Formulation Philosophy | Fewer than 10
What causes skin to become sensitive?
On an average day, we expose ourselves to 75-100 different chemicals on the face alone through the routine application of makeup and serums. For those of us that routinely mix and match harsher ingredients, including alpha-hydroxy acids, alcohol, and fragrances, the stakes are even higher. These substances alter the pH level of your skin at the surface level and compromise the barrier if moisture is not replaced.
Fewer than 10.
We prioritized two things when formulating Amaze Brow: (1) the use of safe, well-studied ingredients to deliver visible results and (2) that we use no more than 10 of them.
We wanted Amaze Brow to be offer the user both short-term benefits and long-term results. The active ingredient we chose is Myristoyl pentapeptide-17, a peptide made from the reaction of 5 essential amino acids found in hair (KLAKK) and Myristic Acid, a nutmeg-derived phytoactive that increases bioavailability. In clinical testing, patients who had applied Myristoyl pentapeptide-17 had nearly double the percentage of variation of hairs in the anagen (growth) phase compared to the patients who took the placebo after just 1.5 months. We also wanted to appeal to the following types of users.
- Women who want the microblading look without the cost
- Users who want to do more for their brows in terms of long-term health and age-related thinning
Formulating for Safety
One of our biggest challenges was finding a skincare active that would not cause any adverse side effects when applied topically. Safety for all users is of utmost importance to us. We determined early on that minoxidil, finasteride, and prostaglandins and their analogs did not have adequate safety profiles; the potential drawbacks to our customers far outweigh any potential benefit one could receive from using it to treat conditions like Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) and Alopecia Areata (AA).
We left out unnecessary substances like alcohol, a common "no-no" that imparts a sensory feel and quicker dry time at the expense of the moisture barrier. We examined each ingredient based on its exact mechanism of action. We settled on Myristoyl pentapeptide-17 because its effective in small quantities and relatively easy to formulate with. We also added DL-Panthenol or Provitamin B5 to create an efficient delivery system for the peptide and fortify the barrier to prevent against future water loss. Myristic acid, a long-chain fatty acid derived from the fruit of the nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), also plays a vital role in enhancing the delivery of the amino acid complex.
Formulating for Inclusion.
Another one of our top priorities is ensuring that our consumer test panels reflect the needs and desires of a diversity of participants and backgrounds. To ensure that our products work for people around the globe, we tested in urban environments in Taiwan and New York during different seasons on people of different skin tones. We also tested on a range of skin types to ensure that people with sensitive skin and women who are nursing could also use our product without experiencing unwanted side effects.