Blue Light Actives in Skin Care

On a daily basis our bodies and skin are exposed to electromagnetic irradiation.   Recent studies indicate that exposure to blue light emitting LED displays as can be found in televisions, and smart devices, including eBook readers.  Children as young as 12 months are given phones to pacify them when their parents have activities that they need to do.  Skin exposure to blue light is at an all time high.  Clinical research has shown that Blue light exposure reduces the amount of antioxidants available in the skin and results in free radical generation and depletes the antioxidant reservoirs of the skin.  The increase in device use has led to the development of cosmetic actives specifically targeted at mitigating and preventing the damage from Blue light exposure.

Blue light or high energy visible light (HEVL) falls in the 400-500nm range, which causes skin damage including pigmentation, inflammation, weakening of the epidermal barrier and aging effects among other problems.  “Long-term exposure to blue light, causes cells to produces reactive oxygen species—free radicals—which are responsible for premature skin aging and skin photo-aging.  Blue light is widely used in medicine for treatment of acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and for wound healing. It has been shown to have antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects, however it is also not without side effects.  Blue light exposure has been shown to generate intracellular ROS, including nonenzymatic nitric oxide (NO) radicals.

Cosmetic actives are now in existence targeting blue light and the direct effect on skin.  The focus of most of these actives is their ability to reduce blue light induced ROS accumulation in keratinocytes.   Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species is known to lead to premature skin ageing and rosacea.

The challenge however is consumer acceptance.  There are many compounds and plants that have the capability of reducing the effects of blue light on the skin, however many compounds that can do this are bright yellow or orange on the skin which is generally not accepted by the consumer.  As such, only the amelioration of effects caused by blue light impact can be achieved with blue light protection cosmetic active ingredients. The main impact is the generation of intracellular ROS as a consequence of shifting blue light absorbing molecules (photosensitizers) into an excited state. Together with intracellular oxygen, these excited molecules cause the generation of deleterious reactive species, which are harmful to DNA, proteins and lipids.

We are covering just a few of the actives out there currently for the protection of blue light.

ScreenLight (Physalis alkekengi calyx extract)
Physalis alkekengi is also known as Chinese lantern and Winter cherry.  The fruit is covered by bright orange to red papery plant material, almost resembling paper lanterns.  Physalis alkekengi calyx grows in Northeast Asia, South Asia and Europe. 

Clinical studies have shown it to have the following benefit in the skin against blue light:

Unique ingredients that help to protect skin against the visible effects of environmental stress factors:
–– Reduces the appearance of dark spots, resulting in skin that appears more evenly toned.
–– Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
–– Helps prevent increased melanin production from exposure to visible light and pollution.
–– Helps to protect skin against the visible effects of light exposure by reducing the negative impact on cellular antioxidant potential (SOD2), elastin, fibrillin, MFAP-4 and MMP-1.

Results with 3% Screenlight in a formula.

Studies with Screen light show that it increases skin elastin synthesis by 79% compareed to the control.  Pigmentation and skin tone is more even and skin is firmer.

Padina pavonica extract
Padina pavonica is a brown algae from the Mediterranean sea.  .  It exhibits a well-organised deposit of calcium carbonate on its surface.  Padina pavonica has the ability to promote epidermal cell communication and cohesion by optimising the skin’s calcium-dependent metabolism.  It enhances the rate of synthesis of desmosomial proteins and intermediate filaments (cytokeratins). These proteins play a major role in epidermal cohesion. Padina reinforces the network in epithelial tissue leading to a better cell communication via gap junctions.  When skin is exposed to pollution it protects the skin integrity and function.  It has been shown to have a skin firming effect by improving the intermediate keratin filaments.  It increases the production of LOXL which is a molecule responsible for the product of elastin.  Therefore it has elastin stimulating properties.  There are many actives that stimulate collagen but very few on the market that stimulate elastin.  One of the other actives known to do this is dill seed extract.

White Willow Extract
White williow bark has been shown to increase the induction of HSP70 (Heat shock proteins) in the skin. Heat shock proteins play an important role in both innate and adaptive immunity in the skin.

Willow bark has also been shown to repair thymine dimers, which are markers of DNA damage in the skin.  It is a strong antioxidant and it works by reducing the presence of ROS.

Soy Peptide Extract
Have potent antioxidant activity, having been shown up upregulate superoxide dismutase expression in the skin.  It possesses high activity especially in the hydroxyl free radical scavenging test where it was shown to outperform vitamin c.  There is limited information on Soy Peptide Extract available.

These actives are available in products currently on the market.  Whilst they have definite skin benefits for the management of blue light exposure there are also other emerging ingredients that are trending and have excellent efficacy.  Any ingredient that has the potential to mitigate free radicals has the ability to protect from blue light and increase superoxide dismutase in the skin has the ability to be effective.