3 Key Products That Drive The Science Of Organic Skin Care

Behind The Science of Organic Skin Care The Science of Organic Skin Care has rapidly developed since the early years of our century.  Organic skin care has quickly gained popularity both with end users and professionals. With the ever-developing biochemistry industry, nowadays it is much easier to create pure formulations with natural preservatives. The international organic certification agencies (COSMOS, BDIH, EcoCert, The Soil Association etc.) also ensure consumers about the purity, sustainability and social responsibility of organic and natural brands. But it does make a difference what active ingredients are used in their formulations, and how those are created.

Biotechnology, technology based on biology – harnesses cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet. Biotechnology is technology that utilizes biological systems, living organisms or parts of this to develop or create different products. Here are some examples:

Botanical Pulps

Herbal extracts are the most common form of herbal ingredients found in skin care products. The reasons herbal extracts are chosen over pulps are numerous including long shelf life as a result of the process in which they are created and numerous wholesale resources that include the option to purchase over the internet. What it really boils down to is convenience and cost. The process of growing, selecting, converting and storing herbal pulps is much less common because it is more time consuming, requires more attention to caring for the base ingredients, and requires a lengthier process prior to the creation of the final botanical product.

The products of ilike organic skin care contain whole certified organic fruit and herb pulps as primary active ingredients rather than herbal extracts. Why?

Regardless of the fruit, vegetable or herb, the most diverse and intact collection of nutrients comes through the whole herb. Focusing on two key components of fruits, vegetables and herbs – the pulp and the skin – will help to clarify why there is such a difference between using extracts and the whole herb.

Let’s take the example of fruit juices. Research has proven that drinking apple juice with pulp is better for the health than clear apple juice which has had the pulp stripped away. For example, researchers at the Agricultural University of Wroclaw, Poland, found that apple juice with fruit pulp contains four times as much of the beneficial substances as non-pulp juice. But what exactly are these beneficial substances?

Fruits, vegetables and herbs contain polyphenols. Polyphenols are a group of chemical substances found in plants that are generally further subdivided into tannins and phenylpropanoids, such as lignans and flavonoids. Polyphenols are also antioxidants that help absorb chemicals known to damage cells in the body, therefore inhibiting the aging process.

Research has shown that Polyphenols may also reduce the risk of some cancers as well as heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. Higher levels of polyphenols are found in organic produce, as well as in fruit pulps rather than in juices or extracts.

Another common example of using fruit pulps is the orange pulp. The white pulpy part of the orange is the primary source of its flavonoids. The juicy orange-colored sections contain most of its vitamin C. In the cells of the human body, flavonoids and vitamin C often work together, and support health through their interaction. When the pulpy white part of the orange is removed during the extraction process, the flavonoids of the orange are lost. The retention of the flavonoids is one of the many reasons for using the whole orange pulps in our products.

The edible skin of many botanicals are all sites of important biological activity in the life of the fruit or herb. The surface of the skin interacts with sunlight, and forms a variety of colored pigments that absorb different wavelengths of light. Thorough research has proven that these pigments – including Carotenoids and Bioflavonoids – are nutrients that protect the health of and provide nourishment to the skin. The skin of whole fruits like grapes have been studied for their ability to help lower the risk of cancer and help provide protection from ultraviolet light.

Unfortunately, with herbal extracts we don’t get to experience and enjoy the full effects of the skin of the botanicals, because that is removed during the process. The pulps are also removed, thus not allowing the full benefit of the herb to be included in the extract.

Contribution by Szilvia Hickman

Szilvia Hickman is the owner and president of Szép Élet, the exclusive distributor of ilike organic skin care and Purée Spa Organics. For more information on the fruit and herb pulp based certified organic products made in Hungary for over 60 years call 888.290.6238 or visit www.ilikeorganics.com. Szilvia Hickman is also member of the Green Spa Network personal Care Product Committee (www.greenspanetwork.org). Hickman can be reached at shickman@szepelet.com.

3 Products Using The Science Of Organic Skin Care

With a unique biofermentation process, in ilike organic skin care products we often use the skin of the herbs in addition to the pulp to deliver the full benefits of the botanical ingredients, which leads to much more natural and effective products and superior skin care results. These pulps are the base of every ilike organic skin care product.

Peptides are naturally occurring biological molecules made up of amino acids. They are found in all living organisms and play a key role in all manner of biological activity. In the human body, peptides are found in every cell and tissue and perform a wide range of essential functions. Maintenance of appropriate concentration and activity levels of peptides is necessary to achieve homeostasis and maintain health.

Peptides have the same chemical structure as proteins. The only difference is that they are shorter in length. When amino acids link together, the chain they form is called amino peptide (comprising 2-50 amino acids). When peptides link together, they become the basis for all protein (50+ amino acids). The most important skin protein is collagen, because without collagen, there is no elasticity.

The most prominent reason for collagen breakdown is aging, a process we can’t stop. But there are behavioural and environmental reasons your collagen might break down – and these are things we can control. Exposure to UV radiation – whether that be a result of tanning beds or simply leaving the house without sunscreen – can break down collagen. Smoking and other behavioural factors can also lead to its deterioration.

peptides = proteins-like collagen = anti-aging defense

Peptides can be manufactured synthetically, but the Hexapeptide-11 in the ilike organic skin care Eco-Peptide Therapy with Aloe and Ginkgo Collection is created from yeast by using fermentation biotechnology. The resulting fermentation product is fractionated using proprietary filtration and chromatography to isolate the desired dominant peptide, which is then separated from the crude mixture and isolated in a highly purified state.

Additionally, we use Pea Peptide, a complete source of essential amino acids, most notably lysine, which is an essential building block for human cells. It is the unique balance of nutrients that give this nourishing peptide its beneficial anti-aging, cell regenerative, antioxidant, conditioning and strengthening properties.

As a major component of the extracellular matrix, Hyaluronic Acid keeps the skin moisturized, firm, elastic and free of wrinkles. The ilike organic skin care signature plant-based HA Complex is derived from Tara Tree Seeds and Marine Seaweed (Enteromorpha Compressa), as well as produced by biofermentation of non-GMO raw plant ingredients (peptone, yeast extract, glucose). Some hyaluronic acid molecules form a velvety layer on the surface of the skin that acts as a moisture keeping barrier and a protecting layer minimizing moisture evaporation. Other hyaluronic acid molecules penetrate the deeper dermal layers and fill the wrinkle lines from the inside out by their moisture retaining and elasticizing abilities.

The signature ilike organic skin care HA Complex can be found in many products, including out Hyaluronic Time Erase Complex Collection, Probiotic Collection, Eco-Peptide Therapy Collection and our newest Booster Collection.

Skin care boosters contain the most impactful active ingredients in the highest concentration; therefore, they can provide highly effective solutions for various skin conditions.

The ilike organic skin care Booster Collection combines high efficacy botanical nutrients with some of the latest biotechnology for targeted skin improvements in the deeper layers. They individually strengthen the skin by further enhancing its essential functional activities, as well as the effects of the additionally used treatments and topical products. Simply put, adding a Booster is a way to turbocharge professional treatments and daily home care.

Our products are certified by the strict COSMOS standards to provide safe, pure and sustainable professional grade solutions for various skin conditions.

Probiotics treat a wide range of skin conditions topically as they increase the natural healing and renewing ability of the skin by balancing its microbiome.

Although the word “bacteria” is usually associated with illnesses, not all species are harmful, tissue invading and damaging kinds. In fact, medicine puts emphasis on maintaining the “good bacteria” level in our guts, so we can have better chance for not getting sick. One of the key goals to help good bacteria thrive is maintaining a healthy pH level – both in our guts and on our skin.

Within the skin microbiome, there is a variety and a large number of harmless microorganisms (a.k.a. good bacteria) that reside in deeper layers, as well as on top of our skin. Their task is to protect our skin from bad bacteria and toxic pollution. Being on location, they act faster than our immune system can, balancing out the harmful acts of bad bacteria. If the healthy environment is compromised for these beneficial microorganisms the immune system starts to fight the bad bacteria and other pollutants, which typically results in inflammation and redness, flaring up skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema or psoriasis. Inflammation can also cause wrinkles and premature aging, so avoiding it – with the help of probiotics – is desirable for all of us.

The most studied form of probiotics is Lactobacillus derived from Lactic Acid. Many strains of it have anti-inflammatory properties, and have shown to improve the strength of the skin by their nourishing abilities. Therefore, if we have a healthy balance of probiotics (meaning a healthy skin microbiome), there will be less damage, inflammation and dryness, and the overall appearance will be healthier and more radiant.

Have you heard of supplementing the body (our guts) with probiotics once we have to take antibiotics? Because antibiotics kill all bacteria, good or bad. One important step people can take for a healthy skin microbiome is stop using antibacterial skin care products, such as cleansers, and add at least one product to their skin care regimen that supplies probiotics topically.

ilike organic skin care combines probiotics with organic antioxidant-rich botanicals, such as Elderflower and Blackberry. Our Probiotic Serum, Moisturizer and Day & Night Treatment mask provide a multitasking solution to treat the skin from internal and external damaging effects, and slow the aging process.

Ilike organic skin care has been dedicated for 63 years to provide high quality, results-driven and 100% natural and certified organic product formulations that work in harmony with the skin’s natural chemistry. Our professional grade spa therapy-led products combine centuries old herbal medicine with biotechnology to bring clinically proven results.