White Tea extracts which makes your skin look younger by protecting it from damage. Researchers believe that the antioxidants reduce oxidative stress to the skin. This type of stress is thought to promote skin cancer, wrinkles and uneven pigmentation. As an anti-aging product, this extract protects your skin from more than just sun damage. I’m sure you’ve heard about collagen and elastin; in fact, you can't read a skincare article without coming across these two proteins associated with youthful skin. You may be less familiar with the enzymes MMP, or matrix metalloproteinases. All skin contains MMP, which is healthy, but the amount increases with age. Unfortunately, increased levels of MMP gobble up the collagen and elastin that keeps our skin looking young. White tea extract to the rescue! Applying this extract to your skin helps inhibit the activity of MMP, so collagen and elastin perform their assigned task of maintaining your skin’s freshness while they stop functioning as appetizers for wrinkle-inducing, firmness-reducing enzymes.
In addition to the White Tea extracts included in our Snake Serum, we also added MossCellTec™ No.1. This biomimetic peptide is based on a type of moss known as Physcomitrella, and was first discovered due to its extraordinary adaptation abilities to survive in harsh climates. This peptide fights multiple signs of aging and gives better resistance to both the genetic and epigenetic aging processes. In vitro and clinical studies have shown that MossCellTec™ No. 1 helps the skin to adapt to fast climatic changes which results in a significant increase in skin hydration, homogeneity and barrier function despite changing climatic conditions in just two weeks, as well as a reduction in wrinkle depth after just four weeks.
SNAIL:
In our Snail Serum, we added glycosaminoglycans derived from snail mucin for further firmness support and wrinkle reduction called Hydraprotectol. The glycolic acid found in snail mucin is said to help your cells produce collagen and elastin, which even out skin tone and smooth its surface. Hydraprotectol provides an immediate moisturization of the epidermal skin layers and contains Trihydroxypalmitic acid to ensure in-depth hydration via the reinforcement of the cutaneous barrier, therefore ensuring protection against outside factors. This ingredient is made to ensure a long-lasting and immediate hydration, and its oil-soluble molecule helps repair the cutaneous barrier to guarantee an in-depth, long-term hydration.
With that being said, there is so much more than sun to consider when trying to protect your skin! I hope that this helps my fellow New Englanders and city dwellers while trying to decide on which serum is best for them!