Without the sun there would be no life. Sunlight is essential for health and wellbeing – just think seasonal affective disorder, or vitamin D. However, as most of us know, too much sunlight in the invisible ultraviolet (UV) range can have a devastating effect on health, and especially on skin.
Adjacent to ultraviolet in the spectrum of sunlight is blue light – high-energy light with a wavelength ranging from 400 to 500 nm. Blue light is a colour in the visible light spectrum that can be seen by the human eye and is responsible for the blue of the sky. Consumers are exposed to blue light every day, and nearly everywhere – whether from the sun or in the form of artificial light from electronic devices as the next key source of blue light.
So could blue light also adversely affect skin health?
Early evidence indicates a need for blue light protection
Blue light is already known to be damaging to the eye, and researchers at Harvard have tentatively linked nocturnal exposure to artificial blue light to
several types of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and an increased risk of depression.
Light at this wavelength penetrates skin to a greater depth than either UVA or UVB rays and therefore has the ability to damage all skin layers. Blue light induces oxidative stress through the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Oxidative stress – a mechanism also known from skin damage by UVA light – triggers various adverse biological effects such as weakening of the epidermal barrier, hyperpigmentation, and damage to the extracellular matrix leading to accelerated ageing.
So scientists at DSM decided to investigate blue light activity in the skin. DSM was able to confirm that blue light induces oxidative stress at the skin surface through the formation of ROS. In particular DSM scientists were able to prove that this trigger a process known as protein carbonylation, which may cause proteins to lose their functionality. The issue of blue light clearly warranted more fundamental research, and at DSM, with its expertise in both Sun and Skin Care, they were ideally placed and ambitious to undertake this research and develop solutions that put its customers in the driving seat.
Who wouldn’t want total protection?
Just about any survey of consumer attitudes today confirms that beauty is increasingly associated with health. It is no longer enough to cover up skin deficits – people want to know their skin is supported and protected to maintain its healthy, youthful appearance. And when it comes to photodamage, prevention is really the only option. So who wouldn’t choose the broadest possible protection?
In fact, experience with UV shows that awareness of the need for sun protection is not enough to guarantee appropriate consumer behavior. Such protection must be offered in a way that meets the needs of consumers facing huge demands on their time. A recent report from Mintel, Facial Skincare – Global Annual Review 2016, confirms that today’s consumers are constantly looking for way to reduce the steps in their beauty regimen, and increasingly expect their products to offer total protection.
Taking Total Protection into the Blue
DSM believe strongly in the need to take sun protection to the next level, broadening it to encompass blue light, but know from their own consumer research that in the digital age people want to know “why”, as well as “what”.
DSM’scustomers can be sure that their total protection formulations with blue light efficacy do not just add value to their products. They are backed by full scientific justification and strong claim substantiation based on cutting-edge technology, for complete consumer confidence.
Together we can beat the blues- download the concept here!
