Good Things Come in Twos and Threes
Western medicine tends to focus on ‘magic bullets.’ The traditional goal of researchers has been to isolate a single, powerful substance, describe its effects, and then deliver it in precisely calibrated doses.
It’s an approach that often pays dividends but sometimes comes with drawbacks.
The reality is that the metabolical and pathological processes which drive health involve complex pathways. So substances that work in synergy may be much more effective than ‘magic bullets.’ This is the approach we have taken when formulating skin care products.
For example, Vitamin A has beneficial effects that include epidermal thickening, more fibroblasts and vascular neogenesis. However combining it (in the form of retinaldehyde) with two other substances – bakuchiol and astaxanthin – delivers even greater benefits:
“The results showed that, after 12 weeks treatment, significant improvement in lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity, firmness and overall reduction in photo-damage was observed, without usual retinol therapy-associated undesirable effects.”
Three ingredients work better than one, because they can multiply the beneficial effects and reduce unwanted side effects. Expect to see many more products following this philosophy.