Did you know that your skin cells actually respond to light? Skin cells change their function accordingly depending on whether it is dark or light out. During the day, as the light increases, and the potential for sun exposure increases, your skin cells go into protection mode. DNA has to be exposed to the elements during cell division, so to protect itself, the skin slows down its cell proliferation activities during the day, while the sun is out. It is just too risky for DNA to be exposed to the sun. Instead, during the day, skin cells focus on thickening the skin barrier (to protect from the sun rays and keep moisture in). One of the ways that skin cells do this is to increase pH which increases sebum production and, thus, decreases water loss.
Sun protection is a huge consideration when it comes to a circadian beauty skincare regimen, especially now that we can see how much sun exposure effects normal skin processes. For the longest time I assumed that living in Alaska, sun protection was not something that I needed to worry about. Turns out, due to the angle with which we are positioned towards the sun, in these northern latitudes, we actually get more radiation exposure than our southern friends. I personally do not use sun screen unless I am spending a lot of time in direct sunlight where I might burn. I do, however, believe that sun protection should be taken seriously. There are several natural options out there. Pure cold-pressed raspberry seed oil is a lovely, fast-absorbing oil, naturally high in antioxidants and EFA’s (essential fatty acids), and has several powerful qualities that make it a perfect addition to any skincare routine. Emerging research has determined that Raspberry seed oil can be used for broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB radiation. It has also been shown to protect collagen from degrading which is an added bonus to this delightful oil.
Since the main focus of your skin cells during the day time is to protect your skin, particularly from sun exposure, this is the best time of the circadian beauty regimen to use antioxidants, and ingredients that specifically help to protect the skin. Antioxidants, for example, will bind free radicals that can build up and damage the skin. Free radicals come from natural metabolic processes and exposure to environmental toxins, such as UVA and UVB rays. By incorporating antioxidants during the day (internally and externally), you can really support these bodily responses, so as to minimize the impact of any harmful exposures. My choice antioxidant day time moisturizer is Just Botanicals’ CoQ10 Antioxidant Serum. This light weight moisturizer has both pure CoQ10 powder (ubiquinone) and beta carotene, two of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature. Some other antioxidant ingredients that would work beautifully in your day time skincare routine include Oat Extract, Camellia Oil, Axastanthin, Green and White Tea, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Resveratrol.
As the sunlight starts to transition into darkness, the skin cells move into a restorative state, where pH drops, cell renewal increases and any damaged DNA can be repaired due to and increased immune response and rapidly dividing cells. Earlier in the evening, cells start to remove any damaged cellular structures and repair DNA. This prepares the skin for increased cell proliferation later on. When circulation has increased and the cells are already actively engaging in repair activities, it is the perfect opportunity to get the most out of these ingredients that enhance the natural process that are already occurring. During this time the skin is also more permeable, which means active ingredients will be more readily absorbed. This also makes the evening a great time for targeting the deeper layers of skin, which is the only way to stimulate production of certain skin components, such as collagen.
This is an excellent time to incorporate active ingredients in your products that target skin building and renewal functions. This would include collagen boosting ingredients, as well as retinols, or oils high in vitamin A that help smooth out of the skin surface. Collagen boosting ingredients include white lupin seed extract (Lupeol), CoQ10, White Tea Extract & Vitamin C. Rosehip Seed Oil is a wonderful oil rich in vitamin A that notoriously smooths out fine lines and scars through effective skin cell renewal actions. Bakuchiol is another retinol-substitute that supports skin renewal and smoothing of fine lines and wrinkles. Just Botanicals’ Firming and Brightening cream contains some powerful actives and a slow-release technology that supports collagen synthesis and is a wonderful addition to an early evening routine. The Rejuvenation Moisturizer by Just Botanicals is also an excellent product for early evening, as it contains 16% Rosehip Seed Oil, White Tea Extract, Pomegranate Seed Oil and some powerfully rejuvenating essential oils.
Most of us have heard of blue light exposure coming from our electronic devices and that it is probably not very good for us. However, not all of us know how it is bad it truly can be. Since our skin processes tend to be triggered by light or darkness, it makes sense that blue light exposure in the evenings could disrupt our normal skin processes, by creating a false light exposure. Because our skin engages in its restorative processes as the day light recedes, blue light exposure impedes these processes. As a result, skin renewal processes are not be as efficient, which can lead to our DNA being more vulnerable during the day, especially to UV radiation. Not only will our skin’s regeneration and repair processes be stunted, but in addition, melatonin production can be disturbed, which then affects our ability to rest, and potentially leading to sleep deprivation.
Once the day has transitioned to night, the skin is more acidic, which leads to the boosted immune function and increased blood flow. This leads to increased body temperatures as well as increased transdermal water loss. The middle of the night is when our skin is the driest, so incorporating hydrating and occlusive ingredients at night is very important to keep our skin from drying out too much overnight. This is generally when you want to incorporate heavier creams with humectants and ingredients that help lock in the moisture. Ceramides are a great ingredient to incorporate because they support restoration of the skin barrier, offering great skin protection overnight. Ceramides also help retain water in the skin which is so important, as the permeability of the skin leads to increased water loss overnight. Some common ingredients that can help stimulate ceramide production in the skin are Wheat Germ Oil, Rice Bran Oil, and Macadamia Nut Oil. Some other ceramide ingredients to look out for in natural skin care products are Bodyflux Olive Ceramid NP, Ecoceramide Argan & Cerafluid
Before bed is when I like to incorporate Just Botanicals’ White Tea & Frankincense Hydrating Cream, as well as Just Botanicals’ Vibrant Aging Beauty Oil. The hydrating cream contains Vegeluron which is a powerful humectant based on snow mushroom technology which is perfect for keeping the skin hydrated throughout the night. The beauty oil works well for a face massage before bed, which increases circulation and can enhance the benefit achieved from smoothing ingredients such as the Rosehip Seed Oil, Neroli, Frankincense, Myrrh and Helichrysum essential oils.
In short, to develop an effective circadian beauty routine, you want to incorporate antioxidant ingredients in the morning, products that include active ingredients targeting deeper cellular layers during the early evening, and heavier creams and occlusive ingredients right before bed. Thank you for reading and sharing this blog. I never want to assume that I am an expert in anything, there is always more to learn, so please feel free to ask questions or comment on this blog. The Lord bless you and keep you.