Vitamin C and peptides are amazing and effective skin care ingredients on their own, but what makes the combination of the two so powerful in promoting younger looking skin?
We know that DNA damage caused by free radicals is the number one skin ager, and antioxidants work to counteract the effects. We also know collagen production helps support healthy, youthful looking skin. So it will come as no surprise that the combination of vitamin C and peptides – which provide antioxidants and promote collagen synthesis – address these very needs.
As the “season of sun” winds down, it may be a good time to remind clients about the importance of counteracting damage caused by UV rays and rebuilding the skin, and the ingredients they can use to achieve this.
C Power and its Benefits
Vitamin C improves skin elasticity, decreases wrinkles by stimulating collagen synthesis, boosts the skin’s immune system, and repairs damages caused by external elements. While the benefits of vitamin C have been known for some time, a study released in 2009 solidified speculations and provided some hard evidence to support the theories.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Leicester and Institute for Molecular Cellular Biology in Portugal, found that vitamin C helped promote wound healing, protect against DNA damage in skin cells and encouraged skin regeneration.
Since the body doesn’t naturally produce vitamin C, we must obtain it through our diet, supplements and topical agents. L-ascorbic acid and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) are two forms of vitamin C used in skin care topicals. L-ascorbic acid is a naturally occurring organic compound and a valuable antioxidant. It protects the skin against photo-damage, augments the skin’s ability to neutralize reactive oxygen species, and increases collagen production.
MAP is a non-irritating, stable derivative of vitamin C that works to increase the activity of the vitamin. It is equally as effective as L-ascorbic acid in regulating collagen biosynthesis, and has the ability to suppress melanin formation by inhibiting tyrosinase. It is also wonderful for sensitive skin types.
The Building Blocks
Peptides are amino acids (protein) that are linked together in a chain to form specific groupings. Active in very small doses, peptides work by stimulating fibroblasts, the building blocks of collagen, and signal the skin to produce more protein. Through this process they increase firmness, tone, and diminish fine lines overall, promoting healthier, more youthful skin.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide 3, for instance, actually mimics the body’s own mechanism to produce collagen via tissue growth factor (TGF), sending a signal to increase protein (collagen). Used in the C-Peptide Complex, this peptide along with vitamin C work together to strengthen skin tissue, increase the skin’s immune system, stimulate collagen production, improve skin elasticity, and help regenerate vitamin E.