Now and again, I’ll come across a product that is completely ahead of its time, but somehow NOW just doesn’t fit in. The product I am going to talk about today is essentially a trailblazer, extremely under-rated but because the brand didn’t time entry to market properly, its just going to disappear in oblivion.
I felt a sense of despair that this inanimate object would disappear without anyone remembering it: what is my legacy and is it it important?
1) What is the brand?
The brand is Elizabeth Arden and almost 2 decades ago, they released a skinceutical line called prevage. (If you don’t know who Elizabeth Arden then think the 8 hour cream)
2) What’s the product
In about 2015/16 prevage released an iteration of a sunscreen – and if the current version of this sunscreen were released today, it probably would be 80% on trend.
Why?
- It is oil-free (and therefore suitable for acne-prone skin).
- Is a mineral sunscreen that is tinted, light-weight and (literally) spreads on your skin like butter. The sensory experience of using this sunscreen, day in and day out, is 1000%
- It has a sunscreen strategy (see below)
The product is extremely silicone heavy – but having just reviewed the top 30 bestselling sunscreens on Sephora USA, this is a non-issue for consumers. Why? So many of these sunscreens are explosions in silicone.
3) What are the drawbacks of the product?
If I had my way, I would use this sunscreen every day, twice or even thrice a day, but the price is PROHIBITIVE. At US$ 72 (with shipping close to US$ 80) for 40ml, this is an excruciatingly expensive sunscreen.
The second drawback of the product is undoubtedly that the mineral sunscreens are present as nano-particles.
There are exceptionally few nano Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide sunscreens out in the market.
4) What is the sunscreen strategy?
I am sure “sunscreen strategy” is a thing that is more ubiquitous in Made in Europe sunscreens (as there is a greater choice of UV filters), but this is what I mean:
- I am looking for a combination of UVA and UVB filters, which this sunscreen provides by having both Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide as filters. TiO2 is a better UVB filter and ZnO a better UVA filter (see below). Is this the best combination in the world? No, but in comparison with what’s available in the USA – its decent (click here to read review)
- We know that for filters that protect against both UVB and UVA radiation.
- More energetic UVB is mainly responsible for sunburn (inflammation of skin) caused by reddening (erythema) and UVA (less energetic but penetrates the skin to deeper to the dermis) is mainly responsible for premature or photoageing, primarly caused by breakdown of collagen in the dermis. Premature ageing is characterised by hyperpigmentation, wrinkle and loss of skin elasticity and so on.
- The loss of the skin elasticity is being ascribed especially to UVA producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) that activate different matrix metalloproteinases, which damage collagen and other dermal matrix proteins
The UV filters are an exhaustible quantity – hence you need to keep reapplying, but what else can a sunscreen do to prevent photoageing?
prevage counters this by having ingredients that work against Reactive Oxygen Species (anti-pollutants and anti-oxidants)
5) What are the actives in this sunscreen that act against ROS and prevent inflammation?
- CARNOSINE (naturally occurring dipeptide that removes free radicals, resists oxidation, resists glycation, especially to prevent skin ageing)
- ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA EXTRACT (has potential anti-ageing effects by potentially improving anti-oxidant ability)
- CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT (green tea extract, which depending on the intensity and concentration of the active, is a stronger and more stable anti-oxidant then Vitamin C)
- ERGOTHIONEINE (According to a manufacturer, super natural antioxidant for resiting photoaging, brightening skin, getting rid of yellow skin and stablizing skin tone. Ergothioneine has stronger activities against hydroxyl, peroxy radical and peroxynitrite radical than the classical antioxidants GSH (glutathione), Vitamin E and Uric Acid)
- FERULIC ACID (strong free radical and scavenging activities)
- HYDROXYDECYL UBIQUINOYL DIPALMITOYL GLYCERATE (A derivative of Ubiquinone, which I believe deals with oxidative stress. See https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2010.09.108)
- PLANKTON EXTRACT (provides anti-ageing and anti-wrinkle activities)
- MICROCOCCUS LYSATE (potentially trade name Telessence Breeztel™ that is a marine ferment that reduces stress in the skin (cortisol (?)))
More on the formulation tomorrow!