GABA and the slow botox.
You’ve probably never heard of GABA, and to be honest with you, for the longest time, neither had I.
But in researching and developing the Skin At Work creams, I talked to cosmetologists, dermatologists, doctors and friends from across the scientific spectrum to find the latest developments inside and outside the skin care industry.
One of the most interesting conversations I had, was with one of Denmark's leading Brain Scientists, Dr. Phd. Birgitte Rahbek Kornum. Birgitte has over the years specialized in sleep research, and has published a great book on the subject as well.
My question for her was simple, knowing that sleep is important for our wellbeing, how might we consider improving our formulas for night creams to get that crucial beauty sleep.
Her response was as surprising, as it was immediate. “GABA, I’d buy a night cream with GABA! There is not a lot of hard evidence, but I’d try it.” She said with a knowing smile.
It wasn’t the first time I heard about GABA. Because it’s a neurotransmitter that we learn about in medical school. But I, and few others, had ever associated it with skin care.
So we started doing the research. Turns out that there recently has been written a lot about GABA or Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid as it real name is. Technically speaking, its an inhibitory neurotransmitter that sends messages to other nerve cells.
GABA is known for producing a calming effect. And research points to the fact that it plays a major role in controlling nerve cell hyperactivity associated with anxiety, stress and fear.
On the internet, GABA is nicknamed “slow botox” for its muscle relaxing effects. It does this by penetrating the skin and relaxes tense muscles, which in turn will reduce small wrinkles and fine lines.
If we dive even deeper into the science, we see that GABA in the deeper layers of the skin start to promote the fibroblasts proliferation and the synthesis of hyalaronic acid and collagen, which is a fancy way of saying it helps the skin heal, and improves skin moisture and elasticity, making the skin smooth and tight.
To top it off, GABA can reduce skin roughness caused by external factors such as drying, radiation and pollution.
All-in-all it’s perhaps one of the most surprising and exciting ingredients in our night creams. And one you’re not likely to find in many other creams.
— Dr. Charles Kromann.