Beauty is not solely an inside or outside job; it is a combination of both. As the science of inner and outer nutrition advances, it has led to the creation of many nutricosmetic products that are formulated to revitalize skin, working to maintain its healthy appearance through the digestion and subsequent absorption of certain nutrients. According to industry sources, the global nutricosmetics market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11.5% through 2020 to $7.16 billion. No wonder why the category is attracting new players, and one of them is Z Skin Systems (ZSS). Founded in St. Louis, MO in 2012, ZSS specializes nutricosmetics based on zeaxanthin.

 
With more than 20 years in the lab dedicated to the research and formulation of zeaxanthin, Dennis Gierhart PhD, co-founded ZeaVision, where he utilized zeaxanthin to create an eye care supplement line called EyePromise. He decided to take his developments to the next level to create a product that focused on skin health from the inside out.

 
After realizing the benefits that zeaxanthin could provide for the function and structure of skin, Gierhart created a team of experts to expound upon this idea of beauty from within. With the help of Paula Simpson, a nutricosmetics expert, Dan Fryda, a topical skin formulation expert, and Emily Frank, an experienced business executive, they created ZSS.

 
“The 360° approach addresses skin concerns from both the inside and out with dietary supplements and the outside in with the nutria-serum,” explained Frank, who is president of ZSS.  

 
Launched nearly a year ago, the ZSS product line was specially formulated to provide nutrients that would support healthy skin metabolism while simultaneously neutralizing the cellular stressors that deteriorate healthy skin and advance skin aging. These stressors include oxidative stress, which stimulates the production of free radicals; hormonal and metabolic processes, poor diet and lifestyle.

 
The application is simple. For the best results, consumers apply a topical solution composed of ingredients that are similar to the supplements, while taking supplement. As the nutrients are absorbed and begin to work synergistically, users’ skin feels tighter, shine is brighter and it exhibits an all-around healthier form.

 
According to Simpson, the results are verifiable. In a 12-week placebo-controlled clinical evaluation, subjects received ZSS Radiant Skin System in supplement and topical form.

 
“There were numerous positive health effects on the skin, including improved radiance and tone; reduced number and appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improved skin firmness, texture and smoothness,” explained Simpson.

 
The main ingredient, zeaxanthin, is a carotenoid sourced from paprika peppers, which, according to Simpson, is of high quality and possesses synergistic properties which increase the bioavailability and bioabsorption rates.

 
“Carotenoids such as zeaxanthin are of particular interest in this area of research because they can be effectively absorbed into the skin tissue when taken in dietary supplement form,” stated Simpson.

 
In addition to zeaxanthin, Method No. 1 Radiant Skin ($160) features two unique supplements that are formulated with combinations of n-acetyl-cysteine, alpha lipoic acid, ceramides (oil), and gotu kola seed. Nutri-Serum, the topical portion of the product, is specially formulated with zeaxanthin, vitamin C, laminara and fucus algae, and chlorella extract.

 
While new products may not be immediately on the way, additional products that adhere to the 360° approach to skin health are in development. The current line is available at ZSS-Skincare.com.•