Solenne Safety Research
Safety research was conducted in the laboratory and also with human test subjects. Combray has never been tested on animals, nor has Oxofulleram, the antioxidant in Combray.
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Primary Irritation
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The most basic test (and typically the first) performed for safety in skin care is called primary irritation. This test checks if a substance causes irritant contact dermatitis, which is an inflammatory reaction, characterized by redness and potentially more severe reactions.
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Allergic Response
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Repeated exposure to some products may provoke a delayed response from the immune system. That is, a reaction may not be apparent on the first exposures to a substance, but only after repeated exposure. This is due to the immune system's delay in creating anti-bodies to an allergen. The protocols testing for allergic response thus involve repeated exposure and monitoring over time.
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Light Sensitization (Phototoxicity)
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After
primary irritation, one of the most common tests of skin care
ingredients is for light sensitization. A substance may not irritate
alone, but in the presence of light may cause irritation in the form of
redness, or more severe reactions. The retinoids (all-trans-retinoic
acid, or Accutane), and retinol are known to cause light sensitivity in
this manner, among many other ingredients.
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Photoallergic Response
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Photo-allergic response, typically redness or a more severe reaction, occurs only after repeated exposure to a substance. In contrast to photo-toxicity, photo-allergy is an immune system response, wherein antibodies develop and react to what is perceived as a pathogen by the immune system. As the name implies, the allergic response also depends on exposure to light.
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Singlet Oxygen Generation
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Singlet Oxygen (1O2) is an excited, meta-stable form of oxygen that is very reactive, and damaging to human cells. It is classified as a Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). It is produced typically by exposure of a sensitizing substance to light. Singlet Oxygen is produced in your skin naturally by UV radiation, as there are natural sensitizers present in your skin, and singlet oxygen, among other ROS, is one of the contributing factors to sunburn. Production of singlet oxygen is common among many ingredients, and minimal generation of singlet oxygen by a cosmetics ingredient is desired.
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