What’s Special About Organic Solution Products?

Anne Asks:
What do you think about The Organic Solution products? Does the antioxidants it claims to have really make a difference or could protect skin from environmental damage?

The Right Brain Replies:
Anne, we assume you’re referring to The Organic Solution products from Juice Beauty, like their Antioxidant Serum:

It’s a veritable explosion of organice goodies. Or so they say; let’s take a look at what Juice says about the ingredients in their product, then we’ll give you a quick recap about what scientists say about it:

Here’s What Juice Says:

Resist gravity with a blend of powerful age-defying DMAE, vitamin antioxidants, alpha lipioc acid, co-enzyme Q10, peptides and essential nutrients to rejuvenate, help smooth fine lines and help firm for radiant, ageless skin.

What Scientists Say*:

DMEA
Recently, topical preparations containing dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) have been touted for their ability to improve skin firmness and lift sagging skin. “This is the first time that we have seen evidence that any topical treatment could be helpful in treating the anatomic changes that occur as a result of aging,” said Dr. Farris. Split face studies showed that patients using topical DMAE show subtle yet appreciable lifting of the eyebrows, jowls and cheeks, but the mechanism of action in the skin is unknown.

DMAE has been used as a dietary supplement and is associated with improving mental function and enhancing physical performance “ due in part to its ability to increase the neurotransmitter responsible for stimulating muscles. “We really can`t explain the observed effects, but these preliminary studies have raised our interest in the cosmetic benefits of DMAE,” added Dr. Farris. Further industry sponsored studies are currently underway.*

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)

ALA, is a naturally occurring anti-oxidant which is thought to have potent effects. “Most of what we know about ALA is from laboratory data,” reported Dr. Farris. What makes ALA unique among anti-oxidants is that it is soluble in both water and lipids. ALA can penetrate skin cells easily through the lipid rich cell membrane and continue to be effective once inside the cell due to its water solubility. ALA has also been shown to exhibit a protective effect on vitamins E and C, thereby boosting natural occurring anti-oxidants within the cell. For these reasons, ALA is now being touted by some as a superior anti-oxidant compound and is incorporated in a number of skin care products.

“Unfortunately, we have very little data on the effects of alpha lipoic acid on human skin,” added Dr. Farris. “Preliminary studies suggest that ALA may be beneficial for treating aging skin, but more extensive studies will need to be done before dermatologists can support its use.”*

CoEnzyme Q-10 (Ubiquinone)**

Q-10 is a naturally occurring antioxidant present in skin that may retard some of the aging process but there is currently little clinical data available to support this claim.

Grape Juice:
We talked about this in a previous post on the antioxidant in Caudalie cosmetics. Antioxidants (including the polyphenol types that are derived from grapes) are important, but there’s nothing special about organic grape juice. In fact, “organic” just means that the grapes are grown and processed under certain conditions. It really doesn’t affect the end product at all!

The Brain’s Bottom Line:
As you can see, the claims that these ingredients are good for your skin are not completely supported by scientific data. One of the things that bugs The Brains the most is when companies refer to new technology without really explaining the whole truth. With a little digging you can see through this hype.

But will this product do what Juice says? Well, it looks like it could smooth fine lines, as they say. But that’s a standard claim for this type of product. Will their high tech, organic ingredients work miracles on your skin? Apparently not, based on what the scientific experts have to say. And at $45.00 a bottle, only you can decide if it’s worth the experiment. But now at least you know some of the true science behind what Juice is saying.

(*source: American Academy of Dermatolgists **AAD Publication)