INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT:
FERULIC ACID
Meet Ferulic acid, the super-antioxidant you might not have heard about. Despite the term ‘acid’ typically having a negative connotation attached to it, Ferulic Acid is one skincare ingredient you shouldn’t fear and I’ll give you a hint why: it’s Vitamin E’s BFF.
Here’s the lowdown on ferulic acid, why Vitamin E loves it so much and why you need it in your skincare routine ASAP:
Ageing. It’s what’s happening to us with each passing moment, completely out of our control. It’s the natural process that millions of skincare products are designed to camouflage. And while there are ways to combat the signs of ageing, there’s no way to stop the clock on time itself.
A key reason as to why our skin ages is due to oxidative stress in the skin’s tissue, resulting in visible signs of ageing like age spots, wrinkles, dullness and loss of elasticity. We’ve explained more about this process in our article (which you can read here) so we won’t make you read it all again!
In short, you need antioxidants to counter the oxidants which will prematurely age your skin.
What exactly is Ferulic acid?
Ferulic acid is a plant-based antioxidant found in cell walls of plants such as wheat, rice, peanuts, oranges and apples. It seems to be particularly abundant in coffee and amaranth (that name comes from the Greek for “the one that does not wither,” presumably as a result of all that Ferulic acid).
There is one problem though, it is super expensive, so it’s only found in the ultra-luxe skincare products… ermm like our skincare range.
Ferulic Acid
Ferulic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid, an organic compound. It is an abundant phenolic phytochemical found in plant cell walls.
How powerful is Ferulic Acid?
In short, Ferulic Acid is one of the most powerful antioxidants out there. A 2004 Italian study concluded that ferulic acid is a more powerful antioxidant than Vitamin E, beta-carotene, and ascorbic acid.
At R10 Labs, we’ve always been a fan of antioxidants, we don’t exactly hide our passion. There isn’t just one type of free radical looking to cause havoc to your skin, there’s several and each antioxidant usually only destroys one or two of them.
So the more antioxidants you use, the more types of free radicals you can destroy. Ferulic acid unlike other antioxidants, goes the extra mile, it destroys three types: hydroxyl radical, superoxide, and nitric oxide – (that last one if it sounds familiar, was the pollutant at the heart of the Volkswagen-Audi Dieselgate scandal!)
Ferulic Acid’s turbo power
Not only is Ferulic acid super helpful to counter the pollution we encounter on a daily basis, it has an ace up it’s sleeves. Wanna know why Vitamin E & Ferulic acid are best buddies?
When combined with Vitamin E, both antioxidants make each other more effective, as noted by a study at Duke University – They boost one another’s antioxidant properties.
If you thought that’s it, there’s more. A 1999 study suggested that Ferulic acid + vitamin E can help treat hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Apparently, they suppress melanogenesis, possibly by inhibiting tyrosine hydroxylase activity in an indirect manner.”
In more layman terms, Ferulic acid when combined with Vitamin E prevents your skin from producing too much melanin, the pigment that gives skin it’s colour.
Ferulic Acid is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight premature aging and may even treat hyperpigmentation. But it’s when it’s used together with its best friend, Vitamin E that’s when it truly shines.
If you haven’t been seeing results from your skincare routine, you need Ferulic Acid in your life. Our 5in1 Super-Hydrating Face moisturiser has everything you need in it to receive powerful results. It’s 100% natural and safe, and just as effective. Prepare to be amazed. That’s all we have to say. Ferulic is about to become your favourite “F-Word”.
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The science in skincare is our ongoing series helping consumers better understand the science in skincare. We translate the science into a format that is much easier to read, bust the myths and give you a clear, transparent and honest assessment so you can make an informed choice of what goes onto your skin.
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