Introducing
Moon Beam Retinal Elixir
February 20, 2023
0.1% Retinal + 2% Bakuchiol + 5% Niacinamide + 3% Squalene + 6% NZ botanical antioxidants to smooth and firm skin
All hail Vitamin A. If there is one thing to add to your skincare routine, it’s this. Vitamin A is every skincare lover’s favourite wrinkle-reversing, firming, clearing all-star miracle worker. Why do we love it?
- Gold-standard for anti-aging, it improves visible sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles
- Accelerates skin cell renewal and increases collagen production.
- Because it also exfoliates the skim, it also targets acne breakouts and tightens the look of pores.
Designed for NZ skin: We wanted to launch with a vitamin A serum because wrinkles and sagging can appear 20 years earlier in women in the Australia/ NZ, compared to our Northern hemisphere sisters [1]. By utilising the plants that have learnt to survive in these same extreme conditions, we can harness the plant antioxidants benefit for our skin in the same way they benefit the plants; protecting against future damage and repairing damaged skin cells to promote healthy, clear, luminous skin.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6001558/
Main Benefits
Smooth
Retinal boosts cell turnover, improves tone and texture, helps unclog pores, while also stimulating collagen production to ward off fine lines and wrinkles.
Firm
Retinal also thickens the dermis to slow down the formation of wrinkles and give you that bouncy, firm, pillowy skin surface.
ARE ALL VITAMIN A’S THE SAME?
Ohhhhh no... There are 3 forms of vitamin A - retinol, and retinoic acid, and the new-kid-on-the-block; retinAL - that collectively are known as retinoids.
Retinal is actually a different molecule to retinol. Retinal works 11 times faster than retinol and is less irritating [2]. The reason for the lower side effect/ irritation profile of Retinal is that metabolism of retinal to retinoic acid occurs only by skin cells as they are differentiating. This creates a more steady and controlled delivery of retinoic acid to the skin cells and results in less of the irritating effects compared to tretinoin and other retinoids like Retinol [3].
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699641/pdf/cia-1-327.pdf
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699641/pdf/cia-1-327.pdf
RETINOIDS VS. BAKUCHIOL
Sometimes touted as ‘botanical retinol’, bakuchiol is actually a totally different thing.
Retinoic acid has the ability to connect to almost any skin-cell receptor site and instruct it to behave like a healthy, younger skin cell. Through this process, retinoic acid sends nuclear signalling to the skin’s deeper layers to amp up collagen and elastin production.
On the other hand, bakuchiol comes from the babchi plant and mimics vitamin E by healing and hydrating compromised skin. Bakuchiol also contains terpenoids that have no structural similarity to retinol but have been reported to have similar effects on gene
expression and is clinically comparable to retiniods in its reduction of wrinkles and
photoaging.
In fact, research shows these two ingredients work really well together, and here’s why:
bakuchiol’s potent calming and stabilising properties let retinoids work better and increase skin’s tolerance to this well-studied ingredient [4] [5]. We strategically combine retinal and bakuchiol, as well as adding another natural form of Vitamin A; NZ Alpine Rosehip, to multiply the wrinkle-smoothing, firming benefits.
[4] Skinmed, September 2019, pages 188-189
[5] Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, April 2016, ePublication
WHAT IS “CLEAN RETINAL”?
A safe derivative of Vitamin A without BHT or BHA. Many other retinoids are stabilized with preservatives including BHA and BHT. Why don’t we like them? BHA and BHT can induce allergic reactions in the skin [6]. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies BHA as a possible human carcinogen [7]. The European Commission on Endocrine Disruption has also listed BHA as a Category 1 priority substance, based on evidence that it interferes with hormone function [8].
Because of our retinal is encapsulated in sophisticated delivery system, we can avoid using any preservatives that do not adhere to our clean philosophy.
[6] U.S. National Library of Medicine, in Haz-Map: Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents, 2010
[7] IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans vol. 17 (Paris: International Agency for Research on Cancer), vol. 40 (1986)
[8] Study on Enhancing the Endocrine Disrupter Priority List with a Focus on Low Production Volume Chemicals, Revised Report to DG Environment (Hersholm, Denmark: DHI Water and Environment,
The Botanicals
We pair our Retinal, Niacinamide, Bakuchiol and Squalene with wild-crafted active New
Zealand botanicals for extra firming, smoothing and nourishment. New Zealand has some of
the highest UV radiation in the world, and the plants have had to evolve to protect
themselves. These botanicals allow your skin to stand up to the harshest conditions.
2% Native Marine Sea Algae, hand-harvested off the Southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. This sea algae pumped full of antioxidants from arctic streams that come up from the Antarctic, which brings a plethora of antioxidants and rich minerals, providing long-lasting hydration and nourishment.
2% Harakeke Flax - a native New Zealand flax packed with some of the highest counts of omega fatty acids (70% linoleic acid and 20% oleic acid) in any flax which aids in the health of our skin’s natural barrier and helps to seal in hydrating and moisturising properties. The phytosterols in New Zealand Flax seed oil help to ease redness and irritation, while the oil’s antioxidants contribute to fighting surface free radicals.
2% Wild-harvested NZ Alpine Rosehip which thrives on exposed and freezing mountaintops. A natural form of Vitamin A and fatty acids, especially omega-3 (linolenic acid) and omega-6 (linoleic acid), rosehip softens skin and improves skin barrier function
These ingredients all work together synergistically to give a smoother, firmer, bouncier skin.
