Actives are the ingredients that provide functional benefits to the products instead of just being used as an additive, to bulk up the volume or to stabilize the formula.
In a skincare product, every ingredient that provides emollience, hydration, anti-oxidation, UV Protection, anti-inflammation, or anti-bacterial activities are all actives regardless of what their primary application is.
Eluxier's Promise of Evolved Care looks at each ingredient from a functional point of view.
At Eluxier, an ingredient is prioritized in it's evaluation if it imparts a functional benefit for skin or hair wellness. Some of the key actives we use are the following:
Peptides:
Peptides are a group of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. In the body, peptides are responsible for signaling, regulatory feedback mechanisms, defense, immunity, growth, homeostasis, and reproduction.
Amino Acids:
Eluxier products use a proprietary blend of skin-identical concentrations of amino acids (in proportions in which they exist across different layers of skin). the amino acids we use in our products are Arginine, Aspartic acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, and Phenylalanine.
Ceramides:
Lipids are the most crucial pathways for the diffusion and transportation of substances in our body, especially across the skin. Lipids form the largest part of the epidermis's chemical composition. This lipidic matrix is composed of an approximately equimolar mixture of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids.
Small chain ceramides, in fact, disrupt the protective barrier function. Ceramides when applied to the skin, don’t penetrate through the skin to deeper layers, however, studies have found that these ceramides fill the spaces between the keratinocytes in the stratum corneum to repair the barrier function of the skin. For this to happen, the most crucial aspect is that the ceramide mixture should be bio-mimic or skin-identical. Incomplete lipid mixtures yield abnormal lamellar body contents and lead to intercellular lamellae disruption. In contrast, complete lipid mixtures result in normal lamellar bodies and intercellular bilayers. A lipid mixture that does not have the same composition as a lamellar lipid matrix, will disrupt the barrier instead of repairing it.
The preferred ceramide is a mixture of various ceramides. Eluxier uses a synthetically manufactured ceramide complex which is a mixture of 5 types of ceramides along with plant-based cholesterol, that makes it biodynamic.
Ethyl Ascorbate:
Ascorbic acid is one of the most important anti-oxidants for skin protection and rejuvenation.
Ascorbic acid acts as a cofactor for prolyl and lysyl hydroxylase, key enzymes that cross-link and stabilize collagen fibers. It also directly activates the transcription factors involved in collagen synthesis. Ascorbic acid also acts as a natural replenisher of Vitamin E in the skin, providing a synergistic antioxidant activity.
However, the tendency to oxidize on air exposure and sensitivity towards light, makes it completely unviable for skin care. Therefore, different forms of stable ascorbic acid have been made. Each of them has different physiochemical and biodynamic features, however, the size of the molecule defines the absorption and bioavailability of Ascorbic acid.
Our current products use Ethyl Ascorbate. 3-O-ethyl ascorbate has shown strong anti-cancer effects and also inhibits tyrosinase enzyme reducing melanin production along with other clinical benefits.
D-Panthenol:
Dex-Panthenol is a pro-vitamin that converts into pantothenic acid or vitamin B5 inside the body which acts as a component of Coenzyme A that catalyzes the early steps in the synthesis of fatty acids and ceramides. Panthenol has a significant effect on deep moisturization of stratum corneum and wound healing through two separate mechanisms. Panthenol increases gene expression and several clinical studies have shown an increase in fibroblast proliferation and rapid epithelialization of wounds.
Panthenol is highly hygroscopic, so it can penetrate deeper into the skin and provide sustained hydration. Panthenol's hydrating properties are related to its barrier regeneration capabilities. Panthenol has been shown to increase molecular mobility even in dehydrated conditions
Niacinamide:
Vitamin B3 is used in the synthesis of the NAD+ family of coenzymes, contributing to cellular energy metabolism and defense systems.
Niacinamide has been verified in treating almost every skin disorder, viz. aging, hyperpigmentation, acne, psoriasis, pruritus, dermatitis, fungal infections, epidermal melasma, non-melanoma skin cancer, etc. It has been reported to possess numerous properties, for instance, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antipruritic, and anticancer, Given a sufficient bioavailability, niacinamide has antipruritic, antimicrobial, vasoactive, photo-protective, sebostatic and lightening effects depending on its concentration. Niacinamide leads to an increase in protein synthesis (e.g. keratin), has a stimulating effect on ceramide synthesis, speeds up the differentiation of keratinocytes, and raises intracellular NADP levels. In ageing skin, topical application of niacinamide improves the surface structure, smoothes out wrinkles and inhibits photocarcinogenesis. It is possible to demonstrate anti-inflammatory effects in acne, rosacea and nitrogen mustard-induced irritation