Alpha Clear adult acne treatment is a two-step process that cleans, tones and moisturizes, encouraging the skin’s natural ability to heal acne while normalizing dryness/oiliness levels. Alpha Clear contains intensely moisturizing jojoba oil, which dissolves dried sebum, or skin oils, unclogging pores and clearing blackheads and whiteheads. The natural fruit acids in alpha clear exfoliant tone the skin, clearing remaining cellular debris from within pores. With rinsing, the skin is left soft and clean.
Acne. For many women beyond their teen years, it’s a four-letter word. And combined with aging skin, chronic acne becomes a catch-22: over-the-counter acne treatments dry out the skin, increasing wrinkles — but moisturizers that combat wrinkling only make acne worse. Enter Alpha Clear(R), the first product to use natural, fruit-derived alpha hydroxy acids to effectively treat acne by moisturizing the skin and improving skin tone and texture. Alpha Clear is the result of 25 years of research with alpha hydroxy acids for the treatment of acne and rosacea. It is the first product to use natural, fruit-derived alpha hydroxy acids to effectively treat acne and the only effective acne treatment that actually moisturizes the skin. Traditional over-the-counter acne treatments containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid (beta-hydroxy acid) attempt to sterilize the skin or strip it of protective oils and moisture. Alpha Clear, on the other hand, softens and moisturizes the skin. This is counter to conventional medical wisdom, because excess oils and other sebaceous material are what clog pores and lead to acne in the first place. Alpha Clear is a two-step process that cleans, tones and moisturizes, encouraging the skin’s natural ability to heal acne while normalizing moisturization. The skin remains exfoliated after treatment and its texture is improved, with reduced wrinkles and age spots. Alpha Clear can be used safely with treatments prescribed by dermatologists. In a study of 30 women conducted by Niora, over 90% who used Alpha Clear for twelve weeks experienced improvement in their acne. Significantly, 93% reported increased skin moisturization and improved skin texture as well. In fact, 86% of the women found that Alpha Clear cleansed their skin so well that other products or medications weren’t needed. It is clear from these results that moisturizing the skin is a major factor in the success of treating acne. This is a new concept turns the treatment of acne on its head.
The development of anti-aging alpha hydroxy acid moisturizers is promising a new approach for adult onset acne. To date thousands of women nationwide have successfully used the alpha hydroxy formulated anti-aging acne treatment, Alpha Clear. Their experience with this moisturizing cleanser is compelling evidence that softening the skin and reducing wrinkles with alpha hydroxy acids can be an effective treatment for clearing adult onset acne. Niora recognized over a decade ago the relationship between acne and anti-aging and has compiled thousands of testimonials, and completed two studies on Alpha Clear. The connection between anti-aging and acne first became apparent in the 1970′s when two Dermatologists, Dr. Eugene Van Scott, and Dr. Albert Klingman begin investigating vitamin A as an alternative to benzoyl peroxide for the treatment of acne. The basis of most over-the-counter acne remedies such as Proactive, Clearasil and others, benzoyl peroxide has limited effectiveness and can be drying to the skin. Dr Klingman eventually developed Retin A, a derivative of vitamin A, and Dr. Van Scott began working with the structurally similar Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs). Neither of these researchers attracted much attention until it was noted that women using these substances for acne were experiencing a reduction in skin wrinkling. Retin A and AHAs quickly became most widely used anti-aging skin care ingredients in the world. One of the first to incorporate AHAs into anti-aging skin care, Niora had already achieved acclaim for it’s anti-aging moisturizers. By 1993 Niora was receiving many testimonials from women who realized Niora adult acne treatment could clear acne. In response, Niora re-examined the potential of AHAs as an acne treatment. Just as Van Scott’s AHA acne treatments faded wrinkling, Niora’s AHA anti-aging formulations were reducing adult onset acne. Niora had discovered that moisturizing the skin enhanced the effectiveness of AHAs to reduce acne. The missing piece of the puzzle was Niora’s incorporation AHA into their sensitive skin friendly moisturizing formulas. Seventeen years of experience with Alpha Clear demonstrates that the best acne treatment might well be the best anti-aging cleanser.
Niora’s Alpha C Serum pionneered the use of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) anti-aging skin care with Vitamin C Esters for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Vitamin C and alpha hydroxy fruit acids are the perfect match. Alpha hydroxy fruit acids exfoliate the outer layer of skin reducing wrinkling, and stimulating the skin into renewed growth, and Vitamin C takes perfect advantage of this process by ensuring new growth will be collagen rich, thus enhancing skin firmness. The use of Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Vitamin C together in one skin care treatment were made possible by the development of a new generation of skin stable, and pH compatible, natural Vitamin C’s are ascorbic acid polypeptide and ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate. These forms of Vitamin C were have been developed in Japan exclusively for skin care. These Vitamin Cs are oxidation proof, and thus stable, because each molecule of Vitamin C is surrounded with molecules of proteins and lipid/protein complexes. This not only prevents contact with oxygen, but uniquely enhances penetration into the skin, which is mildly acidic. These new Vitamin C’s are derived from natural sources and the lipids and proteins used are from soy. The result is a natural vegetable sourced C encapsulated in highly bio-available skin-identical proteins. Vitamin C has been clinically proven to stimulate collagen production. Vitamin C does this by turning on the skin s natural collagen-making mechanisms. Vitamin C hydrates, or attaches a molecule of water to the enzyme proline, a component of collagen. The skin uses proline as it measure of how much collagen is present in the skin. Hydrating proline, however, masks the presence of proline from the skin, without affecting the skin firming properties of collagen. Thus the skin, unable to detect proline, starts producing more collagen. The result is firmer, more youthful skin. Thousands of women and men nationwide are discovering just how much better the combination of alpha hydroxies and Vitamin C work.
Niora uses whole extracts of apples, citrus fruits, and sugar cane. These natural extracts are the most effective form of alpha hydroxy acids, gentle and sensitive skin friendly. Fruit acids are exfoliants and can dissolve or exfoliate the excess tissue, and cellular debris that block pores and cause sensitivity. These Natural Fruit acids also enhance moisturization, tone the skin, tighten pores and improve skin texture while fading wrinkles and age spots.
Natural Alpha hydroxy acids are derived from fruit and milk sugars. The most commonly used alpha hydroxy acids are glycolic acid and lactic acid because they have a special ability to penetrate the skin. Niora uses a mixture of glycolic and lactic, as well as malic and citric acids extracted from apples, citrus fruits, and sugar cane. These natural whole extracts are sensitive and acne-prone skin friendly.
In normal skin, AHAs work as exfoliants, encouraging the skin to shed its surface coating of dead cells – a natural process – and replace them with new ones at a faster rate. AHAs stimulate cells to shed more smoothly and speedily, the way they did when skin was young. This increase in cellular turnover means visible skin is more vibrant, less exposed to environmental conditions able to hold moisture better.
In other words, individual skin cells don’t linger longer and longer on the skin’s surface, losing elasticity. This loss of elasticity creates micro fissures that the underlying emerging skin grows into. This eventually creates fine wrinkles that just deepen with age.
Adult women with acne face a unique dilemma: Typically over-the-counter acne treatments dry out the skin increasing wrinkles — but moisturizers that combat wrinkling only make acne worse. To address this problem, Niora developed Alpha Clear(R), a natural alpha hydroxy- based acne treatment that moisturizes the skin. And for the second time a survey of Alpha Clear users has demonstrated it’s phenomenal rate of success. In an independent survey conducted by the National Health and Wellness club, an independent consumer organization http://www.namginc.com, 115 participants used Alpha Clear. A dramatic 88% rated it effective. Moreover, the overwhelming majority confirmed that Alpha Clear moisturized the skin. These results mirror the results of an earlier study conducted by Niora. In the Niora study 30 women used Alpha Clear for twelve weeks. Over 90% experienced improvement in their acne and reported an increase skin moisturization and improved skin texture. This new study strengthens Niora’s hypothesis, that improvements in skin texture and normalization of skin moisturization are in fact essential to success with acne. This is counter to conventional medical wisdom, because excess oils and other sebaceous material are what clog pores and lead to acne in the first place. It is clear from these results that moisturizing the skin is a major factor in the success of treating acne. Traditional over-the-counter acne treatments containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid (beta-hydroxy acid) attempt to sterilize the skin or strip it of protective oils and moisture. Stripping the skin of moisture damages the skin, accelerating the aging process, often creating counter-productive skin conditions. Alpha Clear, on the other hand, softens and moisturizes the skin. Alpha Clear is grounded in 25 years of research with alpha hydroxy acids on acne and rosacea. Alpha Clear is the first product to use natural, fruit-derived alpha hydroxy acids to effectively treat acne and the only effective acne treatment that actually moisturizes the skin. Alpha Clear is a simple two-step process that cleans, tones and moisturizes, encouraging the skin’s natural ability to heal acne while normalizing moisturization, while reducing wrinkles and age spots. Alpha Clear can be used safely with treatments prescribed by dermatologists.
Hyaluronic Acid is a polysaccharide that occurs naturally in every tissue of the body, with the highest concentrations occurring in the skin. Providing protection to cell structures, Hyaluronic Acid is the natural gel between skin cells that serves as a water reservoir for the cells.
As we age, skin loses hyaluronic acid and the ability to hold sufficient water in this reservoir. Feeding new hyaluronic acid to skin may help hydrate skin’s intercellular reservoir, raising skin’s moisture level, and smoothing down age lines.
Topically, Hyaluronic Acid has water storing properties, making it an ideal hydrating agent and lubricant, leading to a perceptible and visible improvement of skin condition. In use, it forms a thin transparent protective layer just beneath the stratum corneum that helps to preserve the characteristics of youthful and healthy skin: suppleness, elasticity and tone.
What all of this means, in that formulated into Niora’s Eye Therapy Replenishment Serum, hyaluronic acid rejuenvates the dehydrated puffy tissue under the eyes, reducing this puffiness, rehydrating it and fading the discoloration.
Only organic golden jojoba oil is used in Niora Skin care. Jojoba’s fine molecular structure means deep moisturization and quick absorption. Jojoba is the only oil used in skin care that has a molecular size finer than sebum, or natural skin oils. It’s fine molecular size means it cuts through the dried oils and debris clogging pores. The pores are gently, but thoroughly cleaned, leaving the skin soft and moisturized.
Jojoba Oil is the reason Niora skin care is not only sensitive skin safe, but can moisturize acne prone skin without causing breakouts. Jojoba special abilities as skin care ingredient hinge on one unique property: It has a molecular size finer than sebum, the complex of oils found in the skin. This fine molecular size means Jojoba will dissolves harden or thickened sebum on the skin’s surface or clogging pores. lifting these deposit off the skin while penetrating and moisturizing the same skin tissue. This reduces the tendency of the skin to produce more sebum after the skin after cleaning, which can happen when oils are removed with soap or benzoyl peroxide based acne treatments.
In other words, jojoba cleans the skin by displacing dried sebum without reducing the skin’s ability to retain moisture.
Most oils are not recommended for use with acne prone skin. Jojoba oil is an exception and is well tolerated by people with skin problems especially acne precisely because of it’s ability to break down sebum in plugged-up pores. It does not add the bulk of oily or waxy components like other cosmetic moisturizers can. Because of it’s fine modular size it also penetrated the skin, and is well adsorbed. Chemically jojoba has a structure unlike other oils used in skin care.
For example, almost all cosmetic oils are easily oxidized and thus often make excellent foods. These oils are classified as triglycerides. Jojoba is a monoglyceride oil.Technically, triglyceride fats and oils are used in plants and animals primarily as a source of energy.
The more solid, or waxy substances in skin, the wax esters, are used primarily for moisture control, protection and for their emollient properties. Many cosmetically useful wax esters can be extracted from plants and make excellent moisturizers. (Glycerol Stearate which we use is an example.) Plants use wax esters for moisture rendition and not energy production. Stability, and resistance to oxidation is key. Likewise, Jojoba, a desert plant uses jojoba oil for moisture retention. What is unique about Jojoba oil is that although it is chemically a wax ester and use in moistures retention, it is soluble at room temperature like an oil. It thus has all the moisture retention properties of a wax but has the skin penetrating ability of an oil.
These unique properties of Jojoba bear out in the studies, where it is found that:
Jojoba oil is well tolerated by people with skin problems
does not aggravate acne
helps to break down sebum in plugged-up pores
beneficial for sensitive skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis
The chemical similarity, or of molecular size, of Jojoba to sebum offers a secondary benefit. Besides it’s ability to moisturize the skin can help with moisture retention, this similarity to sebum it may actually help convince the skin that it has plenty of sebum and to stop overproducing. Thus It helps to balance the production of sebum, or in other words balance overactive oil production, a key factor in acne.
The small molecular size is considered the primary reason Jojoba is quickly absorbed into the skin, and leaves a rich velvety non-oily feel on the skin while retarding water loss and enhancing the flexibility and suppleness of the skin. It’s expensive but without Jojoba Niora would not be Niora.