Five Best with Growth Factors 2015

Just about the most powerful topical anti-aging ingredient available to us is epidermal growth factor (EFF). Fun fact: animals lick their wounds because their saliva includes a high concentration of EGF. There are more fun facts regarding antler velvet below. But to be serious for a moment, growth factors, or cytokines, or human conditioned media, or human stem cells are naturally occurring proteins that stimulate cells to go forth and multiply and differentiate themselves from other cells. Growth factors bind to specific receptors on the cell surfaces. To find these wound healers and wrinkle repairers, here are my 2015 Five Best with growth factors. 

  • Innarah Line Smoothing Treatment Serum Oxygenated Moisture Serum

    Innarah Line Smoothing Treatment Serum Oxygenated Moisture Serum ($175 in the shop). The growth factor in Innarah’s serum is from elk antler velvet. Really! Elk antler velvet contains the growth factor IGF-1. Now as I dug into this, I found that IGF-1 mediates growth hormones, which when you think about it, is why antlers regrow so quickly after shedding. IGF-1 is touted as improving athletic performance and has been banned by the NFL and other sports organizations. And redefining “horny” (sorry), antler velvet is said to help erectile disfunction. You, however, will merely be aroused by Innarah’s impressive anti-aging performance.

    Read the full review and learn about the ingredients

  • AQ Skin Solutions Eye Serum

    AQ Skin Solutions Eye Serum ($99 in the shop). AQ’s growth factor is a sophisticated complex with TGF-Beta, GM-CSF and PDGF. These signal the cells to do a myriad things, including repairing wounds, stimulating collagen and glycosaminoglycan production, and inhibiting matrix degradation. It doesn’t stop there: AQ has added the peptide complex Matrixyl 3000 and dipeptide 2, a depuffer that improves lymphatic drainage. All of this adds up to one of our most popular eye serums with repeat buys. Oh, and did I mention that is has a little bonus – regular use helps eyelashes grow.

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  • Medik8 Growth Factor

    Medik8 Growth Factor ($160 in the shop). The key active is sh-Oligopeptide-1, a recombinant human peptide that is produced by fermentation in e.coli. Medik8 says that it has been triple-filtered and encapsulated in liposomes to ensure penetration into the skin. The pared-back formula has no solvents, alcohols or other ingredients that could negatively impact the growth factor. A simple and powerful formula.

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  • Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Prime

    Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Prime ($135 in the shop). Osmotics really comes into its own with this (newish) anti-ager designed for women 40 and up, and especially those experiencing skin changes wrought by the hormonal havoc known as menopause. The impressive heavy hitters include a “triple strength” copper peptide, a firming tetrapeptide, an epidermal growth factor and artichoke leaf. The growth factor is sh-Oligopeptide-1. Not for nothing did it win Truth In Aging’s 2014 award for New Product Launch.

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  • E'shee Alpha and Omega Gene Therapy Eye Cream

    E'shee Alpha and Omega Gene Therapy Eye Cream ($284 in the shop). When E’shee finally came out with its long-awaited eye cream, it was no surprise that it contained the line’s signature growth factor. FGFs, are a family of growth factors involved in angiogenesis and wound healing. FGF1 is rather bossy and tells other FGFs what to so. It signals FGF2 to get on with fibroblast growth and collagen production and is also responsible for keratinocyte resulting in rejuvenated skin. This excellent eye cream also contains a peptide against sagging and Far Infrared Ceramic Powder, the magic ingredient in E’shee’s K1 serum.

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