Introduction

Oxygen based products are very simple products. Only the technology applied in making them is difficult. The following definitions will be helpful in understanding the products and how they work.

Oxygen (O₂): a colorless, odorless, tasteless, gaseous chemical element that occurs in the atmosphere, forming 1/5 of its volume. It combines with nearly all other elements; is the most common element in the earth's crust, and is essential to life processes.

Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂): a colorless, syrupy liquid and in its pure form and at a low pH, it is a relatively stable compound. Hydrogen peroxide is manufactured from hydrogen gas and atmospheric oxygen. In aqueous form, it is commonly used as a bleaching agent. Hydrogen peroxide will bleach hair, but not skin.

Water (H₂O): chemically a compound of hydrogen and oxygen. It contains one less oxygen molecule than hydrogen peroxide.

Catalase: a red crystalline enzyme that consists of a protein complex with hematin groups and assists the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. It is found in the skin.

Beta-Carotene: The precursor to vitamin A. Beta-carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A. The body only converts enough beta-carotene to meet its needs. the rest is eliminate.

When hydrogen peroxide contacts the skin, it ALWAYS breaks down into water and oxygen due to the presence of the enzyme, catalase. Instead of the oxygen being released on the surface of the skin and escaping to the atmosphere, as with aqueous hydrogen peroxide, oxygen penetrates the skin. This is due to the oil phase of the emulsion which creates a barrier to the oxygen. The skin becomes the path of least resistance. When hydrogen peroxide changes from a liquid to a gas (which is instantaneously), it increases in volume 22.4 times. This increase in volume is what causes the pressure and why it penetrates the skin. We use plastic wrap during the salon treatment to maximize the pressure and to keep the emulsion moist.

The oxygen is a gas only during this instantaneous reaction. When it penetrates the skin, it is dissolved in the extracellular water and in the capillary plasma. When oxygen penetrates the skin, it acts as a vehicle and takes the water and other ingredients with it. The presence of the oxygen in the plasma of the blood can be measured using medical monitoring equipment.

There are no blood vessels in the outer layers of the skin. Capillaries are responsible for supplying the skin cells with nutrients. Circulation in the capillaries is at best, not very good. As we age, the capillaries become less permeable and let little or no oxygen and nutrients pass to the extracellular fluid, which surrounds the cells. The lymph drainage system is responsible for removing the wastes of the cells. To have healthy skin, the skin must be properly balanced with oxygen, water, nutrients, good capillary circulation and good lymph drainage. The ability of skin to repair itself after injury lies in the ability to grow new vessels from the capillaries.

We cannot get enough oxygen to the cells by inhalation. There is also the problem of dehydration of the skin. When the skin is not balanced and healthy, the skin glands do not function properly. The results are the skin problems estheticians must face each day.

Normally, the skin renews itself about every twenty eight days. To properly reproduce, the cells must have the necessary elements. Oxygen based products can assist in locally supplying these elements.

The original idea of a massage was to stimulate the blood circulation and thereby increasing the supply of nutrients. But the massage cannot supply the nutrients for a healthy skin. The oxygen based products can....

Why Hydrogen Peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide has been around for over one hundred years. Almost every home has a bottle of 3% aqueous hydrogen peroxide in the medicine cabinet. It has been used to disinfect cuts and scraps; bleach hair; launch rockets into space; to preserve milk; and many other uses, including medical. By medical, I mean used as a treatment for medical disorders. There are over 4,000 published papers on the use of "oxygen therapy'' and most of this therapy is based on the use of hydrogen peroxide. It is even found naturally in the body, in small amounts.

Hydrogen peroxide treatments are used in many countries. It is taken orally and some doctors even inject it as a treatment for many disorders. This practice is frowned upon in the United States, but accepted in other countries.

As stated in the previous pages, hydrogen peroxide liberates oxygen and water when it contacts the skin. The problem has always been being able to harness this chemical reaction, as hydrogen peroxide is not very stable in the aqueous form. Oxygen kills anaerobic bacteria, which are generally the harmful bacteria. Tamed iodine kills bacteria, by poisoning them. Other disinfectants act the same way. Hexachlorophene kills bacteria, but due to harmful side effects, it was taken off the market. Most antiseptics and disinfectants work on the principle of 'poisoning' the bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide kills the bacteria by high pressures of oxygen. Since anaerobic bacteria cannot live in an oxygen rich environment, they die.

Propionibacterium Acnes is a bacteria responsible for many of the acne problems. Many acne treatments on the market use, benzoyl peroxide. Peroxides releases oxygen in chemical reactions. Benzoyl peroxide was used, for this purpose, to liberate oxygen. At the time, it was more stable than hydrogen peroxide and could be formulated in several forms, for application to the skin.

The discovery of a stabilized form of hydrogen peroxide, now sheds a different light on this subject. The following is very basic chemistry, and should make all this clear.

Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂), has a molecular weigh of 34.02. It is 94.06% oxygen and 5.94% hydrogen.

Benzoyl Peroxide (C₁₄H₁₀0₄), has a molecular weigh of 242.22. It is 69.42% carbon,. 4.16% hydrogen and 26.42% oxygen.

Based on the percentages of oxygen available in each of the above, there is no question about which peroxide can liberate more oxygen. This has been known for a long time. The problem was, hydrogen peroxide was not available in a form suitable for use as a skin application.

Hydrogen peroxide has low toxicity and its decomposition products, water and oxygen, are harmless. These advantages have led to an increased use of hydrogen peroxide. A growing environmental awareness in the past few decades has also contributed to making hydrogen peroxide a very important industrial product.

AURA Research's stabilized emulsion of hydrogen peroxide, is now, the product of choice, as it is a suitable form of hydrogen peroxide for skin application. It has also been successfully combined with other ingredients that are beneficial to the skin. New combinations are currently under study and will be available in the future.

Salicylic acid, one of the three FDA approved treatments for acne has been combined with the hydrogen peroxide emulsion. This combination gives you an advantage over persons not using the oxygen emulsion for their clients with acne. Salicylic acid is used in many over the counter, acne treatments. It is also an exfoliant. A small amount of salicylic acid is in all the oxygen products.

Now, let's get back to basic skin care. The emulsion supplies the skin cells with water and oxygen, both of which are necessary for normal cellular functions. Most every article and advertisement concerning skin, concerns dehydrated skin. Why is skin dehydrated? Because as we age the epidermis thins out and the function of the dermis becomes sluggish. Therefore, water is not retained as efficiently as in younger skin. It is dehydrated due to a lack of water so "moisturizers" are used to prevent water loss.

The oxygen emulsion products supply water to the skin cells. They also supply oxygen, which is needed for normal cellular metabolism. Combined with other ingredients, it is now possible to supply the skin cells with what they need to function normally.

The main problem, is that the action of the oxygen emulsion is so simple, people do not believe it. Well, there is a very simple answer - Try It!

AURA Research's products are made in an FDA approved laboratory, using only pharmaceutical grade ingredients. Each batch is checked, sampled and a batch number is on every container. Extensive testing and quality control procedures, insure that you are getting the highest quality product, possible.

We listen to our clients. A few expressed concerns about mineral oil. While I and many other formulators still believe mineral oil to be an excellent cosmetic ingredient, we have removed it from our oxygen emulsion products.

Many asked for an effective sunscreen. We now have a product with an SPF/15. This product was individually tested according to the FDA guidelines for making a sunscreen claim.

We back our products with a money back guarantee. We know they work and if you give them a FAIR test, you will see that they work. Please feel free to contact the company, if you want to return any products.