HighLIGHTING Beauty: Product Claims and Efficacy Tests for Skin Protection in the Digital Era
What is the blue light?
For many years, the focus of photobiology research and photo-protective strategies has centered on the UV portion of the solar spectrum of radiation. This is for a good reason, since the high energy of UV radiation induces acute and chronic skin damage already after short time of exposure.
Today, in addition to UVA, UVB and infrared, the visible light is now viewed as new inflammation factor from which the skin need to be protected. As the urban living and lifestyle market gains traction, “the effects of digital blue light” through the use of digital devices is an evolving trend.
Research is still ongoing but scientists have said this form of light can actually penetrate the skin more deeply that UV rays emitted by the sun and first results have demonstrated that the High-energy Visible Light (HEV, 400-495 nm), a portion of the visible light, is involved in the premature skin photoageing. Not only computer monitors, flat screen televisions, mobile phones, but also reflective surfaces like snow, sand, water, and glass or even sitting near car windows, provides constant exposure to the damaging effects of the HEV portion of the visible light.
New stressors: the effects of digital high-energy visible light
The effects of digital light through the depth use of digital devices is an evolving trend in Cosmetics Industry, reflecting shifts in consumers’ lifestyle highly connected lifestyle. HEV light (or blue light) protection claims are gaining momentum: an average person spends more time using electronic devices than sleeping.
Some researchers have revealed that blue light would be expected to contribute significantly to accelerate ageing processes not by overwhelming cellular anti-oxidant defenses, but by continuously producing low levels of radicals that can escape these defenses to cause permanent DNA damage.
Moreover, some studies have demonstrated that excessive blue light exposures can accelerate the oxidation process, stimulate the keratinocytes and act on melatonin causing the spots appearance.
What Consumers need?
Expanding protection claims, such as shielding the hair and skin from exposure to pollution, ultraviolet (UV) and Infrared (IR) light, as well as the HEV light, that is key to meeting active consumer’s demands for functional and multitasking products.
What kind of evaluations we can perform to support your “skin care and blue light” project?
Mérieux NutriSciences CosmeticLAB integrated and multi-tool approach exploits the synergies of different techniques.
SKIN PROTECTION
In vitro testing to identify the mechanism of action of a product or an ingredient
High Energy Visible Light Protection Factor – HEV-PF. Spectrometric measurements performed over the 380-530nm spectral range, HEV light transmission spectrum of a tested product.
Skin barrier. The efficacy of the barrier created by the product can be proved verifying the inflammatory action of dust migrated from the upper to the lower chamber (that mimic the skin): the efficacy is identified with a reduction of IL8 secretion.
Antioxidant metabolism. Activity of cellular free radicals scavenging systems.
Energizing activity. Protecting energy metabolism through ATP production evaluation.
REDUCING THE SIGNS OF THE PHOTOAGEING
In vivo evaluations with measurements and digital and quantitative imaging systems – the visual evidence
Reduce the photoageing and inflammageing effects. Potential impact on visible signs evaluation – as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and imperfections – through skin imaging analyzer to obtain data parameters and visual on skin complexion.
Reduce dark spots. Potential impact on skin pigmentation – the visible spectrum is wide and it can be hypothesized that not all wavelengths between 400-700 nm induce the same photo-biological effects on pigmentation. Evaluation of skin homogeneity and brightness through morphological analysis of skin colour, spot colour, spot surface average and irregularity of the edge.
GLOWING SKIN
Consumer studies to understand the end user expectation: the wow effect
Relaxed effect. Understand the wellbeing of the skin after product application.
Comfort skin. Skin feeling comforted all day long.
