Happy Labor Day! 

In honor of hard workers everywhere, it is time to enjoy your parades, BBQ, sand and sun. Despite the temperature in some cities Labor Day officially marks the end of summer and like many businesses CoValence will be closed on Monday, September 5th in observance of the holiday. We will re-open on Tuesday, September 6th. We hope you all have stay safe and enjoy your holiday.

FREE SAMPLE! Your Eye Wish is granted!

Say no to your lines with the ingredient ChroNOline.

Stop the hands of time with Renovage®.

Recap

If you have missed any of our blogs over the past few weeks, click the links below to read more about our great products.

The Oils Have It

(Ctrl + Alt + Delete)

National Sun Awareness

Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook and Twitter

SKINsider FLASH! 

There has been a lot of news lately about HQ products being removed from Texas shelves. After much research, we found that the HQ products being removed are formulated with a HQ percentage greater than 2%. Therefore, OTC products with a HQ percentage equal to or less than 2% look to be safe from Texas authorities.

Mint Julep Cleanser is here! 

Try Our New Chiral Peels!

Don’t forget to visit us at HBA in New York!

 We’re Crazy for Cococin™

What’s in a Name?

 We’re Headed to South Beach with 4 New Products…

 Sale on Culture Clash Lotion!

We are on target with two Benzoyl Peroxide products.

It’s ‘Zyme’ for another new product!

Introducing our ‘Sweet 16′

Can you believe we are already in the middle of March? I bet with cabin fever settling in many of us are already having a great Spring Break! If you are heading outside, don’t forget to apply one of our Vault sunblocks. 

Day Cream SPF 30 – OTC (VLT0.6000G) offers broad-spectrum protection and is infused with Hyaluronic Acid.

Elite Natural SPF 30 – OTC (VLT0.6007G) Zinc Oxide, Red Algae and Thiotaine® provide broad spectrum protection from UVA and UVB exposure.

Natural SPF 28 – OTC (VLT0.6004G) moisturizes and provides UVA/UVB protection with natural Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide.

Sol Protect SPF 17 – OTC (VLT0.6002G) features Zinc Oxide, Tocomin™ and Astaxanthin for sun protecting, moisturizing and antioxidant properties.

Did you all get a chance to see the introduction to our new Flower Power campaign? Don’t worry if you missed it, we attached a link below where you can catch up on everything you may have missed over the past few weeks… including the incredible benefits of our Lavish Lash and Brow as well as UGL Complex.

The natural exfoliating benefits of UGL Complex.

Lavish Lash and Brow Peptide Serum.

Take a chill pill…Flower Power is here!

WE HAVE NEW PACKAGING!

We have a few changes to our packaging catalog. We still carry the 2 and 4 oz tubes however; we will no longer be carrying 1oz or 6oz tubes. We also are so happy to announce the addition of two new airless pumps in 1/2 and 1oz sizes. Please contact your Account Executive for more information.  Click on the link to review and download our Packaging Catalog.

1/2 oz – PKGS.AIR0H021oz – PKGS.AIR0102

Just the F.A.Q.s Ma’am…

We have updated our Frequently Asked Questions so please stop and check it out and if you have a question we have not answered on our website please feel free to call us at 480-897-0551 or email us at customerservice@covalence.com.

Please visit our News-Wire, Facebook or Twitter pages often in order to stay on top of all of our day to day news and information.

Below, please find the links to the blogs that you may have missed. Please visit our News-Wire, Facebook or Twitter pages often in order to stay abreast of what products are being developed and which ingredients we are utilizing at CoValence.

Enjoy reading and please feel free to contact us if there is anything we can do to help you with your development, formulating and filling projects.

We are now NOP Certified.

Fire Sale on Lotion Cleanser.

More exciting products.

Do you want to be FABULOUS?

All our best,

The CoValence Team

Happy Days are Here Again… As of July 1^st we started batching more Vault products in order for you to have complete Anti-Aging, Acne, Sensitive and Brightening product systems, at more doable prices. The Vault products are only available in bulk, and filling minimums still apply, however one (1) to three (3) gallons of a batched product are now more favorably priced.

In addition to the new batched Vault products, we have added brand new formulas to our Vault offering – giving you more opportunities to be a hero for your clients.

Please contact a Sales or Account Executive to get the updated Vault Price List and Catalog.

ORGANICALLY INTRIGUING

We started our USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) Certification with gusto and after our Regulatory Department has worked on the paperwork for countless hours, we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel!

There have been times during the process when we questioned if it was necessary to get the NOP certification due to that the USDA does not oversee the ‘organic’ claims made in skincare. However, we knew that there would come a day when an independent body would take matters into their own hands and mandate that products are NOP certified if the word “organic” is used on product labeling. Well… it isn’t farfetched, but it is intriguing, that Whole Foods Market is the first (that we have seen) non-regulatory body to enforce their independent organic guidelines. Here is their blog, if you are interested in reading more…

 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2010/06/organic-labeling-for-body-care/

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM,  

WE ALL SCREAM FOR A DREAM CREAM!

What is a dream cream? I think it is safe to say that we all have our own vision of the ingredients that make up a dream cream, serum, elixir, et al. As many of you are aware, CoValence is not unlike every other manufacturer in the skincare industry. We are all questioning whether the process of reformulating products is a need of safety and sustainability, or simply consumer demand?

The answer is probably a little bit of both. Two different industry magazines succinctly touched on the topic in regards to how consumer demand could be creating industry changes that are not necessarily the best for any of us.

NewScientist’s March 13, 2010 issue mentioned that while we are moving towards more renewable ingredient resources, “…they can be far from environmentally benign…” In Cosmeticsdesign.com, Katie Bird wrote in her June 15^th article, “Manufacturers are reformulating to tick all the consumer’s boxes, which in itself is dangerous as this is a moving target…”

 What does all of this mean? It means… know your facts about ingredients, safety, sustainability, etc. and do not panic if you read something new on a blog. Understand that not all ‘natural’ ingredients are the best choice just as you should not be afraid of ‘lab derived” ingredients. The world consists of the good, the bad and the ugly ingredients – albeit subjective. Our job is to utilize the ‘good’ and educate everyone on the ‘bad’ and ‘ugly’.

ARE YOU DOING YOUR BODY GOOD?

Debates continue to erupt amongst industry experts and scientists over Vitamin D and the role it plays on our skin. There have been recent discussions over whether Vitamin D should be ingested orally or produced naturally within the body. In the article, “To D or Not to D: Many Still Question Vitamin D,” posted by Cosmetic & Toiletries, we learn that the majority of current research on Vitamin D is both “inconclusive and often contradictory.”  Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Consequently, the consumer is left to judge and make that decision for us because, as mentioned in the previous article, ultimately they are the ones who drive the market.

Even more pressing is the use of sunscreens and “their potential to block Vitamin D production in the body.”  In the article, Henry Lim, MD writes, “…proving that Vitamin D could prevent certain illnesses would require large studies that no pharmaceutical manufacturers would support.” With that said, it is imperative for manufacturers such as ourselves to remain knowledgeable about industry news such as this.  We must do our part to provide consumers with a product that will ultimately benefit their body and perhaps protect it at the same time. It is like that old saying repeated by Zoe Diana Draelos, MD in the Cosmetics & Toiletries post, “You can have too much of a good thing.” It is important for us all to remember that moderation is the key. Whether you choose to get your fill of Vitamin D orally, or the old fashioned way, just be wise and be careful-no one knows your body better than YOU!

 Formulation note… Vitamin D in skincare is not accepted in many countries; Almond Oil contains a natural supply of Vitamin D.

 NEED A GOOD MECHANIC?

We dare say that there are only a few of us that could call ourselves mechanically inclined when it comes to cars, appliances and our skin. Our skin? Yes, our skin! However, rest assured… even if you are not the best mechanic for your skin, CoValence develops with ingredients that trigger skin mechanisms which result in perfectly tuned up skin.

Back in November 2009 we brought Renovage™ to your attention. Renovage™ triggers and stabilizes the mechanism of telomere shortening, prolonging cell life by 1/3. Not too shabby for a skincare ingredient. Is it?

Another extremely efficient mechanism ingredient that we introduced to you in August 2009 is, LONGEVICELL^®. This botanical extract from myrtle, is rich in oligogalacturonans and has been proven to slow down the senescence factors plus activate the SIRT1 (Sirtuin) expression in skin —  increasing the life of cells. LONGEVICELL^® is a true cell regenerator and guardian of tissue longevity erasing the first signs of aging.

It is our pleasure to introduce “Most wanted antioxidant” to you…  Thiotane (L-ergothioneine). This powerful chiral antioxidant is a natural amino acid, MMPi, UVA/UVB protector, products energy, scavenges free radicals, recycles Vitamin C like Vitamin E, neutralizes ozone, inhibits tyrosinase and, last but not least, it has been found to be far superior to CoQ10 and Idebenone! Need we say more?

PLANT STEM CELLS

The Apple Stem Cells started a revolution in skincare thanks in part to its intense research showing that a plant stem cell could actually combat aging, reducing and preventing wrinkles. With its immense popularity, a handful of new plant stem cells followed suit.

CoValence owns, along with the Apple Stem Cell, six (6) more additional beautiful and potent plant stem cells. To get the most marketing mileage out of a product that contains plant stem cells, we recommend that you formulate (*) with the Apple Stem Cells and then add one (1) or two (2) booster plant stem cells from the other six (6) choices…

Centella Asiatica Stem Cells… firms, restructures and improves skin tone and elasticity – offers relief for Rosacea sufferers.

 Echinacea Stem Cells… revitalizes dull, tired skin, restoring radiance – assists with collagen production.

Edelweiss Stem Cells… prevents collagen loss and aging of skin – benefits the eye contour area.

 Butterfly Bush Stem Cells… boosts skin’s defense towards environmental elements and protects against photoaging – offers MMPi and UV stress protection.

Lilac Stem Cells… reduces sebum, bacteria and inflammation – complete treatment for acne disorders.

Sea Fennel Stem Cells (**)… reinforces antioxidant protection, regulates keratogenesis and pigmentation disorders — complete anti-aging solution.

 (*) Plant Stem Cells work best in a cream or lotion base.

(**) The Sea Fennel Stem Cells are a new favorite of our R&D Team. Due to the ingredient’s lead-time our production time line could stretch up to 10 to 12 weeks. However, we feel the extra few weeks will be worth the wait!

May’s edition of Around the Water Cooler is targeting ‘out of the box’ ideas for preventing skin aging.

Step Away from the Bubble Gum (maybe)

Skin Inc. posted an article in March titled, “Could Gum-chewing Cause Wrinkles; Shorten Filler Lifespan?”. Based on beauty blogs, and not research, the article stated that there seems to be a gum-wrinkle connection due to the repetitive motion of chewing gum. However, on the flip-side, research has discovered that chewing gum can decrease stress and increases alertness. Hmm… is gum the culprit or repetition? According to Joel Schlessinger, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon, “Repetition is the culprit.”

So, feel free to keep chewing gum to reduce stress… in moderation.

Stop – Drop – Relax

Have you felt stressed this last week? Last hour? According to www.motivationalplus.com some of the symptoms of a stressed woman are… guilt, weight gain, moody, anxiety, rushed, feeling overwhelmed and irritable. After some research, you also need to add… premature aging of skin. We (not our loved ones or co-workers) may be able to deal with the moodiness, but premature aging of the skin? No thank you!

An easy way to reduce stress is to – stop, drop and relax! We have found that spraying a room or work space with the Bio-Guard Mist (VLT0.6700) is an effective way to create a peaceful environment, reducing stress, even if the restful feeling only lasts a couple moments before someone needs you to save the world.

The Bio-Guard Mist is popular for promoting health (immune stimulating, antimicrobial, decongestant), wellness (stress relief, emotional balance, mental clarity, energizing) and environmental cleanliness. Therefore, to help promote beautiful, healthy skin… find and embrace an extra free moment in your day, spray Bio-Guard Mist and let the stress melt away. You are worth it!

Multi-Task Age Fighters

Enhancements in Cosmeceuticals makes it easier than ever to multi-task a skin care regimen and, concurrently, gives us more time to enjoy the rest of our day. We, at CoValence, are biased. We admit it. We love the products we make whether the products are custom or for our Vault. Each product has a story and a purpose, but we are especially fond of our products that fight age, not with one ingredient ‘jab’… but a ‘TKO’ combination of ingredients and benefits.

Here is a list of our Color Palette products which are perfect examples of multi-task age fighters…

• Sweet Pea Pink Cheek Gel (VLT0.7501)
• Bronze Glow Cheek Gel (VLT0.7502)
  
• Rose is a Rose Cheek Gel (VLT0.7503)
  
• Red Infusion Cheek Gel (VLT0.7504)
• Volu-9 Lip Tint (VLT0.8000)
• Hint of Tint Serum Anti-Age (Medium VLT0.4011, Light VLT0.4013)
• Hint of Tint Serum Clarifying (Medium VLT0.4012, Light VLT0.4014)

SIRTUIN – A Knight in Shining Armor

An easy way for one to remember the benefits of a Sirtuin is to picture a Knight in Shining Armor – bravely protecting the DNA of our cells from destruction of aging scavengers.

Sirtuins are protein enzymes that affect cellular metabolism which plays a vital role in the manifestations of aging. Research is ongoing in this area, but there has been successful approaches conducted towards finding methods that fuel sirtuins. Research has shown that there are effective sirtuin activating compounds which promote the cell’s resistance to stress factors as well as prolong a cell’s life.

Resveratrol and its derivative compounds (Giant Knotweed), are some of the most compelling activators of sirtuins – lengthening a cell’s lifespan. According to Jin Liu, “combining the resveratrol amalgam with the various specified ingredients achieves significant effects such as the following: inhibits fatty acid oxidation and helps to keep cell membranes in good condition.” In addition, the sirtuin activators are capable of stimulating collagen and elastin plus inhibiting inflammation, tyrosinase activity and glycosylation processes – an infantry of anti-aging knights.

It would be our pleasure to customize a product for you with sirtuin activators. Not interested in customizing? Our emollient Night Cream (VLT0.5004) was created to help activate sirtuins.

Color Palette Series

 It’s Spring — which makes it the perfect time to introduce our new Cosmeceutical make-up, highlighted in our Color-Palette series! If you did not receive our RSS last week, please take a moment to look at the Color-Palette blog.  We have introduced these Vault products at a special introductory price and quantity, for you to test with your clients. The Color-Pallete series, formulated with our Chiral-Color complex, has become one of our favorite  product groupings. It will probably be one of your favorites as well!  

March 2010 Ingredient Perspective

Not only have there been vast changes in the raw ingredient industry since we published our 2009 Corporate Report — it has accelerated! 

There are more mergers and acquisitions going on between ingredient manufacturers than last year. What happens when there is a new owner? They make changes. For a raw ingredient producer, that means dropping older ingredients where there is NO demand. Just as in the fashion industry – vendors drop old styles to bring in new.

Example: CoValence has used an Apple MMPI ingredient for nearly four years, yet the ingredient producers just told us last week they will no longer make this ingredient. What’s the reason for the discontinuation? Everyone wants Apple Stem Cells. End of story. We do not get a warning phase. We are simply told it is no longer available when we place an order.   

I will not go on and on as to every last ingredient horror story we have had to deal with as a manufacturer. I will say that from the early 1990’s to 2003 I can only recall one ingredient that we were not able to get, all of a sudden, and we could not find a replacement.  From 2004 up until present day I would say there have been around 30 or more ingredients that were suddenly discontinued. The reasons for the discontinuation are outlined in the earlier report.   

We, as the manufacturer, do our best to match or find a like ingredient to one that has been discontinued. Sometimes we are able to find a match, however many times we search without any success.   Unfortunately, the unsuccessful matches could be for an ingredient, exclusive to one raw manufacturer that gives a particular base feel or texture. Which means the product will not feel exactly how it did in its original state. Additionally, two raw ingredients can have the same INCI but feel very different. Raw suppliers have their own formulas for producing the raw ingredient just as we do on finished formulas. Scent is a particularly difficult issue for the same reason.

I want to add a second part involving use of natural preservatives. For years we have used Benzyl Alcohol instead of Parabens. Benzyl Alcohol works for many products as it slips in elegantly and does not disturb scent or texture. Similar to Parabens! However, Benzyl Alcohol does not provide a long shelf life which made sense with our earlier formulas considering they were not designed for a shelf-life over 12 months. Times and demands have changed, therefore we now formulate our products for a longer shelf-life (when the actives allow it).

During our formulation transition for a longer shelf life, global dominant EU regulations only allow for a low level of Benzyl Alcohol which means that other natural preservatives must be added to extend a shelf life.  Since the perfect natural option does not exist yet, the process of extending a shelf life while accepting client and global demands has been very difficult, especially since almost every natural option changes the scent, texture or color of a product. Even though there is still no natural “Paraben” preservative option that will extend a shelf life while also creating an elegant texture, we continue to work towards perfecting the combination of natural preservatives that are available. (See ‘Preservatives: Let’s Make A Deal’ below)

TO OUR CLIENTS:

I am asking you to understand that the skin care business has changed. It is not what it was 10 years ago, let alone 15-20 years ago! Sophisticated skin care, which was the domain of professional skin care, is now the domain of L’Oreal, Proctor & Gamble and other mass market brands. The raw ingredient manufacturers are in the driver’s seat! What was once a small industry of high performance, professional skin care, focused in the U.S. and filling the professional skin care shows, is now ruled by mass market. Look at the Olay®, Pro-X® ads on TV. The voiceover says “We have a ‘protocol’ with these products to give you results you don’t need to see a dermatologist for.” In addition, their magazine ads have about 10 doctors signing off to that fact that a dermatologist is not needed. Neutrogena is now going in the same marketing direction.     

The raw ingredient suppliers are rapidly changing, merging, and dropping ingredients to keep up with supplying larger quantities to the increasingly larger clientele that now want growth factors, brightening, peptides, everything that used to be the domain  of licensed professionals. They want to make larger batches of fewer products.  

WHAT NOW:

COVALENCE: We will notify you as soon as we know of a change and discuss alternatives. Believe me when I say we always try first to find an exact or close replacement. But, we also have to be careful that the replacement choice is sustainable, to the best of our knowledge.  It is not pleasant for either of us to be faced with change when we all have enough to deal with as business owners and managers!  But, these changes will continue to happen; therefore, wasting time and energy fighting it just detracts from everyone’s energy in getting on with the plan to deal with it. 

YOU: It will be a mistake for you to think it is possible to go back to the “old days” of a product being able to stay the same for years.  It will be imperative for you to develop a “Change Plan” going forward.  

This Change Plan should include:

(1). Educate your clients about the nature of these industry changes and the role of raw ingredient manufacturers.  Develop your own method of notifying clients on a change and refer them back to this information as to why if needed.   

(2). Larger batches of each SKU makes change costs easier to manage. You can continue to use up any product that is already packaged. You can add on a corrective hang-tag even, until the current packaging is used. Larger batches can help both sides absorb costs of a change.

(3). When a change needs to happen, CoValence will provide marketing information as to why the change had to happen and why the new option is better. 

This is the nature of skin care now and into the future. Like it or not, the speed of new ingredient roll-outs, the discontinuance of ingredients and competition from pro-mimic large players are all part of the landscape. The great news for you is that CoValence clients can still successfully compete because they can introduce new concepts faster than the large brands. Plus, we are continuing to work on our own ingredient Intellectual Property, which WE control, not ingredient vendors. Eventhough you must incorporate into your business plans the potential for rapid change, rest assured that we, your manufacturing partner, are doing everything in our power to make the inevitable change bearable.

All my best,

Linda

Preservatives: Let’s Make a Deal

People want to think that they could pick the preservative behind Door #1, Door #2 or Door #3 and it would easily replace Parabens.  That is completely NOT the case. Parabens were used for years as they slipped in un-noticed to ANY formula – they do not alter the smell,  texture  and they perfectly preserved.  Plus, let’s face it… they are cheap which is why the mass market still uses them. 

Unfortunately, there is nothing like Parabens whatsoever in the all-natural world yet.  Nothing.  The closest to it is Phenoxyethanol, which is considered safe by the CIR reports – the source that governs our industry. However, it does have limited use restrictions in the EU and the comments on Skin Deep apply to very, very strong doses – not to finished products.  As most everyone should know, strong doses of almost anything can irritate or burn the eyes (the Glycolic Acid MSDS states this), cause cancer (eating too much grilled meat or too much sun exposure),  irritate the lungs if breathed in (any powder), cause allergies (so does DL-Alpha Tocopherol which many companies use because it’s cheap), endocrine disruption,  neurotoxicity (but no one wants  to examine putting unnatural hormone replacement on the skin and what that does to disrupt the  body)!   If only there was a group that dared to attack the real enemies to health that individuals are faced with on a daily basis. 

There is no natural preservative out there can cover all bases like Parabens did.  They either are not strong enough for the shelf-life  needed for global distribution, make a product smell,  or change the texture,  on and on.  The perfect preservative that works just like Parabens—does not exist –yet. 

Certain websites will continue to disapprove of everything out there as that is their business.   However, savvy skin care professionals are right to keep tabs on these things and the  development of new options as the raw ingredient industry keeps developing them. But, they also need to keep perspective on the balance between the value of results-driven products like CoValence offers  and the time needed for the  evolvement of new and better preservative options. It has been the mandate of CoValence from the beginning, to not be stagnant or resist change,  as better options become available. As surprising as it may seem, there is not a perfect natural preservative hiding behind any door. However, CoValence is proficient at formulating with natural preservatives to achieve the longest shelf-life along with the most elegant texture possible. Times have changed and CoValence is embracing it!

Chirally Correct: Mother Nature’s Handy-Work

Most people are either right-handed, or left-handed. Right-handed people work better with their right hand. Left-handed people work better with their left hand. Very few people are ambidextrous, who can work equally well with their right or left hand.

Mother Nature is the same way…

Mother Nature produces most natural ingredients in their left-handed or right-handed form. Left-handed ingredients have their key elements arranged in a left-handed pattern (Levo, L; or Sinister, S), while right-handed ingredients are arranged in a right-handed geometry (Dextro, D; or Rectus, R). Technically, it is called chirality or asymmetry, and such ingredients are called chiral or asymmetric. Chiral or asymmetric ingredients rotate polarized natural light in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Mother Nature prefers to produce left-handed ingredients. Natural amino acids, and human DNA itself, are all left-handed, for example. In general, such ingredients when produced by typical chemical synthesis tend to be a 50:50 mixture of both (D) and (L) molecules. Such mixtures are called racemic, or DL (50% of D-form + 50% of L-form = DL, or racemic); these do not rotate polarized natural light.

Just like people, these right-sided or left-sided natural ingredients perform uniquely in many cases. A left-handed ingredient can have greater skin wrinkles reduction benefit than a right-handed ingredient – Ascorbic Acid being a prime example. An (L) ingredient can be skin soothing, while the same ingredient in its D-form may cause skin irritation. If skin irritation property of D-form is greater than skin soothing property of L-form, then the DL-form may cause skin irritation overall. The use of pure 100% L-form in such cases is essential.

Natural ingredients included in a cosmetic product, that are either (L) or (D), may not absorb into skin at the same rate. If an (L) ingredient is absorbed more rapidly, then a 50:50 mixture of both (L) and (D) ingredient may have lesser skin beneficial affects compared to the use of 100% pure (L) ingredient in that product. If the ingredient has been made via synthesis in a pure (L) or (D) form, then both the natural and the synthetic would provide the same and equal biological properties. Synthetic ingredients are not bad, as long as they are nature-equivalent and have no undesirable chemical impurities.

CoValence utilizes the ingredients in their correct left (L) or right (D) handed biospatial form in all cosmetic formulations to provide optimal benefits.

CoValence has also developed a proprietary methodology to enhance the skin absorption of natural ingredients that have an undesirable handedness (chirally incorrect) form. You can only imagine what this technology can do when used for desirably handed (chirally correct) ingredients!