Skin Essentials

This page will help you understand the essentials of how the skin works and how the body's internal and external environment can contribute dramatically to skin ageing. This will give you insight into the product range and how it can benefit you. You will gain insight into how the natural and herbal antioxidants and healing agents in Karapeka Olive products help to turn the tide of ageing, giving you a skin that feels and behaves years younger and healthier.

The reasons for skin ageing:	Exposure to excessive sunlight and free radical damage
	A high degree of skin stress due to excessive movement
	Frequent exposure to chemicals
	The use of ineffective skincare products

Ageing is a preprogrammed process beginning at the cellular level. Free radicals are usually oxygen molecules that have lost an electron during interactions with other molecules. In this process they become unstable and reactive. They steal electrons from healthy molecules, creating more free radicals and damaging cell components. This sets up a chain reaction which propagates itself and is difficult to reverse. It results in damage to cells and impairment of the immune system, leading to infections and various degenerative diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Their most profound visible effect is ageing of the skin.  

The following are the chain of events that lead to premature ageing:	Ultra violet rays damage oxygen molecules
	This causes destruction of collagen structures
	The skin sags and loose its elasticity
	This causes more collagen damage
	This results in a more noticeable ageing effect
	Major free radical damage from exposure to the sun and to smoking and pollution

It was initially thought that free radicals do their damage to the interior of cells, in particular to their DNA. Subsequent research has shown that they do most of their damage to the outer layer of the cell, the cell membrane. This area is the richest source of electrons and membrane damage results in cells losing their ability to transport nutrients in and out, resulting in dehydration.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SKIN

The inner layer, or dermis, contains all the sweat glands, hair roots and nerve ends and is the 'power house' of the skin. Collagen is a major structural protein of the dermis forming molecular cables that strengthen and support the skin and internal organs. It comprises a quarter of all the protein in the body. Protecting the dermis on the outside is the epidermis which has very thin layers that produce new cells which are continuously pushed to the outside where they die and are slowly shed. These dead cells have a most important function since they protect the body externally from environmental hazards. In treating aging skin it is important to keep the epidermis in the best shape possible so that it can function optimally.

Events leading to wrinkle formation	Molecules in skin absorb sunlight, activating free radicals
	Free radicals break down fats in skin cells
	This triggers the release of arachidonic acid, causing inflammation
	This triggers collagen digesting enzymes, causing micro-scarring
	This results in the formation of a wrinkle

Inflammation in the skin often not visible. The photographs above show the face as seen under normal light on the left, and under infrared on the right. The inflammatory state of the skin, normally invisible to the naked eye, suddenly becomes quite apparent. This inflammation is most often caused by free radicals and is the major cause of ageing.

NATURAL INGREDIENTS THAT HELP DAMAGED SKIN

Damaged skin can be managed by using nutrients that stop or reverse free radical damage. They do it by giving the molecules that are 'out of control' the electron partners they seek. This neutralizes their effects, keeping oxidative stress to a minimum. Karapeka Olive uses naturally derived antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and healing herbs to repair the damage to skin caused by free radicals. The strategy becomes one of getting the the anti-oxidants deep into the skin, and getting anti-oxidants into the body for systemic distribution to all the tissues. Skin moisturization is facilitated with pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil that itself has antioxidant activity.

Our Active Ingredient profile can be summarised in the way:
Anti-oxidants are fundamental components of Karapeka Olive skincare products. The antioxidants used in Karapeka Olive products are Co-Enzyme Q10, DMAE, Grape seed oil, Grape seed extract, unfermented Green Rooibos extract, and Alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E). 
Emollient Butters are highly unctuous oleous extractions from the nuts of certain trees. Avocado butter, Mango butter and Shea butter are used in different proportions in a number of the Karapeka Olive emulsions where they confer high emollience and feel. They are fundamental to the hyper-moisturising properties of Karapeka Olive skin care products and contribute to the 'little goes a long way' nature of these products.

Emollient oils are extracted from the nuts and seeds of plants. Each has properties peculiar to itself and are used in combination to create a profile that is both highly moisturising as well as aesthetically pleasing to the feel. Karapeka Olive products use Avocado oil, Evening Primrose oil, Grape seed oil and Marula oil to achieve product specification.  Essential oils, unlike the emollient oils, are volatile extracts from the leaves and flowers of plants. They have aromatherapeutic properties and contribute to the fragrance of Karapeka Olive products. Karapeka Olive products use Lavender oil which has additional anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activity. Natural healing and soothing principals such as Aloe Ferox, Calendula, Collagen, Southern Ocean Kelp, d-Panthenol, and Sodium lactate are used to revitalize and humidify damaged skin. 

For a complete review of each active ingredient used, go to to Active Ingredients.

THE ROLE OF COSMECEUTICALS

Cosmeceuticals are skin care formulations that provide added benefit other than simply moisturizing the skin. Karapeka Olive products contain natural active ingredients to provide these added benefits. Karapeka Olive cosmeceuticals target the face, hands and neck - the high-wear areas of the skin, protecting them from the harmful free radicals caused by the devastating effects of ultraviolet radiation. The range is derived from natural active ingredients which include well-respected traditional medicinal herbs, well known for their powerful antioxidant and immune-enhancing activity.