INCLUDES:
60ML FACE CLEANSER
60ML DAY & NIGHT CREAM
60ML SPF50 PRIMER

WHAT IS L-ASCORBIC ACID?

L-Ascorbic Acid is the purest form of Vitamin C and provides multiple benefits to the skin. It is a potent antioxidant when applied topically as it protects the body from reactive oxygen damage and other environmental aggressors that lead to skin ageing and some skin discolourations.

L-ascorbic acid is the name of the chemical structure for vitamin C, the same vitamin C you find in citrus, bell peppers, strawberries, and other fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is essential to proper nutrition and does more than boost your immune system. It is an antioxidant that will help protect the skin to reduce damage caused by sun exposure and other environmental factors that lead to signs of ageing. Using vitamin C topically can also assist in the production of collagen to reduce wrinkles and fine lines by restoring elasticity and firmness lost with ageing.

Vitamin C in skincare is an effective ingredient that complements other high-performance ingredients to help rejuvenate and improve the appearance of skin, which is easily damaged by environmental aggressors. Topical Vitamin C can be used with oily, normal, dry, and sensitive skin. A few drops of L-ascorbic acid can be applied in the morning daily for optimal results.

WHAT IS N-ACETYL GLUCOSAMINE?

A relatively new entrant to the cosmetic industry, N-acetyl glucosamine is a skin lightening agent. It is naturally produced in the body by adding an amino group to a glucose molecule. Because it’s already present in our bodies, most experts consider N-acetyl glucosamine a safe ingredient that can help you look younger and fresher. Read on to discover how it works, its uses, and what it can do for your skin!

How Does It Work?

N-acetyl glucosamine is a monosaccharide derivative of glucose. It has several functions in the body, but the most important one is its combination with glucuronic acid, which forms a compound we’re all more familiar with, and it’s called hyaluronic acid.

The Benefits of N-Acetyl Glucosamine for Skin

1. Increases the skin’s water content

Hyaluronic acid is a key component of body tissues and is most abundant in the skin. Nearly 50% of the body’s hyaluronic acid is found in the skin. Hyaluronic acid, therefore, is a very important compound in the skincare industry. However, it does not penetrate skin easily, and its deficiency cannot be fixed easily. Since N-acetyl glucosamine can be metabolised into hyaluronic acid, it can increase the skin’s water content.

2. Helps lighten skin and reverse UV-induced skin damage

Additionally, N-acetyl glucosamine can reduce the production of melanin through tyrosinase inhibition. Through this mechanism, it can help address cases of hyperpigmentation due to UV skin damage.

3. Helps fight and reverse signs of skin ageing

N-acetyl glucosamine also promotes the synthesis of collagen, which is responsible for the strength, elasticity, smoothness, and plumpness of skin. Reduced levels of collagen is also linked to ageing. Using products with N-acetyl glucosamine can help fight and reverse signs of ageing.

4. Gently exfoliates skin

Skin exfoliation is also one of the many benefits of using creams and serums with N-acetyl glucosamine. It is safe to use and does not usually cause redness, irritation, and photosensitivity, even for people with sensitive skin.

What Studies Say About N-acetyl Glucosamine

On Increasing Skin Hydration

There is plenty of research that backs the use of N-acetyl glucosamine in skin care products. There are studies that report the importance of this ingredient in the production of hyaluronic acid, heparan sulphate, and proteoglycans. These compounds help maintain the water content of the skin by acting as water retainers. A laboratory study on Franz cells also found that N-acetyl glucosamine can penetrate skin well, making it an effective moisturising agent.

A study from 2009 showed that topical treatments with N-acetyl glucosamine improved skin hydration, reduced flakiness and smoothening of stratum corneum. The same study reported that using N-acetyl glucosamine modulates the adhesion of keratinocytes, thereby smoothening skin efficiently.

On Skin Lightening and Reversing Hyperpigmentation

Another study tested the effect of 2% N-acetyl glucosamine on hyperpigmentation. The researchers found that after eight weeks of use, N-acetyl glucosamine significantly reduced dark skin patches and tans. Another study also showed that combining N-acetyl glucosamine with niacinamide (vitamin B3) was more effective in reducing dark spots on the skin.

On Treating Acne

N-acetyl glucosamine, if used early in acne breakouts, can provide relief from lesions. A 2006 study compared the effectiveness and tolerance of topical creams with N-acetyl glucosamine with those with benzoyl peroxide. It found that N-acetyl glucosamine is a more effective agent in the early phase of the treatment in comparison to benzoyl peroxide. The plus point of N-acetyl glucosamine is that it is tolerated well by different types of skin. Especially for people with skin dryness, peeling, burning and stinging, N-acetyl glucosamine was well tolerated and treated acne.

Is N-Acetyl Glucosamine Good for Your Skin?

N-acetyl glucosamine is great for your skin. It is a safe skin care ingredient that hydrates skin, lightens hyperpigmentation, reverses skin damage, and even treats acne breakouts, making skin look brighter, younger-looking, and smoother. Together with niacinamide it is a great ingredient to add to your anti-aging skin care routine.

Niacinamide: The Versatile Skincare Ingredient

The thought of wrinkles and dry, dull skin worries many of us. We turn our attention to over-the-counter skin care products that might help solve the problem. But we’re here to tell you that you don’t need to experiment with a large number of products in order to find the right one.

What you need to do is check if your skincare product has the right ingredients to make your skin feel and look healthier. You might have heard that it is important to select the right product for your skin type. There is, however, one common ingredient that is versatile enough to suit them all —niacinamide.

What is Niacinamide?

Regardless of your ethnicity, using products with niacinamide does work wonders for your skin. Niacinamide or nicotinamide is the technical term for vitamin B3. It belongs to the water-soluble class of vitamins that regulate skin maintenance among other functions. In a 2006 study published in Dermatologic Surgery, niacinamide was applied to half the face of 50 female subjects for twelve weeks. The results of this study show niacinamide significantly improved the appearance of the skin reducing inflammation, pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, niacinamide improves the texture, tone of the skin, reduces skin sallowness (yellowing of the skin) while also reducing lines and wrinkles. And the great thing is that niacinamide is well-tolerated by all skin types.

There is proof that it works.

People that suffer from sensitive and dry skin show irritability to a number of skincare products. Moisturisers are a very important part of their skincare routine. Niacinamide-containing products are not only safe for them but are also very effective in combating their skin condition.

A study from 2008 showed that people suffering from hypersensitive skin that used a moisturiser with niacinamide in it had better skin hydration than those that did not. Their facial skin also had improved tone and texture. Over the course of the study, the symptoms of their skin condition had also improved.

A different problem for many is the production of excess oil, leading to oily skin. Niacinamide also combats that, as shown by a 2006 study on Asian and Caucasian people. In this study, participants were asked to use a moisturiser containing 2% niacinamide for four weeks. After four weeks, it was seen that their skin produced lower levels of oil, and there were lower levels of oil on their skin.

It does not stop there. Niacinamide also has proven to be a good anti-aging ingredient. It can reduce ageing due to exposure to sunlight as well as improve the elasticity of the skin. In a study from 2006, it was found that using a product with 5% niacinamide significantly improved the appearance of skin. After 3 months, participants had reduced fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, blotchiness, and sallowness of the skin. The elasticity of their skin had also improved.

Adding niacinamide to your routine:

Adding niacinamide to your skincare routine is very easy. Many good skincare products include it, just check the label. To get the most out of using niacinamide, look for a product that you will use at least twice daily. There are also eye creams available that reduce the fine lines near your eyes. Use these at night for the highest benefits. You may find 7% niacinamide in Mooiste Meisie Serum.

References:

• Zoe Diana Draelos, MD. Dermatologic Therapy. 28 November 2007. Skin lightening preparations and the hydroquinone controversy
• Donald L Bissett PhD Larry R Robinson PhD Patricia S Raleigh BS Kukizo Miyamoto PhD Tomohiro Hakozaki MS Jim Li MS, MA Gary R Kelm PhD. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 05 March 2007. Reduction in the appearance of facial hyperpigmentation by topical N‐acetyl glucosamine.
• Mammone T, Gan D, Fthenakis C, Marenus K. Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2009 Jul-Aug;60(4):423-8. The effect of N-acetyl-glucosamine on stratum corneum desquamation and water content in human skin.
• Barbara Green, Richard Wildnauer, PhD, Brenda Edison. American Academy of Dermatology, February 2007 Volume 56, Issue 2, Supplement 2, Page AB19. Topical n-acetylglucosamine provides fast acne-reducing benefits and mildness demonstrating its potential utility in enhancing conventional Rx or OTC acne treatments.
• Manning Selvage. March 2006. New studies show topical glucosamine targets pigment overproduction: Data presented at 2006 American Academy of Dermatology Meeting uses first ever non-invasive imaging system to detect pigment changes, test glucosamine efficacy