I giggled when I heard a client refer to Vitis V Face TonIQ as “youth juice," but on reflection that is actually what it is doing. Vitis V Face TonIQ is replacing the compounds in your skin that you lose with age so that your skin can keep being metabolically active and maintain its rate of cell turnover.

Budburst is a period of cell expansion and cell division. Our skin barrier is in a constant state of renewal and turnover, and starts with the dividing and differentiating of keratinocytes in the basal layer. This cell renewal process slows with age and a critical compound is essential linoleic fatty acid.

Human skin is made up of 3 layers, epidermis containing the skin barrier or stratum corneum, which has 5 different barrier functions, physical, chemical, microbiological, immunological and neurosensory. This is the skin we see and touch.

The dermis is beneath the epidermis and consists mainly of collagen and elastin, and provides physical and nutritional support to the epidermis. It contains sebaceous glands, hair follicles, sweat glands, blood vessels, sensory neurons and the primary cells are fibroblasts. The hypodermis consists mainly of fat to provide cushioning and insulation, is under the dermis and connects our skin to muscles and bone.

The epidermis is primarily composed of keratinocytes in various stages of differentiation and migration, with the final stage being highly keratinised cells that are embedded in a lipid matrix. The lipid matrix comprises approximately 50% ceramides, 25% cholesterol, and 15% free fatty acids and forms our waterproof and protective skin barrier. These highly keratinised cells, known as corneocytes or squames, do not have a nuclei, and their shedding process is called desquamation and controlled by the conversion of cholesterol sulfate to choleterol. The stratum corneum is continuously replaced, with turnover significantly slowing as we get older, taking approximately 28-42 days and continues to slow as we age. It consists of 10-30 layers of tightly packed corneocytes cells.

The role of essential Linoleic fatty acid is crucial in our skins regenerative function in the epidermis, where our keratinocytes continually divide, differentiate and migrate to the surface to become the stratum corneum or skin barrier. Linoleic fatty acid is central in the function of sebaceous glands which produce sebum that contributes to and supports our skin barrier functions including antimicrobial and photoprotective properties.

Linoleic fatty acid can exist in the epidermis in a free form or be incorporated into complex lipids and signalling molecules.

Essential fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that cannot be biosynthesised in our body and therefore must be supplied, either via our diet or topically. There are two essential fatty acids, linoleic fatty acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic fatty acid (omega-3). Linoleic fatty acid is the most predominate polyunsaturated fatty acid in the epidermis and is of particular importance to skin health as it is selectively inserted into ceramides critical for the permeability barrier function of the stratum corneum. Lack of linoleic fatty acid containing ceramides is directly correlated to the permeability barrier and trans epidermal water loss and the invasion of microbes and irritants. Most skin issues including atopic dermatitis, acne, rosacea and skin sensitivities are linked to disruption, compromise or damage to the skin barrier.

Linoleic fatty acid maintains the integrity and fluidity of skin cell membranes. It is incorporated into the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes where it maintains the proper structure of the cell membrane. This is important for cellular regeneration because healthy cell membranes are necessary for cells to divide and differentiate correctly.

Linoleic fatty acid suppresses melanogenesis, the process by which skin pigment is produced and tyrosinase activity, the enzyme that initiates the melanin production process. It also influences skin pigmentation by stimulating epidermal turnover and desquamation of the melanin pigment from the epidermis.

Linoleic fatty acid rebalances the fatty acid profile of the skin. Acne prone skin has been found to have a reduced linoleic fatty acid concentration. Linoleic acid has a balancing effect on sebum production. It helps to regulate the production of sebum, preventing excess oiliness and reducing the occurrence of acne breakouts, it also has antibacterial activity. Acne prone skin has an imbalance of oleic fatty acid to linoleic fatty acid.

Linoleic fatty acid is selectively targeted in the sebaceous gland to synthesis squalene and wax esters. Sebum also contains triglycerides, free fatty acids including linoleic fatty acid and cholesterol. As well as keeping our skin supple and lubricated protecting it from friction, it makes our skin more impervious to water. Sebum also transports fat soluble antioxidants (Vitamin E) in and on the skin, exhibits natural light protective activity and is antibacterial.

Linoleic fatty acid plays an important role in signalling keratinocytes promoting differentiation.

Linoleic fatty acid in its free from contributes to the acidification of the skin barrier maintaining a slightly acidic pH environment inhibiting the proliferation of undesirable microbes and strengthening the chemical skin barrier.

Linoleic fatty acid can be converted by epidermal enzymes to metabolites that have anti-proliferation and anti-inflammatory properties.

Linoleic fatty acid accelerates wound healing.

There is a reason that linoleic fatty acid is the predominate fatty acid in the epidermis. It completely makes evolutionary and biosynthesis sense that an essential fatty acid required by our cell membranes would be in plentiful supply. Linoleic fatty acid is present in vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and seeds. However, a significant portion of ingested linoleic fatty acid is metabolised before reaching the skin. Topically application of plant oils rich in linoleic fatty acid is an effective route to deliver skin benefit effects.

Linoleic fatty acid “is the most abundant fatty acid in cold-pressed grape seed oils, contributing to between 66.0% and 75.3% of total fatty acid." Grape Seed Oil Compounds: Biological and Chemical Actions for Health

A foundational ingredient in Vitis V Face TonIQ is cold pressed unfermented, unrefined, unfiltered, raw grapeseed oil that we make in small batches to ensure freshness and potent bioactivity. The care of our skin must shift focus from aesthetic concerns to biologically supporting the structure and function of skin processes including cell renewal. “Any modification to the epidermal differentiation and lipid composition results in altered skin barrier function." Structure and function of the epidermis related to barrier properties .This is why you need to be so careful to what you are applying to your skin, you can either support cell renewal and strengthen the skin barrier or disrupt, compromise and damage skin cell division, differentiation and migration.

Vitis V Face TonIQ supporting skin structure and function so that you can achieve your most nourished and radiant skin.

Image credit - Vintage Longbottom

https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/essential-fatty-acids#overview

Lipid functions in skin: Differential effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on cutaneous ceramides, in a human skin organ culture model

Linoleic Acid Induced Changes in SZ95 Sebocytes—Comparison with Palmitic Acid and Arachidonic Acid

Mechanisms Regulating Skin Pigmentation: The Rise and Fall of Complexion Coloration

Fatty acid transporters in skin development, function and disease

Current knowledge of the implication of lipid mediators in psoriasis