Regenerative Science

Diving deeper into the science of Regenerative Cycling

 

The challenges to traditional anti-aging skincare:
Tachyphylaxis.

The current technologies available allow skincare chemists to formulate with materials that have impressive clinical results. But if these products continued to perform as they have been scientifically proven to do, we would never need to buy a different product. The reason this does not occur can be explained by basic biology. The body has a remarkable ability to adapt to the environment and its’ exposure to different chemicals and stimuli.

Additionally, many of the actives reach their full potential in 30-60 days. This could be due to our body’s desire for homeostasis, or that the active has reached its’ maximum potential, and thus, is now in a maintenance mode. Tachyphylaxis (aka skin plateau) is a well known condition that effects the efficacy of many things including: medicines, muscle response, and actives in skincare. We spent more than 5 years working to figure out a solution for tachyphylaxis and believe it represents a significant breakthrough in the skincare industry.

Regenerative CyclingTM Science.

Using the same technique as muscle confusion, Regenerative Cycling stays one step ahead of tachyphylaxis by keeping the skin, and our bodies, reacting to different actives throughout the program.

Also, this technique is allowing for the use of multiple technologies in the same area without the added cost of additional actives because we are changing approaches after we have achieved most, if not all, of the benefits of the first.

To expand on this, we need to modify our approach to general skincare and anti-aging. By staying ahead of the body’s attempts at equilibrium, and taking advantage of efficacy timing, we can continue benefit from the current trends in active cosmetics. That’s why we have two cycles in the system. Just as the body begins to adapt and the actives reach maximum efficacy, we change mechanisms. The concept is cyclical.

Cycle 1 leads to cycle 2 and then back to cycle 1 repeating continuously and always staying one step ahead of tachyphylaxis.

How do the ingredients differ in each cycle product?

Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 products are both similar in that they utilize the same base, scent and feel. So, you won’t be changing the texture, smell or appearance of the product every couple months. You will change the “dosage” (actives and mechanisms of action).

The actives target a result, not a specific mechanism. For example, collagen production can occur through several different pathways. One mechanism might show an increase in collagen via one pathway that maxes out after 60 days. That’s when we switch to a different cycle that targets collagen synthesis in an alternate way, thereby increasing collagen more than one active could do alone.

Most “active” ingredients in cosmetics have been clinically tested. They are all optimized to deliver results in a certain category. Typically these actives deliver results in one or more of these categories relating to aging skin. In fact, many actives touch on the same results, i.e., moisturization, wrinkles, blemishes, etc... That’s because all of the signs of aging are connected. For example, dryness leads to irritation, which can lead to an immune response, which leads to inflammation, which can lead to wrinkles. Or sun damage leads to damaged skin, irritation, redness and age spots.

So, although some ingredients share results in anti-irritation or increased moisturization, one may be better in a particular category than the other.

Staying ahead of the body’s natural tendency toward homeostasis and naturally adaptive processes, we can include overlapping technologies into a system that delivers in stages.

This keeps the product accessible from a retail price point, while delivering amazing results.

The ingredients in our system and the conditions they target.

Skin Brightening.

Skin brightening is one of the most difficult tasks to achieve. For one, it takes time. Time for the melanin to be “blocked” and then time for the “blocked” melanin to replace existing melanin. Skin brightening is not bleaching. It is preventing melanin from forming, or transferring, to the melanocyte. While this is taking place, older melanin is being replaced.

We must simply wait for it to be replaced with less. The pathway to melanin synthesis starts with αMSH (Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone). Then Tyrosine is converted to DOPA (Dyhydroxyphenylalanine) by the enzyme Tyrosinase and subsequently converted to melanin. Tyrosine conversion by Tyrosinase is involved in several steps along the way to melanin production. After melanin is formed, it is then transported from the Melanocyte to the Keratinocytes, resulting in darker skin.

How we prevent dark spots (melanin) from forming:

The typical cycle for skin turnover is 28 days. Cycle 1 contains Bellis Perennis extract (from daisy flowers) which is a clinically proven active that targets Tyrosinase as well as αMSH thereby slowing the production of melanin. After two months of application from our cycle 1 product and melanin production has been reduced, we alter the mechanism of action by introducing cycle 2 product active Rhuem Rhaponticum Root extract which then goes to work to continue the reduction of Tyrosinase activity but also slows the transport of melanin. The mechanisms of action along with the distinct actives from cycle 1 to cycle 2 ensure optimal performance of skin brightening.

Wrinkle reduction, skin density, and improved elasticity.

Anti-aging, the most desirable skincare result is a big part of our Regenerative Cycling system.

The Extracellular Matrix (ECM)

-Collagen: Responsible for the skin’s strength and smoothness. Collagen also plays and important role in the tight interaction between the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ), resulting in firmer skin.

-Elastin: Elastin helps maintain the structure of the collagen network. Without it, the network would be haphazard and unorganized, leading to uneven contoured skin, sogginess, and wrinkles.

Each cycle product contains uses multiple actives that are clinically proven to increase the production of collagen and elastin and also hyaluronic acid within the skin. Clinical trials of these actives (available upon request) showed dramatic improvement of skin appearance by improving skin elasticity by 36% and skin laxity by 50%. Each cycle product has unique actives ensuring that tachyphylaxis is avoided and actives deliver continuous benefits to the skin without ever hitting a plateau.

Skin Regeneration through improved cell metabolism & skin barrier repair.

-Keratinocyte repair. Both cycle products contain unique actives that
work to improve barrier function through stimulating the release of
growth factors in keratinocytes increasing their proliferation, migration
and differentiation leading to an effective barrier function.

-Matrix renewal: Essential for skin elasticity. Our innovative wake seed
extracts in cycle 1 combined with carob seed extract in our cycle 2
product provide a powerful combination of cell renewal and anti-aging
benefits.

Moisturization and the areas that need to be protected.

The road to younger looking skin starts with maintaining hydration to the skin and that starts with repairing the damage that has already occurred from poorly formulated skincare products to pollution, stress and other oxidants in the environment. We address repair and restoration of the skin barrier with other actives in our products. But proper moisturization goes beyond the skin barrier, so let’s discuss how we approach hydration to the skin.

The Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) is a collection of water-soluble compounds that are only found in the stratum corneum. These compounds compose approximately 20%-30% of the dry weight of the corneocyte. NMF components absorb water from the atmosphere and combine it with their own water content allowing the outermost layers of the stratum corneum to stay hydrated despite exposure to the elements. Because NMF components are water soluble, they are easily leached from skin cells by water contact-which is why repeated contact with water actually makes your skin drier. To address this critical issue, we have formulated multiple ingredients within both cycle 1 and cycle 2 products to ensure your skin is properly moisturized each and every day you use our product.

-Our japonicas root extract is clinically proven to restore lipid organization and function while increasing the levels of NMFs described in the prior paragraph.

-Use of multiple plant extracts including salicornia herbacea work to stimulate the production of urea which is critical for water uptake and results in an increase of 5000% in water retention per month.

-Added hyaluronic acid, a powerful and well known humectant, provides an additional layer of water retention making the Alina Regenerative Face Cream one of the most comprehensive moisturizing products ever created.

All of our core actives are clinically proven and have gone through multiple clinical trials.

Please contact us at hello@alinacorp.com if you have any questions or need further information.