New Concepts in Sun Care: The Enhanced Benefits of “Ante” Oxidant Micah (April 2019)

In the April 2019 installment of the Cosmetics & Toiletries Supplier Forum, Hallstar Beauty’s Sun Care Solutions Product Manager Eileen Zhang was asked for her thoughts on how to make sun care friendlier to the environment, with higher protection levels and enhanced benefits.

Click on image to view the full Micah® brochure
 “With the sun protection mission of preventing UVA/​UVA-1 and visible light-induced oxidative stress, Hallstar developed a group of specialty structures that effectively resolve the excess oxidative stress created by sunlight interaction with human endogenous chromophores. Instead of blocking the sunlight or neutralizing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) after they are generated, Micah technology (INCI: Bis(Cyano Butylacetate) Anthrace­nediylidene) eliminates the formation of ROS by quenching skin-endogenous photosen­sitizers through an electron transfer mechanism, stopping solar-induced premature skin aging before it starts.

This new approach to sun care protects the skin from the inside out. Many photosen­sitizing structures such as porphyrins, flavins and melanin, etc., exist in skin and when irradiated, these photoexcited chromophores transfer their energy to oxygen, forming singlet oxygen (1O2), which leads to skin photoaging. By quenching the photoexcited chromophores, Micah eliminates the source of this chain reaction. As such, Micah can be considered an “ante”ox­idant, as opposed to an “anti”ox­idant, thanks to this ability to halt the occurrence of solar-induced oxidative stress, as demonstrated through ex vivo, in tubo and in vivo studies.

At a use level of 0.5%, Micah has been clinically proven to prevent 100% of UVA-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage, 55% of UVA induced inflammatory cytokines (IL-6), and 35% of UVA induced matrix degrading enzymes (MMP-1).  It also prevents 31% of visible light-induced oxidative stress at a use level of 0.75%.

Micah also works in concert with UV filters and antioxidants to offer holistic sun protection.  While UV filters serve as the front line of defense by filtering out photons, they often are not effective in the UVA1 and visible light range. The presence of Micah guarantees the suppression of virtually 100% of UVA-induced oxidative stress and 31% of visible light-induced oxidative stress. With this comprehensive protection, consumers are truly free to enjoy the sun.”

To see full article, visit https://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/formulating/category/suncare/Supplier-Forum-New-Concepts-in-Sun-Care-508384781.html.