In the struggle for beauty, not only familiar creams are helpful, but also products created with the use of new technologies.
Lamellar products
To understand how lamellar creams work, let’s remember chemistry lessons. Almost any cream is an emulsion or a mixture of oil and water. In lamellar creams, they are not mixed with each other but are arranged in the form of layers (plates): oil-water, oil-water, and so on. In Latin, a plate is called lamella, hence the name of the cosmetic product.
In their structure, lamellar creams are similar to a hydrolipid barrier located on the surface of the skin. It is also layered, only instead of oil it contains sebum. This barrier protects tissues from dehydration and aggressive environmental influences.
If the hydrolipidic “coating” becomes thinner, the lamellar cream becomes a “restorer”: it builds in and “repairs” the damaged areas. With long-term use, lamellar cosmetics also have a positive effect on the skin tone and even complexion.
Last year, the International Journal of Cosmetic Science published the results of a study by a group of scientists from the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom. The subjects used lamellar cream twice a day for a month. As a result, their skin became more hydrated, supple, and wrinkles were less noticeable.
Polynucleotides
Polynucleotides are nucleic acids that store all the information about our body. One of the causes of skin ageing is damage to the DNA and RNA molecules of our cells. Polynucleotides recognize “breakage” and repair damaged areas of nucleic acids. The main task of these substances is to start the process of regeneration or replacement of old cells with new ones. Polynucleotides do not interfere with genetic processes.
The polynucleotides in cosmetics are often obtained from the milt (seed glands) of salmonids. The fact is that in terms of DNA structure, milts are close to human leukocytes. Once in the body, polynucleotides are taken for several things at once. They participate in cell renewal, stimulate collagen production, making the skin more elastic, neutralize free radicals, slowing down the ageing process, and reduce the formation of melanin, fighting the appearance of age spots.
In some cosmetic clinics, drugs with these substances are applied by injection. The usual course is 4-5 procedures, and the effect lasts about six months. The main contraindication for the use of cosmetics or injections with polynucleotides is an allergy to fish and seafood.
Nanoparticles
Cosmetic products with niosomes are not a new phenomenon, but rather a well-forgotten old one. These nanoparticles were patented in France back in the late 1980s. Now they are actively included in anti-ageing creams, hair care products, and in Japan – in cosmetics for skin whitening. The secret of the popularity of niosomes is in their ability to deliver biologically active substances to the epidermis and deeper layers of the skin. These nanoparticles “pack” anti-inflammatory components, plant extracts and other components. Once in our body, they are gradually released and accelerate the process of cell regeneration.
Niosome products protect the skin from cold and wind and fight problems such as rosacea and age spots. However, many popular science publications advise against using it too often. The final point in the dispute about the safety of nanoparticles in cosmetics has not yet been set.
