Considered to be the benchmark in topical anti-wrinkle agents the much studied prescription medicine retinoic acid works by triggering the retinoid (vitamin A) receptors in skin cells. Once activated, these receptors affect many cellular processes including the renewal of epidermal cells, prevention of oxidative stress (associated with skin cell damage and ageing), control of surface skin bacteria by reducing sebum production and improvement in skin ageing and sun damage.

Unfortunately retinoic acid comes with significant skin tolerance issues including increased sun sensitivity, redness and irritation, all of which affect compliance. For many years vitamin A precursors have been considered less effective than retinoic acid as they first have to be converted to the active form via specialised enzymes in skin cells as below (http://www.smartskincare.com):

Retinyl palmitate <=> Retinol <=> Retinaldehyde => Retinoic acid

However, recent research supports the use of cosmetic retinal esters as significant anti-wrinkle agents comparable to retinoic acid (Retin-A or Trentinoin). The two important findings of the study (Fu et al. 2010) are that retinyl esters at 0.3% lead to significant improvement in wrinkles and that this effect is achieved without the irritation commonly experienced with prescribed retinoids. Specifically the use of retinyl esters was associated with improved wrinkle appearance after 8 weeks with continued improvement through to the end of the 24-week trial.

This is great news as it supports the use of retinyl palmitate in cosmetic formulations, more than just the label claim. Mismo ACE Vitamin Serum is my pick of natural retinyl palmitate formulations as it also contains the other significant anti-ageing vitamin, C. I have discussed the many benefits of vitamin C before (read more here) but the key difference is the type of vitamin C used in this formulation. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant and for this reason it has been traditionally formulated in water based ingredients such as Aloe Vera. However, the skin prefers fat-soluble ingredients so the aim has been to ensure the skin effectively absorbs the vitamin C used. Recent innovation has lead to the development of Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, a vitamin C that has improved absorption, better stability and can be formulated in an oil base. The other unique quality of this vitamin C is that it doesn’t prickle the skin upon application, which means it is suitable for use on delicate areas of the skin such as around the eyes and as well as for those with sensitive skin.

Mismo ACE Vitamin Serum contains both retinyl palmitate and ascorbyl teraisopalmiate with some vitamin E in a triglyceride and jojoba oil base. This allows for effective transportation of the ingredients into the skin. Skin improvement with this product can be seen within 1-4 weeks with significant improvements within 12 weeks. Look at the difference below:

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