Brand New Ray Peat-inspired Skincare Product Now Available!

[visviva]

Hello everyone. After nearly a year of preparation, I’m excited to finally be able to announce the launch of my first skincare product! It’s an oil serum that I’ve designed to be used as an anti-aging and moisturising skin treatment. It contains ingredients such as vitamin A, cholesterol and frankincense (which I talk about in more detail below) and can be used on its own, on top of or mixed into a moisturiser, which is how I like to use it. Because of the vitamin A component I am recommending that it only be used at night.

If you’re interested in the product, you can view the full ingredients list and purchase on www.visvivaskincare.com - please PM me first as I’m offering a 20% off discount code for forum members. I thought I should explain a little about the ingredients, so I've included my notes below - with links to the studies I’ve used in my research.

Vitamin A

I think the skin benefits of vitamin A are very well known to those on the forum, so I’ll just write something brief here. I think one of the most important things according to Peat about vitamin A and skin is its role in regulating differentiation and the normal production of keratin, an excess of which is implicated in acne, eczema, KP and many other skin conditions.
Peat has also recommended topical vitamin A (with vitamin E) for treatment of sun damaged skin.

About 44% of absorbed retinyl palmitate that is applied topically is hydrolysed to retinol in the skin, according to this study: Characterization of esterase and alcohol dehydrogenase activity in skin. Metabolism of retinyl palmitate to retinol (vitamin A) during percutaneous... - PubMed - NCBI. There are numerous studies which have found a beneficial effect of retinol on various features of skin aging - wrinkles, roughness, pigmentation etc. Here is one example: A stabilized 0.1% retinol facial moisturizer improves the appearance of photodamaged skin in an... - Abstract - Europe PMC.

Squalane

This is squalane rather than squalene, so it doesn’t have all the biological effects of squalene, however it is a 100% saturated emollient that has a pleasant light skin feel. It is found naturally in the skin in small amounts.

Cholesterol

I’d recommend this chapter on cholesterol and its role in skin health - Lipids and Skin Health; I’ll summarise some key points below:

Cholesterol makes up around 25% of the skin’s lipid layer that forms the skin barrier. Levels of cholesterol in the skin (and other lipids) decline with aging (Optimal ratios of topical stratum corneum lipids improve barrier recovery in chronologically aged skin. - PubMed - NCBI) and applying cholesterol topically improves barrier function - (The aged epidermal permeability barrier. Structural, functional, and lipid biochemical abnormalities in humans and a senescent murine model. - PubMed - NCBI).

Cholesterol also has a role in protecting the skin from UV radiation according to this study (Lipid ingredients in moisturizers can modulate skin responses to UV in barrier-disrupted human skin in vivo. - PubMed - NCBI). It compared the effects of topical cholesterol, linoleic acid and a synthetic ceramide on skin that is subsequently exposed to UV radiation and found that damage was lessened by cholesterol application but increased by the linoleic acid and the synthetic ceramide. Also mentioned in that article is another study which looked at statin use and skin cancer risk and found incidence of melanoma and non-melanoma cancer to be 1.5x and 1.6x higher in the statin group than in the control. See: Statins and cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. - PubMed - NCBI

Finally, several studies have found that cholesterol has an inhibitory effect on MMPs expression - (which are enzymes that dissolve collagen and damage the skin). See the above study, and (Cholesterol, a Major Component of Caveolae, Down-regulates Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Expression through ERK/JNK Pathway in Cultured Human Dermal F... - PubMed - NCBI) and (Induction of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 by cholesterol depletion leads to the conversion of proMMP-2 into active MMP-2 in human... - PubMed - NCBI)

Frankincense resin (boswellic acid)

This is a standardised extract of boswellic acid. Boswellic acid has been mentioned a few times on the forum as it’s a LOX 5 inhibitor and has anti-inflammatory properties (Anti-inflammatory activities of the triterpene acids from the resin of Boswellia carteri. - PubMed - NCBI). There are numerous studies showing boswellic acid to be helpful in many inflammatory disorders. These compounds also have known antioxidant properties.

The reason I was interested to include it in a skin product is this study (Topical Boswellic acids for treatment of photoaged skin. - PubMed - NCBI), which found it to have beneficial effects on some of the features of skin aging such as roughness and fine wrinkling, which the authors attributed to the anti-inflammatory properties of BAs in addition to their “stimulatory activity on the metabolism of collagen and elastic fibers".

Alkanet root extract - this is an extract that I make myself, by macerating the roots in MCT oil to extract the red pigment (it is therefore not a standardised extract). The red colour is due to a compound called alkannin - a naphthoquinone, like Vitamin K and lapachol. Some info on alkannin here: http://www.cyberlipid.org/vitk/vitk0001.htm

It has been used for many centuries in traditional herbal medicine, particularly in Japan and China. There’s even a reference to alkanet (for treating ulcers) in Hippocrates writings from the 4th century BC, http://classics.mit.edu/Hippocrates/ulcers.10.10.html.

In terms of its known effects on the skin, wound healing seems to be the most well studied (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19075667).

But it has also been found to have antioxidant effects and protective effects against UV radiation and some researchers have theorised that it might be a useful anti aging compound (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25810219) and (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0047903)

As a final note, a small amount of macadamia oil is included purely as a solvent for the frankincense resin, which does not dissolve in MCT oil or squalane. Macadamia oil is low pufa and the oleic acid component can allegedly act as a penetration enhancer.

If you have any questions about the product, please comment below!

 

[lollipop]

Sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it

 

[Lee Simeon]

How long does one bottle last?

 

[visviva]

How long does one bottle last?

The shelf life is 12 months from the point of opening provided it's kept in a dark, cool place. And once daily application of 5 drops should last you at least 3 months.

 

[Lin]

What does it smell like?

 

[visviva]

What does it smell like?

It smells like Frankincense (The Carterii variety) which is woody, fresh and slightly lemony (at least to me!) - the fragrance is quite subtle.

 

[tankasnowgod]

Curious about the addition of cholesterol. In another thread, about acne, I think Travis mentioned that excess cholesterol could block pores, due to it's waxy like nature. Although I have seen products with cholesterol for use in hair care.

Yet, at the same time, I could see where a topical formula with cholesterol could also stimulate more vitamin D production, if applied before going out into the sun.

 

[visviva]

Curious about the addition of cholesterol. In another thread, about acne, I think Travis mentioned that excess cholesterol could block pores, due to it's waxy like nature. Although I have seen products with cholesterol for use in hair care.

Yet, at the same time, I could see where a topical formula with cholesterol could also stimulate more vitamin D production, if applied before going out into the sun.

Yes I remember a radio interview where Peat says that elderly people have difficulty synthesising vitamin D due to decreased cholesterol metabolism in their skin...whether topical application could help with that is an interesting idea, although I couldn't find any study looking at that

The data I've seen on the comedogenicity of various things always seems a little random, but I suppose there may be individuals who are sensitive to it. The more I read about acne the more it seems that it's an excess of keratin that is the biggest contributor to the problem... Cholesterol is actually in a few skincare products like Cerave and Skinceuticals although not typically called out as an active - I guess marketing departments are worried about its "image" :)

 

[Ania]

Yes I remember a radio interview where Peat says that elderly people have difficulty synthesising vitamin D due to decreased cholesterol metabolism in their skin...whether topical application could help with that is an interesting idea, although I couldn't find any study looking at that

The data I've seen on the comedogenicity of various things always seems a little random, but I suppose there may be individuals who are sensitive to it. The more I read about acne the more it seems that it's an excess of keratin that is the biggest contributor to the problem... Cholesterol is actually in a few skincare products like Cerave and Skinceuticals although not typically called out as an active - I guess marketing departments are worried about its "image" :)

 

[Ania]

I have just ordered from Poland. You have a great shipment price. See the study for the future ideas : Anti-Aging Potentials of Methylene Blue for Human Skin Longevity
Semms very promissing.

 

[visviva]

I have just ordered from Poland. You have a great shipment price. See the study for the future ideas : Anti-Aging Potentials of Methylene Blue for Human Skin Longevity
Semms very promissing.

Thank you so much! I'll post it to you tomorrow morning - hope you love it. That study looks interesting, I will check it out. Blue skin cream would be something different hehe.

 

[Ania]

Thank you so much! I'll post it to you tomorrow morning - hope you love it. That study looks interesting, I will check it out. Blue skin cream would be something different hehe.

Yes. I think the dose would wave to be tiny, I think. You have to chek what solution the yoused in the study.
Thanks. I cant wait. Do you use it insted of cream, or rather like serum under some ither product ( which wuouldn't make much sense if you had to use some pufas on it).

 

[visviva]

Yes. I think the dose would wave to be tiny, I think. You have to chek what solution the yoused in the study.
Thanks. I cant wait. Do you use it insted of cream, or rather like serum under some ither product ( which wuouldn't make much sense if you had to use some pufas on it).

just scanned the article, it is a really small dose and the authors say it doesn't stain the skin. I have some mb so I'll try to make this to check the colour. Thank you for the tip!
I usually mix in with my moisturiser or apply it after using a cream but I've used it on its own in the past and I find it emollient enough to keep the skin nicely moisturised on its own. I would probably suggest using it after any product containing water because if you used it before a cream/water based serum, the fact that it's oily (and therefore somewhat occlusive) might prevent the water soluble ingredients in the other product from having a chance to penetrate the skin.

 

[lollipop]

just scanned the article, it is a really small dose and the authors say it doesn't stain the skin. I have some mb so I'll try to make this to check the colour. Thank you for the tip!
I usually mix in with my moisturiser or apply it after using a cream but I've used it on its own in the past and I find it emollient enough to keep the skin nicely moisturised on its own. I would probably suggest using it after any product containing water because if you used it before a cream/water based serum, the fact that it's oily (and therefore somewhat occlusive) might prevent the water soluble ingredients in the other product from having a chance to penetrate the skin.

Thank you for this. I was going to ask you the same Stoked to receive mine! Good shipping price to US as well.

 

[visviva]

Thank you for this. I was going to ask you the same Stoked to receive mine! Good shipping price to US as well.

No problem! and thank you, it's on its way to you :)

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Good choice of ingredients, I'll be sure to order in due time.

Pls, as mentionend above, consider MB as an ingredient if you manage to faciliate a non-staining cream or serum - that would be a blast.
Hopefully Cholesterol will not scare away too many non-peaty customers

As you surely know, Niacinamide is another Peat favourite uesful in skincare - as well as topical 11ß-HSD inhibitors (Emodin), T3 and derivates and even anti-histamines ... most of these substances probably won't be allowed in commercial skincare but maybe have a look.
Thanks for your effort!

So these studies on skin-regeneration once more confirm the "duality" between glucocorticoids and functioning thyroid hormone levels in tissues.
If you run on cortisol you'll end up with degenerated, defunct tissues, while T3 can restore it and would prevent untimely degeneration in the first place.

Intersting that blocking 11beta-HSD will also lead to regeneration and not only prevention of tissue-breakdown. Emodin is a potent 11b-HSD1 ihibitor, and probably Theanine and Green Tea/White Tr extracts.

With topical TRIA or T3 and Emodin one would probably achieve substantia topical "anti-age" skin effects. In addition to staples like E,A, B3 etc...

Histamine H1 and H2 Receptor Antagonists Accelerate Skin Barrier Repair and Prevent Epidermal Hyperplasia Induced by Barrier Disruption in a Dry Environment - ScienceDirect
JCI - 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase blockade prevents age-induced skin structure and function defects
Action Of Topical Thyroid Hormone Analogue In Reversing Glucocorticoid-induced Skin Atrophy

 

[visviva]

Good choice of ingredients, I'll be sure to order in due time.

Pls, as mentionend above, consider MB as an ingredient if you manage to faciliate a non-staining cream or serum - that would be a blast.
Hopefully Cholesterol will not scare away too many non-peaty customers

As you surely know, Niacinamide is another Peat favourite uesful in skincare - as well as topical 11ß-HSD inhibitors (Emodin), T3 and derivates and even anti-histamines ... most of these substances probably won't be allowed in commercial skincare but maybe have a look.
Thanks for your effort!



Histamine H1 and H2 Receptor Antagonists Accelerate Skin Barrier Repair and Prevent Epidermal Hyperplasia Induced by Barrier Disruption in a Dry Environment - ScienceDirect
JCI - 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase blockade prevents age-induced skin structure and function defects
Action Of Topical Thyroid Hormone Analogue In Reversing Glucocorticoid-induced Skin Atrophy

Hello and thank you for the kind words :)
Definitely looking at doing a cream with niacinamide. Emodin I thought could potentially be a good addition to a hair product (http://kjvr.org/upload/2016/06/27/20160627134327523000.pdf) - but I saw a few studies suggesting it has a photosensitising effect (https://sci-hub.cc/10.1016/S0891-5849(02)01242-X) so I wasn't sure...maybe I am missing a Peaty explanation here? Or perhaps it just has to be used at night..
I will have a look on the EU's database to check the status of these other ingredients you mention - thank you for the suggestions! MB I think is OK so it's something I can attempt if people are interested.

 

[morgan#1]

I use MB in concert with vitamin C, therefore it doesn’t turn blue! Thanks to Haidut for telling me that. Problem solved. I make my own serum of MB, B3, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, acetyl carnitine, dmae, msm, and a little water, galactomytes, Aloe Vera. And I’ve in the past 2 weeks after the serum soaks in I’ve been putting a bit of unsalted butter. I always use coconut oil when I’m in the kitchen cooking something with coconut oil (since the jar is open). And olive oil if I’m using the olive oil for cooking purposes! All this stuff I have work very well for my skin, including the oils. I think it’s fun concocting things, but yours might be more exact, and it does have a few things I definitely want to try. I’m ordering, it’s really nice to support you in your line.

 

[Amazoniac]

Hi, why don't you invite Dan Wich, jyb and raypeatclips for a modeling campaign for your product? Gazing the horizon while having your product in their duty belt for example. Or recreating this album cover with it on top.

 

[visviva]

I use MB in concert with vitamin C, therefore it doesn’t turn blue! Thanks to Haidut for telling me that. Problem solved. I make my own serum of MB, B3, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, acetyl carnitine, dmae, msm, and a little water, galactomytes, Aloe Vera. And I’ve in the past 2 weeks after the serum soaks in I’ve been putting a bit of unsalted butter. I always use coconut oil when I’m in the kitchen cooking something with coconut oil (since the jar is open). And olive oil if I’m using the olive oil for cooking purposes! All this stuff I have work very well for my skin, including the oils. I think it’s fun concocting things, but yours might be more exact, and it does have a few things I definitely want to try. I’m ordering, it’s really nice to support you in your line.

Very helpful tip about the MB and vitamin C - thanks to you and Haidut for that! Do you know roughly the % of vitamin C that is needed to produce this effect? And you have some interesting ingredients in your serum - I am not familiar with the galactomytes so I'll have to take a look.
I really hope you enjoy the product and I am very grateful for your support. It means I'll be able to create more products in future so it really is much appreciated! Please send me a message before you buy and I'll give you the discount code. :)