How to kick free radicals for good
Softer skin, a smooth, bright complexion, and increased tautness — it all starts with quenching free radicals.
Our Active Stress Defense Technology intercepts and quenches exogenous free radicals before they enter the skin, shielding anti-oxidants and preventing lipid peroxidation far greater than standard mineral sunscreens and anti-oxidant moisturizers. With a proven free radical quenching ability 2.45x greater than standard zinc oxide sunscreens, our expert formulations allow brands to provide solutions-driven UV protection and anti-pollution beauty products that prevent wrinkles, sagging, and hyperpigmentation without the need for expensive additives.
The beauty imperative
Free radicals are enemy #1 when it comes to keeping skin young and healthy. Once these oxidants enter the skin, they can break down anti-oxidants and cause cellular damage that results in oxidative stress and early skin aging — blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, redness, sagging, fine lines, wrinkles, and texture changes. Consumers can prevent free radical formation and avoid therapeutic anti-aging treatments later on by following the number one beauty imperative: the regular application of strong environmental defense products to keep collagen and elastin fibers protected against oxidative stress. For beauty brands, that means delivering high-efficacy products that quench exogenous free radicals and prevent free radical formation in the skin.
How to evaluate a new skin care formula
Thanks to recent scientific developments, we can now directly measure the impact of protective skin care products using spectroscopic techniques like electron spin resonance (ESR). ESR can be used to evaluate a certain product’s Radical Potential—its potential to form free radicals while under environmental stress—and a product’s Radical Status Factor—the degree to which a product protects against free radicals in the face of environmental stress. Beauty brands can assess the efficacy of a free radical prevention or protection product by looking for a Radical Potential close to zero, and a high Radical Status Factor, at least greater than one.
Measuring the Solésence advantage: key efficacy studies
Using spectroscopic techniques, we used Radical Potential and Radical Status Factor to measure the power of our patented formulas.
Radical Potential (RP)
Radical Potential is a direct method that evaluates whether a formula under environmental stress will add to the total quantity of free radicals seen on the skin. Using a control formula, products are irradiated to determine the quantity of free radicals that generate over time. Then, using ESR, free radicals are captured in a radical trap and measured per unit volume.
This test was performed on the highest-rated SPF 30 moisturizers on Sephora.com as well as Solésence market-ready product Multi-Cultural Magic. The test found that with just 1.2 MED of UV light—equivalent to roughly 20 minutes of exposure in LA—and blocking over 98% of UV, Solésence formulas generate zero (0) free radicals, effectively preventing free radical damage to the skin’s natural anti-oxidant system, while other leading moisturizers still generate .8 – 2.1 nmol/g free radicals.
Radical Status Factor (RSF)
We also sent our products to Gematria Test Lab to determine the Radical Status Factor (RSF) of our formulations. RSF employs an ex-vivo method to assess the degree to which a product protects against free radicals in the skin while exposed to UV radiation. An electron spin trap is then placed in the dermis to determine the impact a product has on reducing radical generation. Measured on skin mimics, RSF provides a critical measure of free radicals as a percentage and gives a direct indication of how effective a product is under environmental stress.
This test was performed on a placebo product with no UV protection, a standard sunscreen formula with 10% zinc oxide, and a Solésence formula with 10% patented zinc oxide skin care active. The test concluded that after exposure to UV radiation equivalent to 1.2 MED, or roughly 20 minutes of sun exposure in LA, Solésence formulas are 2.45x more effective in preventing and quenching free radicals than standard zinc oxide formulas. The significantly diminished generation of free radicals in the dermis allows for the natural anti-oxidant system to help improve skin health.
The three-tiered beauty science approach
Tier 1: superior UV filters. UV filters are the first line of defense against free radical formation — but many sunscreen formulations break down in the face of environmental stressors like UVR and pollution, making them less effective in preventing free radical generation and the skin damage that consumers are trying so desperately to avoid. Solésence Active Stress Defense transforms zinc oxide and titanium dioxide into UV absorbing powerhouses that actively defend the skin against UV radiation, absorbing 99% of UVR and boasting a PFA that is 25-100% more than leading competitors. This improved performance effectively prevents free radicals from penetrating the skin and forms the first tier of the Active Stress Defense platform.
Tier 2: expert formulations. Our second line of defense is expertly-crafted formulations. Solésence invests in identifying and selecting ingredients that meet strict requirements relative to free radical and ROS formation. The formulas that we develop for brands include ingredient combinations that work synergistically to minimize radical potential and maximize anti-oxidative power. This allows brands to provide results-driven products without the need for expensive added ingredients.
Tier 3: enhanced anti-oxidative power. Our third line of free radical defense is a bolstered endogenous anti-oxidant network and the enhanced performance of our added anti-oxidants. Typical standard mineral sunscreen formulas preserve less than 30% of original antioxidant activity, leaving consumers to wonder why they aren’t seeing the results they’ve been promised. Active Stress Defense shields anti-oxidants to effectively enhance anti-oxidative power by up to 500%
Building your brand with free radical quenching claims
As consumers continue to learn about the negative impact of UV, pollution, and blue light, environmental protection is becoming the number one factor for both skin health and market success. According to data from Mintel, almost 10% of new skin care products launched in 2016 combined UV and pollution protection, and environmental defense that features next-gen UV filters and blue light protection is expected to be a top trend of 2018.
Through our unique prevention technology, brands can stand out with novel free radical prevention claims that achieve a strong market impact and have broad consumer appeal. Our market-ready white label products come in a variety of textures, each telling a compelling, on-trend product story. We also offer white label customization and custom product development. All of our synergistic formulations absorb up to 99% of UV radiation and quench 98% of free radicals, while shielding vitamins and boosting antioxidant power by up to 5x more than competitor formulas — allowing your customers to enjoy the benefits of healthy, glowing skin.
