Everyone wants to look their best with beautiful skin; they also want healthy skin. Here’s how to formulate with the sophisticated ingredients for skin fitness.
Most people think of fitness as being lean, strong and agile. But the term can also apply to skin. Skin that is fit means that the body’s largest organ is without severe blemishes, dryness, patches or wrinkles. From head to toe, skin fitness means one’s envelope is supple and performs well as it should: act as a barrier to keep moisture inside and keep invaders out.
Facial skin fitness is equated to beauty—unwrinkled, glowing, dewy: the unblemished canvas that perfectly enhances one’s distinctive facial features. And this is where billions of dollars are spent.
The beauty market has grown steadily for the last decade worldwide, according to Brian Appell, marketing manager, OmniActive Health Technologies in New Jersey. In 2015, the whole global beauty industry was worth about $326 billion, while the global skin care market is valued at $121 billion and is estimated to reach $179 billion by 2022 [Euromonitor and Allied Market Research].
A beauty market industry report released in April 2017 by Credence Research explained, “Changing lifestyle and increasing consumer incomes have led to growth in usage of supplements among consumers, thus boosting global sales of supplements. In 2015, skin care supplements accounted for the largest share of more than 30 percent of the total global beauty supplements market by value. Skin care supplements are anticipated to dominate the market in terms of revenue share contribution in upcoming years.”
Samantha Ford, business development director, California-based AIDP, agreed, emphasizing, “More than ever, consumers are subscribing to the concept that beauty truly starts from within—if you provide your body with the right nutrients and create a healthy internal environment, it will show on the outside. Growing interest by younger consumers to preserve their natural youth, coupled with increased disposable income, is a major driver behind the category’s growth. Similarly, the ever-growing aging population wants to retain their youthful appearance into their later years, contributing to the demand for high quality ingredients for skin and beauty.
In contrast, she pointed out, not too many years ago, this category consisted of few basic, foundational nutrients for hair, skin and nails such as biotin, certain proteins and hyaluronic acid. Now, it has expanded and diversified, with booming demand for collagen ingredients and specialty products, such as plant-based ceramides and ingredients that target the gut-skin relationship. Another trending area that may take off in the near future: combination oral and topical products that have complementary, synergistic effects on skin and beauty.
As the beauty-from-within category is growing, “we’re also seeing more companies building ‘complete beauty’ lines that incorporate both topical applications and supplements to target beauty inside and out,” Appell reported.
There have been significant trends in this morphing sector in the past decade. For example, according to Annie Vo, PhD, R&D specialist, Vinh Hoan Corp. (Vietnam), a partner of California-based Gencor, aloe became a hot ingredient, featured in skin products from facial masks, creams, gels, to aloe-added drinks. These products are not only popular in Asia but also in Europe and America. The availability of information on the internet combined with the increasing number of skin care apps have allowed consumers to be more selective, she noted. “These days, consumers watch and/or follow beauty gurus on YouTube, check ratings and reviews on Amazon, read Consumer Reports, ask questions, and seek consultations about how best to use the products.”
Although the concept of “beauty from within” is now much more understood and sought by consumers, it wasn’t always the case. For example, illustrated Jocelyn Bérubé, executive vice president, scientific & regulatory affairs, innoVactiv Inc. (Quebec, Canada), beauty-from-within supplements were foreseen as the next big thing for more than a decade. A widely publicized joint venture between cosmetics giant L’Oreal and food behemoth Nestlé, created in 2002, was dismantled in 2015 due to the brand failing to achieve key target numbers for profitability. Despite that, in 2013, Bérubé reported, the group achieved top sales of 52 million euros ($60,625,500), for a product category that they virtually created from nothing.
“This ‘failure’ led many to think that the market was simply not there for skin-nourishing nutraceuticals. After all, cosmetic marketing has been around for decades, showing that applying cream is all our skin needs to remain hydrated, wrinkle-free and young-looking,” he commented. Yet, that perception, he noted, seems to be found more in North America and Europe, while Asia is taking the lion’s share of the global market for this product sector.
Demographically, it appears that the Millennials are driving more accelerated sales and demand for beauty-from-within supplements. According to a recent study done by Lycored (New Jersey), four in 10 Millennials said they have already used supplements to benefit their skin health. “Everyone is talking about the Millennials these days and companies are formulating products targeting this group of consumers,” related Bryan See, business development manager, New Jersey-based ExcelVite, Inc. On the other hand, he added, Tetra Pak estimated that the older generation would have spending power of $10 trillion by 2020 (one in five adults globally will be age 60 or above). Therefore, there are two sides of the demographic-demand spectrum for skin health supplements for brand manufacturers to consider when developing products and expanding existing product lines.
He offered strong reasoning for launching skin-support/beauty supplements, noting that as skin is an organ (the body’s largest by weight), it is unable to draw any nutrients and oxygen from the external environment, and therefore, nourishment must come from the bloodstream. Nourishing skin from the inside out, from this perspective, makes much more sense than applying creams, and it also offers many advantages over topical application. For example, he said, creams only have a local effect where they are applied, while a beauty-from-within (supplement) approach can help support skin texture, moisture or appearance at any place on the body, even in places not suitable for cream applications (scalp, for example).
Also, a topical’s efficacy may be hindered due to being separated by several layers of sebum, dead cells and other skin layers. “Further, its action will typically be lost as soon as detergent is applied. Acting from the inside out, beauty supplements can have longer-lasting impacts, without the risk of being washed out,” he stated.
The fact that there are increasingly more diverse delivery formats for skin/beauty supplements is also attractive, according to See, who related that “Previously it was all about pill-popping but these days, consumers accept ready-to-drink beauty products.” An example, he provided, is the 50 ml oral beauty beverage Shiseido Pure White Beauty Care Drink with super vitamin E, tocotrienol (EVNol).
Additionally, he noted, there is a larger transition from using conventional store-bought products to seeking out personalized supplements developed through consultation with experts in the field. These products typically are said to contain ingredients that specifically target deficiencies in their skin.
Skin deficiencies may be more recognized when your target audience understands what their skin actually is.
What’s in the Envelope?
If you look at skin as an envelope, you want it to be sturdy, to be able to withstand elements, and also look presentable. Skin fitness assures these characteristics are more likely to be met and sustained.
The skin is a complex organ with three layers. The thin outermost layer, epidermis, is comprised of cells that produce keratin and melanin. The middle layer is the dermis, containing a large amount of collagen and a lower concentration of elastin, hair follicles, blood vessels, nerve endings, as well as sweat and sebum glands. The innermost layer, hypodermis, contains fat cells and connective tissue. “With its intricacies and cross reliance, the skin needs many nutrients to maintain itself,” said Dr. Vo. “The network of collagen and elastin in the dermis are reduced and weakened respectively over time, due to decreased production of these proteins in the body as well as sun and environmental factors. Without replenishing them, especially collagen, the skin develops aging signs such as wrinkles, sagging, etc.”
She said the nutrients that the skin requires for maintaining fitness are antioxidant vitamins C and E, which protect against free radicals that break down collagen. Without adequate intake of these vitamins, she warned, skin is likely to develop more wrinkles and lose its elasticity. Additionally, polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 and omega-6 have an important role in skin health—by keeping skin hydrated, they reduce UV damage and inflammatory responses that can lead to sensitivity and skin disorders.
The skin’s collagen and elastin both play significant roles in skin tone, suppleness and elasticity. “As we age, collagen synthesis gradually slows, with up to 30 percent loss by age 45,” Ford said. Collagen loss results in skin losing its thickness, and it becomes less pliable, drier and more prone to wrinkles. When combined with other hormonal and environmental factors, visible signs of aging (sagging and discoloration) emerge.
Bérubé noted that human skin contains a large protein fraction, responsible for its elasticity and other physical properties. “The structures responsible for these properties are based in the dermis, epidermis and at the dermo-epidermal junction between these two,” he clarified. “Several nutricosmetics are based on promoting collagen or elastin production, or promoting a renewal of extracellular matrix components such as hyaluronic acid. There are thus multiple mechanisms (and thus multiple ingredients) that have the possibility to support skin elasticity and firmness from within.”
However, he continued, the stratum corneum (a skin layer of the epidermis) is responsible for maintaining the body’s entire moisture content. The stratum corneum is commonly known as the layer of dead cells (corneocytes) that forms the top, visible layer of the skin.
There is a grand misconception that corneocytes are irrelevant, and have no dynamic role to play, Bérubé explained. Corneocytes dare cells that engage in apoptosis (programmed cell death) after extensive maturation and transformation starting from keratinocytes deeper in the epidermis.
“As they divide, mature and move up in the epidermis, keratinocytes produce a waxy substance, ceramide, which accumulates in small intracellular organelles called lamellar bodies. There, ceramides will be organized into alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic layers having an incredible capacity to block the flow of any molecule, including water,” he said. “As they approach the surface of the skin, keratinocytes transform their morphology to adopt a more flattened, scale-like shape, while also releasing the ceramide-rich lamellar bodies in the extracellular environment. This is the pile up of dead cells and ceramide-rich lamellar bodies that will ultimately form the water-holding capacity of the skin.”
Unfortunately, skin ceramide content decreases with aging, leaving the skin more prone to dryness, irritation and redness. Supporting ceramide production by skin enzymes ceramide synthase, he added, can help sustain optimal ceramide production, leading to maintenance of skin hydration.
Skin Supporting Nutraceuticals
Skin fitness supplements that are compatible with topicals as a yin-yang whole system will likely garner a loyal following. There are several contenders to consider.
“Sulfur is an often overlooked key nutrient for maintaining healthy skin,” said Rod Benjamin, director of research and development/technical support for Washington-based Bergstrom Nutrition. “It stabilizes collagen and is plentiful in keratin, a major building block of hair, skin, and nails. Symptoms of sulfur deficiency include things like itchy skin or scalp, eczema or acne. OptiMSM is 34 percent sulfur by weight, and studies have shown that MSM donates sulfur which in turn supports healthy looking skin.”
Benjamin related that a gene array study indicated OptiMSM has a beneficial effect on a number of genes that build, hydrate and protect the skin. These findings, he said, are supported by human clinical data showing 3 grams of OptiMSM taken over 16 weeks reduces fines lines and wrinkles and increases hydration. Additional ongoing research may suggest OptiMSM provides measurable benefits sooner and at even lower dosages than previously demonstrated, he revealed.
AIDP’s Naticol is a natural type I marine collagen peptide that supports the skin’s collagen structure from within, according to Ford. “After age 25, the skin begins to lose elasticity, mainly due to loss of collagen,” she emphasized. This type 1 collagen is a major protein source that comprises 75 percent of the protein found in connective tissues and skin, and which has an essential role in skin tone and elasticity. Ford reported that Naticol It is clinically shown to improve skin hydration, total skin extensibility and perceived wrinkle reduction. Further, it has a neutral taste and no odor, making it suitable for inclusion in beverages.
New in AIDP’s skin health portfolio is BeautyOLIGO, a galactooligosaccharide that Ford described as selectively stimulating the growth of a limited number of beneficial bacteria in the colon, preventing pathogen colonization and balancing the ratio of good and bad bacteria. “BeautyOLIGO promotes skin health by acting on collagen- and elastin-degrading enzymes and has been clinically demonstrated to improve skin moisture, improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, decrease erythema and inhibit trans-epidermal water loss,” she said.
innoVactiv’s Myoceram (from Japanese manufacturer Nippon Flour Mills), is, described Bérubé, a new range of ceramide ingredients derived from rice or corn, and has been shown in human clinical trials to help support skin hydration over the entire body surface by promoting enzymes responsible for ceramide synthesis. Supplementing with Myoceram, he stated, leads to a reduction in trans-epidermal water loss (the amount of water flowing out of the skin) within a few weeks of consumption, indicating that the ingredient supports optimal barrier function through synthesis of additional skin ceramides. “Because it can stimulate endogenous ceramide production, Myoceram is active at a lower effective dosage than competing ingredients and is derived from non-allergenic sources,” he said.
ExcelVite’s ingredient for skin health is the natural full-spectrum palm tocotrienol complex. For oral application, See said the company recommends EVNol SupraBio, and for companion topical application, the original flagship ingredient EVNol is suitable.
A study evaluated the tissue-specific distribution of tocotrienols and tocopherols, finding that approximately 15 percent of tocotrienols but only 1 percent of tocopherols were distributed to the skin, See reported. Additionally, tocotrienol has been shown to distribute uniformly on the skin surface and preferentially accumulate in the stratum corneum of the skin.
“Collectively, tocotrienol acts as the skin’s first line of defense,” he explained. In one study, supplementation with 40 mg tocotrienol (EVNol) together with 2 mg astaxanthin for four weeks has shown improvement in moisture level, sebum level, elasticity, fine wrinkles, and swelling under the eyes.
Another study conducted showed that a facial mask infused with tocotrienol (EVNol) promoted significant hydration benefit compared to a commercial gel mask while formulation of both vitamin E (tocopherol and tocotrienol) confer a higher protection from photo damage in comparison to vitamin A.
See reported that the efficacy of tocotrienol on scar healing is currently being investigated at The Ohio State University Medical Center. The human clinical trial called “Efficacy of natural vitamin E tocotrienol on the treatment of surgical scars” endeavors to show that tocotrienol is effective for potentially reducing normal, hypertrophic, or keloid scarring by mediating the inflammatory response. The study subjects are being given tocotrienols both orally (EVNol SupraBio soft gel) or topically (cream formulated with EVNol).
Vinh Wellness/Gencor’s LumiColl is hydrolyzed collagen peptides derived from freshwater fish, according to Dr. Vo. It contains high levels of proline, hydroxyproline, and lysine. She explained, “These amino acids are essential for building new collagen in the skin. The results are reduced wrinkle appearance, improved skin elasticity, and increased overall hydration, firmness and radiance. KGK Science reported these effects in 50 healthy women age 45 to 60 years old in a clinical study.
HP Ingredients of Florida has launched Organic MaquiCare for skin health. Derived from the maqui berry, it is a patent-pending standardized extract of more than 10 percent anthocyanins and more than 8 percent of delphinidins. Studies show it provides superior antioxidant protection, and supports healthy inflammatory response, protecting skin from stressors, leading to skin that is more resilient. Specifically, described Annie Eng, CEO, MaquiCare activates PPAR gamma, leading to the inhibition of NFĸB, reducing COX-2 enzyme and prostaglandin levels, which regulates inflammatory response.
Also new from HP Ingredients is ProteoActin, a patent-pending cream containing standardized extract of maqui berry that activates lysosomal switch by triggering proteostasis renewal and has cell regenerating and wound-healing properties.
Benefits include reduction of facial flushing and redness, repairs blood vessels, regenerates skin cells and assists in wound healing. According to Eng, ProteoActin inhibits NF-Kappa-Beta—the “master inflammatory switch in the skin,” to help reduce inflammation and redness. An eight-week study showed that individuals with rosacea who applied ProteoActin twice daily saw significant symptom relief.
Notable for vision health, OmniActive’s Lutemax 2020 lutein and zeaxanthin isomers also provide skin support through several ways, said Appell. “In a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study, 10 mg of lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin isomers from Lutemax 2020 showed an improvement in overall skin tone, skin lightening/brightening (for a more radiant appearance) and elasticity,” he said. “There was also a trend for reduction of fine lines and wrinkles. Lutemax 2020 offers a cost effective, low dose option for multiple benefits for beauty-from-within formulas in one ingredient.”
More suppliers are launching and renovating ingredients for internal skin fitness products, from tablets to gummies to beverages. This category is only going to grow more vigorously, as evidenced by the last autumn product entry by Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand, GOOP (California), which launched GoopGlow, a powder supplement that the consumer mixes with water.
In the product sales copy to consumers, it is written, “Topical skin care helps, but it isn’t enough.” NIE
For More Information:
Bergstrom Nutrition, www.bergstromnutrition.com; www.optimsm.com
ExcelVite, www.excelvite.com
HP Ingredients, www.hpingredients.com
InnovActiv, www.innovactiv.com
OminActive, www.omniactive.com
Vinh Wellness/Gencor, www.vinhhoan.com
