Know your vitamin A.
Although
there are several forms of vitamin A, they are all ultimately converted into
retinoic acid, which is the one that does all the work.
1. Retinyl Palmitate, Retinyl Proprionate and Retinyl
Acetate
These are known as retinyl esters and are the milder, more stable fat soluble forms of vitamin A which are active but still easily tolerated by skin. This is the form of vitamin A stored in our liver, our skin and cells all over our body.
These are known as retinyl esters and are the milder, more stable fat soluble forms of vitamin A which are active but still easily tolerated by skin. This is the form of vitamin A stored in our liver, our skin and cells all over our body.
2. Retinol
This is the alcohol form and is used to transport vitamin A in the bloodstream. It’s highly active so although it does achieve excellent results it can also be quite irritating on skin, sometimes causing it to peel. You should only use this as part of the Environ® skincare programme once the skin has become accustomed to high levels of retinyl palmitate and acetate within the step –up system.
This is the alcohol form and is used to transport vitamin A in the bloodstream. It’s highly active so although it does achieve excellent results it can also be quite irritating on skin, sometimes causing it to peel. You should only use this as part of the Environ® skincare programme once the skin has become accustomed to high levels of retinyl palmitate and acetate within the step –up system.
3. Retinyl Aldehyde
This is the form of vitamin A which is essential for night vision. It is sometimes used in skincare because it is only one metabolic step away from retinoic acid and can make the same changes to the skin, but is less irritating. However, once it’s applied virtually all of it is converted into retinyl esters and only a tiny fraction becomes retinoic acid.
This is the form of vitamin A which is essential for night vision. It is sometimes used in skincare because it is only one metabolic step away from retinoic acid and can make the same changes to the skin, but is less irritating. However, once it’s applied virtually all of it is converted into retinyl esters and only a tiny fraction becomes retinoic acid.
4. Retinoic Acid
This is the metabolically active form of vitamin A which works on the DNA of the cell’s nucleus. It is a drug and only available on prescription
This is the metabolically active form of vitamin A which works on the DNA of the cell’s nucleus. It is a drug and only available on prescription
What form of vitamin A is in Environ’s Youth EssentiA® and
Skin EssentiA® ranges?
These
Environ® ranges use the milder forms of vitamin A to avoid retinoid
reactions and to enable skin to become accustomed to increasingly high levels.
• Retinyl palmitate is used in Environ®
Skin EssentiA® Vita-Antioxidant AVST Moisturiser 1-3
• Retinyl acetate can be found in Environ®
Skin EssentiA® Vita-Antioxidant AVST Moisturiser 4
• Environ® Skin EssentiA® Vita-Antioxidant
AVST Moisturiser 5 contains both.
• The Youth EssentiA® range features
retinyl proprionate in levels 1-4, but Vita-Peptide C-Quence Serum 4 also
includes retinyl palmitate.
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| Vitamin A is the key |
