gloEye Restore contains active cosmetic ingredient that inhibits the matrix metalloprotemase (MMP) enzymatic activities that degrade and ultimately destroy the collagen network present in the skin. With aging and often stressful lifestyles or exposure to harmful, environmental irritants, the activity of these enzymes increases, affecting the health of our extra cellular matrix. It is very important to preserve this matrix while maintaining a solid equilibrium between the number of enzymes and their inhibitors.

gloEye Restore neutralizes (inhibits) excessive MMPs, leading to a better enzyme equilibrium needed for natural healthy skin. This means greater skin elasticity and increased resistance to external irritants. MMP inhibitors contribute to the effectiveness of gloEye Restore and provide the following:
• Reduces the appearance of dark circles
• Delays the appearance of fine lines and sagging skin
• Reduces damage caused by exposure to the sun
• Reduces skin redness
• Reduces the appearance of spider veins
• Improves the natural protective functions of the skin
• Improves skin firmness and elasticity

Wrinkles

Wrinkles were graded (based upon an in-house developed scale) on each side of the face of test participants before and after 1 and 3 months of twice daily product usage. After one month a 32% improvement in lines and wrinkles was observed and this increased to 55% after 3 months assessed via clinical grading. Image analysis of a select number of subjects confirmed the clinical scores demonstrating a reduction in wrinkle depth and number or 33% after one month and 55% after 3 months. No significant changes were observed on the placebo treated group (less than 6% at one month and 8% at 3 months).

Based upon the complexation of area with membrane glycans, gloEye Restore was found to be an outstanding moisturizer, improving skin moisture content by 44% after 1 month and 51% after 3 months. No significant changes were observed on the placebo treated group (less than 7% at 1 and 8% at 3 months)

Skin Thickness

A Dermascan C Ultrasound available from Cortex Technology, Denmark was used to measure skin thickness in these studies. The unit has a resolution of 20Mllz, and the A scan was used. With this device, differences between the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat layers can be measured. In addition to measuring the thickness of each layer of skin, in the zoom mode, images were imported into a PC based image analysis system and relative tissue density was measured. Since fluid does not produce an ultrasound image, relative tissue density was determined by calculating the density of the ultrasound signal in each of the tissue layers of interest. If an increase in dermal tissue thickness is observed, this can be due to a swelling of the tissue (inflammation or edema), or a stimulation of new protein synthesis. A dermal increase in thickness with a decreased density would not be positive and reflect an inflammatory process. An increase in thickness with maintained or increased density would reflect a stimulation of dermal metabolism, a positive effect.

Skin thickness and density measurements were made after three months of treatments with glo-Eye Restore. Results indicate that slight increases of 4. 1% in skin thickness were observed after one month while no changes in density were observed. After 3 months skin thickness increased 12.3% and density improved 15% epidermis plus dermis. No changes were observed on the placebo treated group.

Skin Firmness

Ballistometry was used to measure skin firmness, mainly epidermal (superficial) firmness. In these studies a ballistometer, developed by C.W. Hargens formerly of the Franklin Institute, was used. A small lightweight Plexiglass probe (linked to a linear distance to force transducer) is dropped onto the skin surface via a free falling pendulum from a distance of 5 cm. This dropping causes an indentation of the skin surface; the firmness or resilience of the skin causes the probe to rebound and again drops to the skin surface, causing less indentation, etc. The movement of the probe is linked to the transducer, which converts distance into millivoltage, and this millivoltage is converted into a graphics display on a 486 PC monitor through the use of an image capturing software program. The resultant display is essentially a dampened sinusoidal wave pattern. Although a number of different analysis have been used to determine skin firmness, we chose to analyze the value of the height of first rebound peak (HI) to the second rebound peak (1-12). Previous results have indicated that this value changes as you examine subjects of greater age. Our data indicate that skin firmness drops about 40% between the ages of 25 and 65.

Results indicate that after one month a 23% increase in firmness was observed. This increased to 27% after 3 months. No significant changes were observed on the placebo treated group (less than 3% at one and three months).

Effect on Skin Luminosity and Clarity

We will assess changes in skin color (a, b and L values) to determine changes in skin clarity. Three measurements will be made on each test site and averaged. Clarity will be determined by the value (a’ + b’) 1/2 /L as per Minolta publications.

Over one month skin clarity increased by 34% and by 45% after 3 months. No changes were observed in the placebo treated group.