Collagen is something you’re probably familiar with but possibly might not have looked into past the glossy adverts and general skin connotations. It is actually the most abundant protein in our bodies and in the context of our skin, is the main structural protein in the network of biological inputs that provide structural support to cells (referred to as the extracellular matrix).
Because of this it is clearly a really critical part of healthy skin and collagen degradation is something your skin tries to prevent each and every day. Different skin has different levels of collagen (you can read our journal about the difference between male and female skin for example here) but one thing is for sure; as skin ages collagen levels reduce. What interests us at LifeJacket are those external factors that accelerate collagen degradation where we can find technological solutions to help your skin fight back. Surprise surprise, the biggest single factor that accelerates collagen degradation is UV exposure. Our daily protection products are an excellent way to stop accelerated collagen degradation and in doing so help to preserve the structural integrity of your skin. Not only does UV protection reduce the very real risk of cell mutation and skin cancers, but it helps to prevent visual ageing and pigmentation issues.
Beyond UV protection and as the ingredient focus of this journal, we’ve incorporated a nature-identical peptide supplement which functions as a defence booster against environmental damage. L-Carnosine specifically combats the negative impacts of infrared rays and skin glycation which leads to wrinkles and other skin damage. Essentially it preserves skin cells against damage.
Our skin generates peptides naturally with the ability to restore dermal integrity against the damages caused by sun rays, cell stress and pollution. Among those essential peptides, Carnosine has a special importance. It has been identified as the most efficient anti-glycation compound in the skin. By exploring new ways to enhance the skin's natural defenses, we looked at photo-protection beyond UV rays. This led to the revelation of another asset of L-Carnosine - a powerful efficiency against the damages induced by Infrared Rays (IR).
Protection of skin collagen through the process of anti-glycation
Carnosine reacts with aldehydes, inhibiting the formation of carbonylated proteins and crosslinking. As absorbance reduces the damage caused by these carbonylated proteins is also reduced to prevent collagen damage.
The x-axis represents the L-Carnosine concentration in mM.
Collagen boosting in the dermal layers of the skin
Carnosine significantly increases the formation of collagen. In this study we investigated the skin effect ex-vivo using “Miller’s staining technique” with collagen quantification through imaging software. The grey bar indicates the level of collagen stimulation in the product without inclusion of the Carnosine ingredient and the purple bar shows the level of collagen stimulation with our product including Carnosine.
Protection against infrared damage
In in-vivo studies Carnosine significantly inhibits IRA-induced MMP-1 expression. 27 subjects used the products twice daily onto the buttocks over a period of 1 week. One single IRA (infrared) dose was administered on day 8 (360 J/CM2 IRA: 760 - 1400 NM). Skin biopsies were taken 24hr after IRA exposure on day 9 for RNA isolation and PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction).
The purple bar indicates the improvement with the product with 0.1% carnosine inclusion. The violet bar indicates the improvement with the product with 0.2% carnosine inclusion as per our formulation.
Acknowledged for its remarkable anti-glycation and antioxidant properties, Carnosine has been shown to be the most potent active against IR-induced damages.
It is just one of the many ingredients we use to help us achieve our ambition of delivering high performance formulations that benefit your skin. We’re always innovating and improving but you can be 100% reassured that all of our products are toxicologically and dermatologically tested, so you know your skin is in safe hands.
Stay safe,
