THE SCIENCE BEHIND SKIN AGEING

SKIN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, serving as a protective barrier and forming a critical component of your immune system. It regulates your body temperature, prevents water loss and acts a sensory organ. So your skin health is a core component of your wellness; healthy people have healthy skin.

And yet we routinely expose our skin to damage through our lifestyle choices, such as diet, environmental and sun exposure. Many of us deliberately apply harmful to our skin from the substances in our cosmetics and treatments and we don't property cleanse them off afterwards. We often have to make compromising choices; we need to apply high SPF sun protection to protect our skin from the sun's ultra-violet radiation, yet sunscreens contain ingredients that have been proven to be harmful in long term exposure.   

Cross section of healthy human skin showing the layers

EPIDERMIS

Image of the skin's outer layer the epidermis

The epidermis is the outer layer of your skin that acts as a barrier between your body and the environment. The Stratum Corneum is the uppermost layer made up of flat, dead skin cells called Corneocytes, which form the skin’s barrier. The bottom layer of your epidermis, the Basal Layer, is where pigment is produced.

Your dermis is home to your skin's biome, the ecosystem of micro-organisms that live on your skin. There are billions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living on healthy skin. Microbes that affect the way it feels and looks and its integrity as as a barrier between your body and the environment. We need to maintain the good bacteria in the microbiome, but antibacterial soaps, cosmetic preservatives and other harsh chemicals often kill the “good” bacteria as well as the “bad.” 


DERMIS

The dermis is the middle layer of your skin, housing nerves, glands, essential proteins, enzymes and blood cells. It is your skin’s “operations” centre, made up largely of collagen and elastin that provide support and structure to your skin.

Your dermis also controls your skin's moisture levels. Globule of gel-like hyaluronic can absorb up to 1000 times their volume in water and can release it when your skin needs hydrating.

Image the skins middle layer, the dermis

COLLAGEN

Image of collagen strucutre

Collagen gives your skin support and structure. It is an essential protein and a key building block of your skin’s foundation. As we age and expose our skin to the environment, particularly the sun, collagen breaks down, leading to fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamin C is a vital supplement to stimulate your skin to produce collagen. Our bodies don’t make Vitamin C; we get it by eating foods with high Vitamin C content such as citrus fruits or by applying it to our skin. Applying cosmetics and treatments with high Vitamin C content is by far the best way to maintain Vitamin C levels in your skin.

Vitamin A, or retinol, is a precursor to collagen; applying retinoids can actually stimulate the production of collagen, potentially reversing the early signs of skin ageing.

BLOOD VESSELS

Your dermis and subcutaneous layer contain a network of tiny blood vessels which supply your skin with vital oxygen and nutrients. These vessels also play a key role in regulating body temperature.

Applying treatments that stimulate the micro-circulation of blood within your skin will increase the supply of oxygen and nutrients to where they are needed for skin health, directly enhancing your skin’s wellness.

Image of blood vessels in the skin

ELASTIN

Image of a elastin molecular structure

Elastin is the essential protein that gives your skin the ability to bounce back after stretching. Over time, sun exposure and repeated facial expressions damage the elastin in our skin, allowing to sag.

Using cosmetics and treatments that supply Vitamin C to your skin will mitigate elastin damage.

DERMAL EPIDERMAL JUNCTION

The Dermal Epidermal Junction, or DEJ, connects your dermis and epidermis. Your DEJ contains a network of blood vessels that pass nutrients from the dermis to the epidermis and it thins with age, making the skin more prone to sagging.

Stimulating and maintaining microcirculation in your DEJ helps to slow down thinning, so it is vital that you choose cosmetic products that actually stimulate blood flow deep within the skin.

Image of the dermal / epidermal junction (DEJ)

HYPODERMIS

Image of the skin's base layer, the hypodermis

The hypodermis is the base layer of your skin, lying below the dermis. It comprised mostly fat, blood vessels, and nerves, acting as a cushion that insulates the body.

The health of your dermis is largely determined by what you eat and drink, particularly how well you keep yourself hydrated.

SEBACEOUS GLANDS

Located at the root of the hair follicles, the sebaceous Glands produce an oil, or sebum, which lubricates and waterproofs your skin, forming a film that keeps water in and irritants out.

Regular use of cosmetics that keep your hair follicles unblocked and stimulate the blood supply to your dermis will aid sebum production. Conversely, choosing products that block your hair follicles will limit your body’s natural ability to lubricate and waterproof your skin.

We often see skin described as dry, oily or combination. Really, this describes the amount of sebum your are producing. Oily skin is usually the result of active sebaceous glands, dry skin may be the result of under-active glands, although there may be other causes.     

Image of a sebaceous gland

THE MAGIC OF CAMEL MILK

And that brings us to what we call The Magic of Camel Milk. Because camel milk is packed with Vitamin C, it contains lots of omega fatty acids, it's very finely homogenised fat globules mean it can penetrate your dermis taking with it any premium skincare ingredients that we have added. 

Camel milk is the perfect, natural base for cosmetics,  cosmeceuticals and treatment creams because it contains many of the vital components of good skincare. All we do is magnify its benefits by adding other critical skincare ingredients. Camel milk skincare really does work!