The Science

Science and tests performed on the No. 42 Antioxidant Facial Oil

Data backed results from the lab

Antiradical Ability = “The antiradical activity of 1 gram of the cosmetic corresponds to the antiradical activity of Trolox of about the 803.17 g mass. After 60 min of reaction with the ABTS radical, the preparation solution neutralized it in 57.62% which indicates the medium value of the antiradical activity of the preparation, compared to the activity of the analogously prepared solutions of butylhydroxytoluene (E321 BHT) and Trolox.”

Blue light, UVA, UVB AND IR test = “The tested sample absorbs electromagnetic radiation in the whole examined range (UVB, UVA and Blue Light). The obtained results indicate the absorption in the Blue Light area. The obtained results indicate that the test sample exhibits the ability to absorb radiation in the mid-infrared range (2500 nm to 25000 nm range). The examined cosmetic protects against Blue Light radiation (radiation in area 400-470nm).
TEWL (transepidermal water loss) = 29% increase in moisture levels after 28 days.

Redness / Colour / measurement = 10% redness reduction after 28 days.

 

 

The Science Behind the Key Ingredients

Frankincense Resin Extract

Frankincense is an aromatic resin used in incense and perfumes, obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia in the family Burseraceae. The word ‘frankincense’ is from Old French, meaning “high-quality incense”. Resin is available in various grades and is hand-sorted for quality. The trees start producing resin at about eight to 10 years old. Tapping is done two to three times a year, with the final taps producing the best tears due to their higher aromatic terpene, sesquiterpene and diterpene content. Generally speaking, the more opaque resins are the best quality.

Frankincense has excellent anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antioxidant properties. The resin extract contains the highest amounts of the proponents of these properties, much more than the essential oil does. This is the reason Herbal Earth uses resin extract. So what does that mean? It means that it can help prevent infections on your skin. It is also thought to aid wound healing and reduce scars’ appearance, all leading to a more glowing complexion.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1529-8019.2009.01284.x

*A note on the sustainability of Frankincense and our chosen supplier:

Herbal Earth has sourced and uses a sustainable supplier of Frankincense. They work directly with registered local villagers in Somaliland who harvest the Frankincense resin from a company and family-owned farms to sustainably manage the Frankincense tree populations, as they have done for several generations. Great care is taken to ensure that their heritage is never spoiled through mismanagement or overexploitation. Tapping the trees is carried out by trained and experienced harvesters and encompasses a series of highly specialized tasks carefully carried out in a systematic approach sensitive to the health and propagation of the forests and their surrounding environment. They have implemented a tree planting programme to research sustainable agricultural methods and monitor commercially growing Frankincense trees’ quality implications for production purposes. The Gender Inequality Index for Somalia is 0.776 (with a maximum of 1 denoting complete inequality), placing Somalia at the fourth-highest position globally. As a result, providing female employment is a crucial component of their values and strategy. Each season, they employ 300 women to sort and grade the resin tears based on colour, clarity and size. This provides a direct, supplemental and independent income to women who might struggle to compete for employment with men. They work in partnership with the communities to build cooperative networks that benefit the Somali families, offering fair wages and a sustainable social impact at the community level.

 

 

Astaxanthin Extract

Pronounced “asta-zan-thin.” Astaxanthin is the most potent known antioxidant. It belongs to carotenoids. We can find it in nature, for example, in algae, salmon, lobster, prawn, or flamingo feather. These organisms are of orange to red colour depending on Astaxanthin content.
Astaxanthin helps to degrade free radicals. Radicals are highly reactive particles that damage DNA. This impairs the body cells, tissues and whole organs and causes many serious diseases. Astaxanthin can be obtained from nature, or it can be produced synthetically from oil. Natural Astaxanthin is the only one approved for human use. Herbal Earth uses the extract from the freshwater microalga Haematococcus Pluvialis. It is 50 times more effective than the synthetic one. Studies have shown that astaxanthin’s antioxidant ability is much more potent by 6000x than vitamin C, 3000x stronger than resveratrol, 800x more potent than coenzyme Q10, 560x more powerful than green tea catechins, and 500x stronger than vitamin E. So how does this benefit you? It can help protect against UV rays; it has been shown to neutralize free radical damage, calm inflammation in the skin in eczema, and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in ageing skin. Ideal for those with sensitive skin, astaxanthin has also been studied to have anti-inflammatory properties aiding in skin redness, sensitivity, and inflammation.

 

Astaxanthin vs Vitamin C

The anti-ageing benefits for the skin of astaxanthin vs Vitamin C are that, unlike vitamin C, astaxanthin does not break down when exposed to UV light, blue light or red light. Astaxanthin actually increases its potency when exposed to these various lights. This is important because when people apply vitamin C as an anti-ageing benefit for the skin, the vitamin C is exposed to the sun or the blue light from phones and computers, and the ingredient breaks down quickly. According to one study, when the microalgae were cultured for 14 days under red/white/blue light for 21 hours and UV light for 3 hours, the combination of the UV light and blue light had the highest increase of carotenoid 8x, chlorophyll content 2x, when exposed to red light, it increased 2x

When astaxanthin is applied to the skin, the benefits shown may help heal sunburn faster, reduce wrinkles and inflammation of the skin, and may reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878029615002613
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/4/522
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/7/817
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6878783/

 

Product Details:

No.42 Antioxidant Facial Oil is packed with antioxidants offering scientifically proven protection beneficial at any age or for any skin type.

This unique blend has been formulated to protect from harmful light, nourish and repair, and help restore the skin barrier so that your skin can recapture its radiant glow.

With a powerful combination of some of nature’s most effective plant oils and extracts, No42 is clinically proven to protect, hydrate, reduce redness and balance the skin.

86.7% of users tested said their skin was smoother, more moisturized.