Bend Beauty products are backed by science and evidence-based claims. One of our most exciting claims is related to UV defense. Protecting our skin from UV damage is one of the most important ways to prevent signs of skin aging and cellular damage. Enhancing the body’s own ability to protect from this type of damage is groundbreaking, which is why in 2014, Bend Beauty invested in a clinical trial to determine the effect of taking Renew + Protect on UV-induced sunburning. This trial, published in 2017, is a testament to Bend’s commitment to innovation in product development. In order to fully understand the clinical trial and its outcome, we’ve broken it down here.

The Trial

The Bend Beauty clinical trial was performed to assess the effect of Renew + Protect on “minimal erythemal dose” (MED) in skin as well as to assess its safe use. MED is used to describe the baseline at which skin begins to redden and consequently burn when exposed to UV light. Therefore, this trial’s objective was to determine how long skin can be exposed to uv damage before it begins to redden/burn. The trial used participants ranging in age from 19-65 with a Fitzpatrick skin type of I, II, or III. This describes skin types that are very fair to medium fair skin tone – the most common skin types to burn with UV-exposure. Participants were not previously taking Bend Beauty Renew + Protect, nor any other supplements that would interfere with the trial’s results. Participants were treated with a controlled UV light (the strength of which is similar to actual sunlight) on a small section of skin. The longer it takes for skin to redden, the greater the resistance to UV light. Measurements were taken at baseline (before taking Renew + Protect), after four weeks of taking Renew + Protect, and after eight weeks of taking Renew + Protect.   

The Results 

The results of the clinical trial demonstrated that after four weeks of taking Renew + Protect, participants’ skin was 39% more resistant to UV burning. This is determined by the MED (minimal amount of time it takes for the skin to redden) being greater than at the time of the initial test. After 8 weeks of using Renew + Protect, participants’ skin was 84% more resistant to UV burning. The trial also discovered that skin’s resistance to UV decreased when participants stopped taking the product. This demonstrates that when taking Renew + Protect consistently and continuously, the skin is better able to resist UV damage. Treatment was well tolerated with no product associated with adverse events (AE) and only a few mild and expected side effects (please see clinical trial for further details).