-
Using antioxidants, tea and pine bark.
Having completed a number of experiments now with green tea extract and pine bark extract, these two resemble each other to a great extent. They both have a similar (dark brown) colour; they both act as indicators, changing colour with the pH; they both act as antioxidants.
It seems to me that there are two distinct ways to use these.
1. As actives, supposed to have a beneficial effect when absorbed into the skin.
2. As protection for unstable actives in the formula.
Or - both.
I find that a 0.2% (solids) concentration of tea extract produces a similar colour (pink/beige) to 1% of the (aqueous) pine bark extract.
One difference that I have noted is that the tea extract (in an emulsion) rapidly degrades to beige in an ordinary cosmetic pot, whereas the pine bark retains its pink tone.
I decided to use pine bark extract to protect the Vitamin C palmitate against oxidation (reason #2) and also because it has skin-lightening activity of its own (reason #1). I find myself tempted to use tea also, although I fear that the colour might be too dark as a result. -
6 Replies
-
Have you done ORAC testing or are you doing this “informally?”
-
I don’t even know what ORAC testing is!
-
ORAC is still used a great deal in Cosmetics. I would learn the basics before dismissing it based upon Food Science. Alternatives are the Trolox Test or the Folin-Ciocateu reagent test. Even ORAC beats a SWAG.
-
I read something recently ranking antioxidants:
Gotu Kola > Pinaster Bark Extract > Green Tea
Curious, I have a client who has requested Pinaster Pine Bark Extract … I obtained a brown powder that is supposedly oil soluble … you mentioned you are using a liquid … may I ask where you’re purchasing it and is it Pinaster … the Pinaster is bloody expensive.
-
Oh that’s good news. I routinely include 1% of gotu cola.
What I have is “Pine Bark - Proanthocyanidins - Pre Dissolved Solution” and contains 9.5% Proanthocyanidins. I bought it from Bulk Actives but it came direct from Taiwan. It is a thick brown fluid.
Log in to reply.