Matrikines are "peptides liberated by partial proteolysis of extra cellular macromolecules which are able to regular cell activities...(such as) proliferation, migration, protease production, and apoptosis (cell death)". Huh? Let's try this again. Matrikine "is the term proposed for fragmented matrix peptides able to regulate cell activity" (Lotioncrafter). Okay, that's a bit easier to work with as a definition. In other words, they are fragmented peptides normally found in our skin that have some kind of effect on cells.
Okay, so what else do we see in Matrixyl 3000? We see glycerin and butylene glycol as humectants and solvents, water as a solvent, polysorbate 20 as an dispersent, and carbomer to make it into a gel. The two key ingredients are the palmitoyl oligopeptide (100 ppm palmitoyl GHK) and palmitoyl tetrapeptide (50 ppm palmitoyl GQPR). And these last two are the active ingredients that make this product appealing, if you read the pamphlets. (Note there's no preservative in this...interesting...)
Correction from Robin: Palmitoyl GHK lipodated tripeptide without complexation to copper.
Which means the GHK we find in Matrixyl 3000 isn't a copper peptide. So what does that mean? It means it's GHK not GHK-Cu, which is what I wrote about in this post.
Is palmitoyl oligopeptide an effective ingredient for our skin? What about palmitoyl tetrapeptide? I haven't been able to find much, if anything, on either of these polypeptides, so my only suggestion is to read the data sheets and make your own decision. Our skin likes glycerin and other humectants - they will make our skin feel moister and seem smoother - so this looks like a good product to me.
Here are two data sheets on this product. This one's more of a brochure, whereas this one contains a lot of really good information on studies and such. The suggested usage is at 3% to 8% in our cool down phase, and you'll want to store this in the fridge (the recommendation is for below 4˚C or 39˚F). This isn't an inexpensive ingredient at about $24.50 for an ounce, and using it at 3% to 8% in our products means we'll be using 3 grams to 8 grams in a facial moisturizer, so you'll want to perfect your moisturizer recipe before adding it willy nilly to everything you make. (It's about $0.82 a gram, so 3 grams works out to about $2.45 and 8 grams is $6.53 - EEK! - and I'm not including taxes or shipping in the equation.) I don't think Will and Patrick will be making their inexpensive lotions by including this ingredient!
If you have a chance, click on the second link and ask yourself this question - is the person on the front of this brochure meant to be a man or a woman, and are they really meant to look that vampiric? Ask yourself a second question - what the heck does an androgenous swimming vampire have to do with Matrixyl 3000? And ask yourself a third question - why do I keep typing MST3K instead of Matrixyl 3000? I think the last question is the only one that can be answered...I need some Mystery Science Theater 3000 and this is my brain's way of telling me that I need to watch a classic episode with my husband tonight. We watched "Mitchell" last week and "Cave Dwellers" the week before, so it might be time for "Pod People" or "The Day the Earth Froze" (I love the SAMPO!). But I digress...
Join me tomorrow for more fun with cosmeceuticals.
0 comments:
Post a Comment