We define as an active a substance that scientific research has shown it helps skin in one way or another. This is a very broad definition but one that has been useful to us in our daily work. Among our actives you will find natural plant extracts, synthetic oligopeptides, chemicals purified from algae, and lots more. The only thing all of these have in common is that they have been shown to benefit the skin, and that the data has been published in scientific journals that are in the public domain, most of them in peer-reviewed journals. What we do not include: ingredients whose only support data have been obtained by other commercial companies.

Please keep refrigerated all serums and creams that contain proteins, like our Collagen Serum and Restoration Cream (proteins are more stable when refrigerated, NOT frozen). For serums and creams, 6 months is a good estimate of shelf life in regards to both quality and activity-level of the products. Powder actives are fine in a cool, dark place, and keep the tubes closed. Some actives (like L-Carnitine) will absorb moisture more readily, so it is important that they are kept well closed. Most powder actives will last for years. All our products are shipped to you very fresh, so you can count the 6 months from receipt. Please remember that a cream will not work unless it is applied to the skin, so don’t just buy SAS products, USE them!

Nobody likes to use preservatives: they don’t help your skin or make you younger. But preservatives prevent the multiplication of bacteria and mold in the skin care product. If it were just a matter of throwing away a half-used product because there is some mold growing in it, I would not bother using them. But it is more important than that: even when you start with a perfectly clean product, spores are floating in the air, and nasty bugs, capable of causing very dangerous infections, could grow in the product unless the correct preservative (or mixture of preservatives) is included. Clients ask me why we at SAS use preservatives in our products. My answer is that preservatives give me the peace of mind I need, because I know that our products will not cause a skin or eye infection.

Regarding parabens, there has been a lot of bad press about them, and I feel pressed to come to their defense. Why? Because the arguments against parabens are bogus when the "evidence" is examined. Parabens have some estrogenic activity, but so are thousands of chemicals which we consume daily in our food. What matters is how strong the estrogenic activity a chemical has. In this case, strength is measured by the concentration of the putative analog required to displace the natural ligand, in this case estrogen. If you need very high concentrations of the estrogen-like chemical to dislodge the estrogen from the receptor, then the activity is very low and unlikely to be of significance in real life. This is what happens with parabens: they have very low affinity for the estrogen receptor. .

Parabens have a long record of safety. They are non-allergenic, effective at very low concentrations, and they don’t contribute a smell to the finished product. Smell is one of the problems of natural preservatives containing a mixture of extracts from oregano, rosemary and more. The smell can be a overpowering (at least to my nose), and several of the extracts are allergenic. In the words of Dennis Sasseville, "the history of preservatives goes back to the 1930s, and ironically, the parabens, which the industry has sought to replace with "safer" alternatives, are still the most frequently used biocides in cosmetics and appear to be far less sensitizing than most of the newer agents." .

We (people who do like parabens) may eventually lose the "media war," as more people are convinced to avoid parabens. In this case, the general public will suffer, because there are no good substitutes for parabens that will work for all products. The result will be new preservatives coming to the market too early, without enough testing, because preservatives are essential to keep skin care products safe. Then, in one or two decades, or even sooner, we may start seeing side effects from unproven preservatives..

It is worth mentioning that preservatives are just part of the equation. It is important to start with a clean product, i.e. to limit the bacterial and fungal presence as much as possible. It has been shown that the concentration of parabens required to inhibit fungal growth depends on the initial concentration of the organisms. In short, if you are planning to make a serum, work clean, disinfect everything you will use with rubbing alcohol (let it air dry, do not blow on the utensils!) and add the preservative at the time of preparation, NOT as an afterthought one week after making the serum..

Scientists learn to use words carefully. Marketing people use words carelessly. This difference does not matter much unless you dislike to pay too much for a product or to be "taken". I don't like to be "taken", fooled, or pay too much for anything.

Organic:
A client wrote to me asking how to use our Sea Kelp Ultramarine (one of our best-selling products) with an organic cleanser she bought elsewhere. She likes using organic products. Here is the ingredient list she sent me: "Water, shea butter, succinic acid derivatives, karite tree fruit extract, laurel berry deriv., coconut methyl glycol, essential oils, beta glucosamine, beta fructan, amino guanidine".

Sounds good, especially the laurel berry and the coconut. Except that there is no such thing as laurel berry derivative in the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients), used by the industry to put some order in the labels. The "laurel berry derivative" is probably sodium lauryl sulfate, a detergent that people don't like to see in the label because it is a known irritant, unfortunately, it is the best ingredient when it comes to giving you bubbles for very little money, and manufacturers love it. This is an example of the "organic" label being used by people who have no problem lying.

Organic conveys a meaning of wholesomeness. When used for food, it means that the crop has been grown without adding synthetic fertilizers and that no pesticides have been used. The FDA has some rules about how to use the word for food products, but when it comes to cosmetics, there are no rules, and many irresponsible people will take advantage of the consumer (no rules means no punishment). My advice: whenever you see the word "organic" in a skin or hair care product, look at the ingredient list and make sure you know how to read it.

Natural:
What is "natural"? My own definition: natural is something that has been taken directly from nature and has not been modified chemically.

Why is "natural" a marketing word? It sounds good, but in reality there is nothing that makes natural chemical better than a synthetic one. In other words: a chemical is not defined by how it was obtained but by how the atoms are arranged in the molecule. There is no way to differentiate between a synthetic and a natural chemical. Moreover, whatever the feeling the word natural conveys, natural can be bad. Just think "poison ivy". Again, if you are faced with a product that is advertising "all natural", read its ingredient list.

Synthetic:
The word synthetic has been used interchangeably with artificial, but we have to look at what that compares to. If we look at things taken from nature directly, then things that are derived from natural items (chemically or otherwise) are by definition artificial or synthetic. Many laboratories have been able to stabilize and emphasize the elements in natural products, developing synthetic, yes, but stronger, more efficient actives. In fact, most manufacturers use synthetic chemicals that have been optimized for use in cosmetics after many decades of testing. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as customers are not lied to. Some manufacturers don't even know that they are using synthetic chemicals. For example, most botanical extracts used in the industry are made using hydroglycolic solvent (water plus propylene glycol) and include synthetic preservatives. By ignoring this fact, the manufacturer can list a "licorice extract" and make you think you are using a natural product when in fact the extract has little licorice in it and does contain synthetic chemicals.

We at Skin Actives Scientific use many natural products, and many of them are organic. But we do not want to reinforce the idea (wrong, in our view) that natural is good and synthetic is wrong, so we don't emphasize the origin of the chemical.

Have you ever heard of "Nanoparticles," "liposomes," "energy," "communication," "peptides," "youth proteins," and "decades of research" when you were learning about a new skin care product? These are words and phrases marketing people write to convince you to buy simple established products that are disguised as new and technologically advanced. They also sell you products to solve problems that don’t exist, based on myths they invented. As you continue learning about skin care and products, remember to learn about ingredients and their various names so that when you are confronted with fancy fake names you are not taken in by the fantasy but able to see through the marketing (not to mention to associated price tag) and can maintain control of your skin care destiny.

Maybe yes, maybe not. If you have added the right preservative in the right amount, then the changes in color and smell may have been caused by reactions between the many chemicals present in the complex mix. If you have NOT added preservative, the mix may be hazardous to your health. Many of the ingredients used in making skin care products are also great food for bacteria and mold, and some of these microbes can produce toxins that will hurt not just your skin but your whole body. When in doubt, throw the mix away.

Every shipment of every ingredient we receive comes with a CoA. To remain accurate we would have to repost each one as we change out each lot of each ingredient we stock and create – as we make small batches of product to keep them at their absolute freshest that is a huge undertaking. We do maintain all COAs in our files and specific requests for COAs can be sent to jonatan@skinactives.com.

We spend money on actives, and some of them are terribly expensive. As part of our mission, we want to keep our prices as low as possible, and this includes using simple packaging. Over the last year, we have undertaken a packaging transition to simple green and white packaging (generally) and the bonus to you is that this transition (though it looks great) has allowed us to maintain pricing at low levels both in terms of production and shipping because of their slim design and our new ability to buy in larger quantities.

Do it Yourself Skin care is just what it sounds like. It is the processes of making your own lotions and serums and other skincare yourself. This means that you mix it yourself, package it yourself – it is totally your creation. For someone new to Skin Actives, visit our Novice page for an intro to Making Your Own skin care and a great Novice Formulator Checklist. The best way to start mixing is with something simple like our Kit: Formulation for Beginners, which is a great set of ingredients with simple instructions and an excellent final product. From there, you can use the Product Selection Tool and read our newsletters and forums to see which bases and actives might be good for you. Just remember to be patient and try things slowly and you will have the joy of having created your own skincare with amazing results – and at a fraction of the price!

Use our Product Selector Tool to find out what will work best for you. If in doubt, write to us.

Use our Product Selector Tool to find out what will work best for your creation. If in doubt, write to us.

Please read the information in our website for each product you are planning to buy; more information will be sent to you with your order.

Please check out our Novice Formulator Checklist on the Novice Page. Essentially, you will need a notebook, a scale, spatulas, scoops, and pipettes (provided with your order) to mix (depending on the quantity of course). Remember to always work clean (wiping things with alcohol to avoid contamination) and do your best to not cross-contaminate (i.e. dipping a scoop in one powder, then another without cleaning it in between. Work slowly, patiently, and safely, and you will end up with great formulations.

Health:
If you have any medical problems, show your MD the ingredient list of the product you are planning to use. Just remember to be honest with yourself and your MD about your products, your skin care needs, and your goals – and be patient.

Safety:
The main concern should be to avoid contamination and use the preservatives needed. Remember that Essential Oils (aka volatile oils) and some fragrances can be very strong, creating irritation if applied directly to the skin (as opposed to being diluted in a cream or serum). Use good judgment and remember that you are creating a small lab in your home – developing new and exciting skin care products. Treat your formulations with the same respect a regular lab would: clean your instruments and utensils, wear protective items when mixing (be it goggles, gloves, an apron, etc.), and use preservatives to make sure your creations are safe for immediate and future use.

Practically all marketing for skin care products is full of falsehoods. Buyers beware! Do your research and make sure the company is reputable – using science, not marketing as their background. If you are looking for great Ready to Use products, try our Product Selector to see what Skin Actives can do for you.

If the skin is impermeable, you clearly need the last delivery system consisting of these nanoparticles designed by that famous scientist in Switzerland. Unfortunately, that famous scientist in Switzerland does not exist, or never published anything in a reputable scientific journal. Even worse, they are lying about skin properties: the skin is not impermeable and you don't need any delivery system to get an active into your skin. It may help if you apply the serum after a shower, but that is more or less it. Whatever you apply to the skin, it will be absorbed, for better and for worse.

There is no magic bullet and no ingredient is going to rejuvenate your skin ON ITS OWN. Your skin is a very complex system and has complex requirements. As we age, our body starts to "short change" the skin, even when you are having a healthy diet and take your multivitamins. Simply, there are fewer blood vessels reaching your dermis delivering fewer nutrients to the skin. Just one ingredient will not make a big change. Why? Because as soon as your skin has enough of ingredient A, another ingredient, B or C, will limit the capacity of your skin to regenerate. Remember to take care of your skin and give it the nutrition it needs for overall long term health.

Everyone has unique skin – which is why we support and encourage making your own products. Check out our Product Selection Tool to see which actives and Ready to Use Products will work for you.

Now, cleaning is important, even if you do not live or work in a polluted city. Forget about those alcohol rich toners, as they will only damage your skin. Instead use a light exfoliator like our Marine Toner or Alpha Beta Exfoliator Towels to keep pores clean as well as the skin. And moisturize? You need a lot more than that. Use a cream that will help your skin to keep water in, pollutants out. Silicones (the ingredient that gives "silky feel" to creams and lotions) is perfect for this job, but will do nothing else for your skin and may even slow down absorption of valuable nutrients. Hyaluronic Acid, Natural Active Peptides, essential fatty acids, Niacinamide and other vitamins will help your skin long-term. And if you are planning to live a long and fruitful life, you'd better think long term. So go slow on silicones and think nutrition.

Any skin care product that includes these is trying to take advantage of fashion. You cells have your own DNA, which you inherited from your parents. Your cells will express certain genes, those that correspond to the organ (in this case, skin) and time in your life (a baby does not express the same genes than an adult).

DNA that belongs to fish, cows or whatever, when applied to your skin, may be used. Fortunately, it will not be used to make the proteins of the fish or the monkey. Our immune system will not let anything get to the nuclei of your living cells, otherwise it would play havoc. Havoc is what happens when foreign DNA does actually get to the nuclei of your cells: it is what happens when a virus cheats your immune system and manages to get in. It will take further action from the immune system to eventually get rid of the foreign DNA.

So what happens to the DNA that marketers get you to apply to your skin? Most of it will be washed away, some of it will be broken down and your skin may absorb the components: nucleotides, sugars, phosphate, etc. The same thing will happen to the stem cells from cow, horse or whatever. If you immune system is working well, nothing will get in, unless it is broken down to skin food first.

This is one more example of how marketing uses "fashion" to promote useless ingredients. DNA and stem cells go directly to my "arghhhh" list. In a CSI: NY episode, the murderer was discovered because she had received a stem cell facial (from cow) before committing the murder. You can add this to the list of reasons why NOT to have a stem cell facial.

Just two words: "stinging nettle". Two more: "Poison oak". Plants can't run, and they have lots of predators, including humans. Their defense? Producing chemicals that will stop (or deter) animals from eating them. "Natural" has lately become a buzz word, often emptied of any content. For example: "allantoin (comfrey)". It is true that you can find allantoin in comfrey, but the ingredient used in skin care products is likely to be synthetic. Not that it matters, the chemical extracted from the plant cannot be distinguished from the synthetic one, but this approach only perpetuates the myth. Check out our Q & A below on Natural, Organic, and Synthetic for more details.

i. No, it doesn't. Our skin gets more than enough oxygen from the air and through the blood vessels that irrigate the dermis. In fact, our skin gets too much oxygen, and oxygen is partly to blame for aging skin. The "excess" does not result in more energy because our blood and mitochondria are saturated with oxygen (i.e. have as much as they need) but the extra free radicals will age the skin, increase mutations in our cells' DNA and break down the lipids in the cell membranes. So, if anybody invites you to an oxygen bar, run in the opposite direction. If somebody else wants to sell you a cream with hemoglobin (read: cow's blood) tell them that dead, yucky protein will do nothing for your skin. And run!

Exfoliators (acidic like Alpha Beta Towels, protease-based like Pumpkin Enzyme or physical like our Exfoliation Powder) will increase skin permeability, so take advantage of this and apply our Collagen Serum immediately after an exfoliation. Additionally, after a shower or bath, the skin will be more permeable to water soluble actives. Take advantage of this by using serums first. Then you can layer oil-based serums or creams on top.

Our Ready to Use products are designed to work in concert with one another, but we do not recommend that you "blend" them together to try and achieve a mega-cream or serum. Don’t mix serums together in the same bottle; they are O.K. as they are. Some cannot be mixed, like water-based (CHAS) and oil-based (ELS) serums. Also, the Ready to Use serums and creams have been specifically formulated to achieve the best possible outcome – and making sure there are no unwanted chemical reactions. If you are interested in using a combination of products, remember to follow the rules of layering (see above) and look to the forum if you are thinking about trying a new combination. Someone may have already come up with a terrific regimen that is just what you are looking for.

i. Here is a description from one of our clients: Panda:

My best answer is sometimes it's hard and sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it works well and sometimes it doesn't.

Start with a base that you like. That is the important part. Then mix small batches from there. As you prepare to add each active do a search on the forum and see what issues others have faced when trying to incorporate this active - like does it need to be mixed with water or heated. Add your actives one at a time and try the mix out for a few days before you add more. Some find that Alpha Lipoic Acid stings, and some don't. If it stings too much you may need to reduce the concentration by adding more base mix. Some actives require a day or two to fully dissolve (Licorice Extract). Some actives can make the base cream thin (DMAE Bitartrate), some can make it gritty (Betulinic Acid), some can make it too thick (Hylauronic Acid), and some can give it a color that will stain your skin (Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins).

See why it is so hard to answer this question! But if you start slow and make small batches you can recover from most anything and end up with a beautiful result. I hope this helps!

There are not many rules here. Be nice to proteins (like Epidermal Growth Factor, Keratinocyte Growth Factor, or Superoxide Dismutase), by keeping them cold (NOT frozen) and not mixing them with acid solutions. For example, rinse your skin well after using the Alpha Beta Exfoliator Towel, one of the few acidic products we sell. There is a theoretical point about vitamin C derivatives and metals like copper and iron, so don’t add Copper Peptide to CHAS serum. There is a wealth of information on our individual product pages as well as our Forum. Join the community, learn, and share.

Solubility has to do with the ability of an ingredient to dissolve into a solution. Solubility can be affected by the chemical makeup of the ingredient, the solution, the quantities of both, the temperature of the mixture, and the implements being used to mix.

The Science:
We have no control on the solubility of our actives, because solubility depends on the chemical structure of the chemical/chemicals in that powder or liquid.

For Formulation:
Try to "work with the active" rather than trying to push chemicals beyond what they are supposed to do. Solubility is intrinsic to the chemistry of the chemical, you can't change that. Our actives will dissolve in our Canvas Base Cream or European Base Cream, because a cream contains several ingredients, giving the chemicals in an active the "option" of finding the right molecules to interact. Just the same, an active may or may not be soluble in water, or glycerol, or vodka (I think this is alcohol 40%, water 60%), or oil. It will depend on the active.

Often, an active will dissolve in your solvent of choice, for example distilled water, but even if the chemical is water soluble this does not mean "infinite solubility". You can add a bit, of an easily soluble active like Ascorbic Acid, and it dissolves…but if you keep adding more and more Ascorbic Acid to your water, eventually the crystals will remain in that form, just sinking to bottom of your solution. Even if you heat up the mix, say in the microwave, the solubility depends on temperature, so after cooling it down, crystals will re-appear.

Just remember to add a little at a time, and do your research – and you will have great formulations.

DMAE "firms" the skin, and it is one of the few "plumping" actives. I am having trouble remembering any others, except for our own Celestite Spritz. Because plumping is so effective in hiding wrinkles, DMAE has become very popular. It has also been used for decades without any problem. If you are interested in trying DMAE, we have a Ready to Use option in our DMAE Serum, or we give the option to Make Your Own with DMAE Bitartrate. The problem with DMAE is that its mechanism of "plumping" action is unknown. This is true for most actives, so it should not be a problem per se, but it exposes DMAE to claims from people who say DMAE is bad for you. There have been a couple of such scientific papers, but the quality of that research is so bad (yes, there is such a thing as bad quality scientific research) that no conclusions can be extracted from the results. So I have to say to our clients "use DMAE for short term only" and make up the rest of plumping and firming using actives that are better known. For a longer term solution, try our Collagen Serum instead.

The Basics:
A peel is a chemical solution that is applied to the skin and allowed to penetrate and wound it in a controlled way. Healing will follow, the old skin will peel and new skin will take its place. The chemicals used are sometimes called exfoliating or wounding agents. Wounding is a good word for this, because depending on the method, the effect may be second degree burns and the pain so severe as to require general anesthesia.

Who can do a peel?
In chemical peels, a doctor, esthetician, or you, apply a chemical solution to your skin with the objective of destroying it, so that when your skin heals many of the previous visible defects will be gone.

What can go wrong?
The deeper the destruction, the more can go wrong. Some people may heal with scars, in others melanocytes may die leaving spots of hypo-pigmentation; a person with allergy to aspirin may have a bad reaction, etc. For people with "dormant" herpes virus, the peel may induce a re-awakening of the virus and reappearance of symptoms.

What can go right?
Old scars may go away, the same for minor wrinkles, age spots, etc. The deeper the destruction, the more can go right.

What are the options?
Type and concentration of the chemicals used, and how the solution is applied, these variables will determine the depth of the peel. The chemicals used most frequently in peels are alpha hydroxy acids, trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid and resorcinol. AHAs are used for superficial peels; TCA is more frequently used for medium peels.

Factors that may affect the depth of a peel include the concentration of the peeling agent, the number of coats that are applied, and the amount of time allowed before the acid is neutralized. Deeper peels result in more dramatic effects as well as higher risks, increased pain, and longer healing time.

Examples of alpha hydroxy acids are glycolic, malic, mandelic and lactic (others are used more for label value than for real value). AHAs differ in pK, which is a measure of the tendency to lose a proton. The higher the concentration of protons, the more acidic the solution will be and the lower the pH, so the low

er the pK the stronger the peel will be. Another important factor is concentration: the higher the concentration of the acid, the more protons will be released into the water and the stronger the peel.

A Tip on Labels and Concentrations:
Another label trick used by manufacturers: use a high concentration of acid but add base (like sodium hydroxide) to convert protons into water. You can then have a high concentration of "acid" on the label but most of that acid would have been converted into salt: not much use in a peel, but good for sales.

The pKs of lactic and glycolic acids are very similar. Why is it then that glycolic peels are stronger than lactic peels at the same concentration? It has nothing to do with penetration. The reason is that by using % (weight per volume of solution) we are comparing apples with oranges. This is not an effective way of comparing concentrations. Biochemists use molarity, which compares similar number of molecules. Because the glycolic molecule is smaller than lactic acid, the same weight of chemical will contain more molecules of glycolic acid than of lactic. In a solution this difference will translate into more protons.

TCA and salicylic acids are not alpha hydroxy acids, and they work not simply because of their acidity but through complex interactions with the skin proteins. TCA interacts with water molecules, exposing hydrophobic parts of the protein that would not be affected by the AHAs. TCA is used in concentrations between 25 and 50%, and because % can mean different things (concentration of TCA per 100 mL of water, concentration of TCA per 100 mL of solution, concentration of TCA per 100 grams of solutions) the person preparing the solution had better know what he/she is doing!

Salicylic acid can be used up to a concentration of 30% and it is particularly useful for oily skin and comedos, but should not be used on children and people allergic to aspirin, or on pregnant or lactating women.

Resorcinol is one of the ingredients of the Jessner solution, which includes also lactic and salicylic acid. This is a way of getting good activity without having to go too high with the concentrations, hence decreasing the risk of side effects.

Peels at Home:
Peels are both useful and dangerous. Please make sure you know what you are doing when before applying one yourself, or choose carefully the esthetician or dermatologist if you decide to have it done professionally.

What SAS offers you:
We still don't sell peels as such, but we have some products that may be better for most applications, and are certainly safer. The solution in our Alpha Beta Exfoliator Towels penetrates deeply into the skin because of its special, non-aqueous carrier, and will help renew your skin without down time. The Pumpkin Enzyme Peel is another gentle option for exfoliating the skin. Our Salicylic Wash will help with those pesky comedos and blackheads and will decrease the size of pores, and is ideal for people with a tendency to acne. We also offer our TCA Spot Treatment and TCA refills for customers looking to reduce specific age spots.

Some molecules exist in mirror forms (D and L). These molecules have at least one asymmetric carbon atom, i.e. a carbon atom that has each of its four bonds occupied by four different atoms or groups of atoms. Ascorbic Acid is one such molecule. L-ascorbic acid means that the compound's stereochemistry is related to that of the levorotatory enantiomer of glyceraldehyde. Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chirality_(chemistry) for more details.

Regarding chirality of ascorbic acid and skin care, there are two questions:

1. Does it matter whether a chemical is D or L? Yes, it does, because the special distribution of atoms is part of the structure of the chemical and will determine some of its properties.
2. Does it matter whether you are using the L- stereoisomer or a racemic mix of ascorbic acid on your skin? No. When no enzymes are involved either isomer will do. You need a minute amount of L-ascorbic acid, a cofactor for enzymes involved in the hydroxylation of pro-collagen amino acid residues. A racemic mix of ascorbic acid will have will have more than enough L-isomer to do the job and it is much less expensive. We have chosen our ascorbic acid to be very fresh (reduced) and in very fine crystals so that it can do a better job.

Please check out our guide called Turning Back the Clock.

Putting Sea Kelp Ultramarine in most all of our products is our way if insuring that your skin is getting nutrition. We have a saying around the office that "a little Sea Kelp Ultramarine every day keeps the dermatologist away." The idea is that if you get good nutrition for your skin, like you do with your body, you will have less of chance of your skin getting sick. As for what it is Sea Kelp Ultramarine is a collection of algaes and the details of their fabulous nutritional qualities are found in our past newsletter and on our Forum.