43. The Most Important Ingredient

For years people have searched for the most effective ingredient that will rejuvenate skin that has been damaged by the sun, environment and other stresses. If there was ever a “must have” nutrient that our skin needs daily to keep it healthy and beautiful, it would be topical Vitamin C.

This vitamin is important for the natural production of collagen and elastin and acts to suppress the free radicals that damage skin cells. Our skin, the largest organ in the body, cannot produce vitamin C. To further complicate things, the vitamin C in our diet and vitamin consumption is often transported to other organs of the body and does not reach the Vitamin C-poor layers of the skin. A lack of this vitamin results in age spots, wrinkles and many other skin conditions that is often observed in aging. The best way to ensure that our skin cells are properly supplied every day is through the topical application of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C or L ascorbic acid can be found in most plants, where it is needed to protect cells from sun exposure. There are many forms of this vitamin and the proper selection of a viable form is key to ensuring results when applying to the skin. When the skin is exposed to UV light or other stresses of the environment, proteases within the skin cells become activated, forming unstable free radicals. In this excited state they “seek out” other charged molecules in an attempt to become stabilized. If left unchecked, they attach to and destroy cell membranes and injure skin cells. Providing that it is introduced into the affected deep layers of the skin, Vitamin C, in its’ unstable form, forms a bond with these free radical proteases, rendering them neutral. Therefore, the cell remains unoxidized thus promoting these cells’ health. This is why we call vitamin C an antioxidant.

There are a lot of ‘if’s” that must fall into place when considering the use of topical Vitamin C as an efficacious antioxidant for the skin.

• First, the Vitamin C must remain stable while in the packaging for an extended period of time (shelf life) and become activated when applied to the skin.
• Secondly, the topical vitamin C must have the ability to cross the stratum corneum–the protective skin barrier– and reach the affected deeper layers of the skin where the oxidation is actually taking place.
• Thirdly, one must choose a form of vitamin C that can reach the distressed skin cells in its free radical state. A stable form of the vitamin C is not effective in bonding with the damaging skin proteases. Many topical vitamin C products fail to overcome any one or all these issues.

The topical vitamin C chosen to include in the OrangeDaily formulation has been shown to provide solutions to these problems.

• Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP), is a precursor molecule to L-ascorbic acid and remains stable in its bottle for a shelf life of over 4 years.
• Upon application, this product can become activated into a free radical form of vitamin C.
• Through the addition of a silicon emulsifier and essential oils, SAP is able to penetrate into the dermal layers of the skin where it is effective in neutralizing the damaging protease.
• Finally, all the OrangeDaily products (Cleanser, Toner, 10% Serum, Moisturizer, Brightening Cream, Eye Complex and Tri-Retinol) include Vitamin C, intended to provide a “reservoir effect” is continually available to provide constant supply of Vitamin C. These are clear scientific formulation differences that distinguish OrangeDaily ingredients with an assurance of the efficacy through daily use.

Dr. Dave

Every Day! Without Fail!

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