December 2008

 MD Formulations Moisture Defense Antioxidant Moisturizer SPF 20  $36 for 1.7 ounces). Now this is how to formulate a great daytime moisturizer with sunscreen! UVA protection is assured thanks to zinc oxide, and the silky lotion formula feels great and works beautifully for normal to dry skin. Antioxidants are plentiful, the formula includes some good water-binding agents, and it is also fragrance-free. “Moisture and protection without a greasy look and feel” is a fairly accurate way to describe this product. Those with slightly oily skin will find this doesn’t hold back shine, but those with normal to dry skin will find it leaves a natural matte finish that is comfortable under makeup. Well done, MD Formulations!

WORST
 Skinceuticals Phloretin CF  ($150 for 1 ounce). Dr. Sheldon Pinnell is back with another powerhouse serum, complete with claims on its years of research, patents, and new cosmeceutical buzzwords such as “biodiverse” and “broad-spectrum treatment”. Considering the claims and ads for this water-based serum, I am not at all surprised that it has quickly become one of the products readers ask me about most. Aside from the company’s exemplary marketing efforts, the product does deserve some discussion in terms of its single unique ingredient, phloretin (because other then that this is one boring ordinary, potentially skin-damaging product).

Phloretin is a white crystalline flavonoid that results from the decomposition or hydrolysis of phlorizin. Natural next question: what’s phlorizin? It’s a bitter substance extracted from the root bark of apple trees and apples, so phloretin has a natural origin (though what it takes to get phlorizin out of the apple tree to turn it into phloretin is hardly a natural process, you’re not going to use phloretin to flavor pie). As for phloretin’s value for skin, in-vitro and animal research has shown that it has antioxidant ability, can interrupt melanin synthesis to potentially reduce skin discolorations, inhibits the formation of MMP-1 (which breaks down collagen), and also serves as a penetration enhancer, which, as you’ll see below, is not a good thing in the case of this product (Sources: The FEBS Journal, August 2008, pages 3,804-3,814;   Phytochemistry, April 2007, pages 1,189-1,199; Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, April 2006, pages 740-745; European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, March 2004, pages 307-312; International Journal of Pharmaceutics, April 2003, pages 109-116).

            Although there are compelling reasons to consider phloretin as another potent, beneficial antioxidant to improve skin’s appearance and healthy functioning, in the case of this product it is completely wasted. Why? Because the amount of denatured alcohol in this serum negates any antioxidant benefit phloretin has. Its inclusion is extremely disappointing. Alcohol causes free-radical damage, cell death, and irritation. That does not help skin in the least and, in fact, makes matters worse.

                Bottom line: phloretin may be the antioxidant du jour, but not in this product. Please keep in mind that despite the published research for phloretin and Skinceuticals claims, it is not the best antioxidant to “attack damage on every level” there are lots of brilliant antioxidants in skin care products, there isn’t a miracle or magic bullet out there.