The human body can survive for weeks on water alone. Without water, the body shuts down in eight to ten days since it needs the combination of hydrogen and oxygen for nearly every major organ function. So, why not take advantage of a fluid the body needs and put it to use in other capacities? This is the logic inventor Scott Vincent Borba used nearly six years ago when he conceived the idea for nutraceutical water.
Conception
In 2005, Borba’s idea became reality when his line of nutraceutical skin care water, called BORBA Skin Balance Water, debuted. The line was designed to offer six specific effects including: calming, antiaging, firming, replenishing, age-defying and clarifying. However, Borba did not develop the notion of skin care water because of market research. He had no idea nutraceuticals would be as popular as they are today—he was just looking to fill a need.
As a male, Borba struggled to maintain a steady skin care regimen. “Topical skin care was a challenge because I’m a guy, and I hate being in the bathroom for a long time,” said Borba. He therefore designed a product to systemically deliver the needed vitamins and minerals to the skin through something the body already needed—water.
Testing
According to Borba, nearly every skin issue originates from within the human body. “The appearance of skin is a combination of genetics, diet and stress. All of these (aspects) create challenges that exacerbate skin conditions,” said Borba. His solution to the challenges facing skin care was to work from the inside out.
According to Borba, it has been clinically proven that skin can be treated from the inside out. Borba conducted two clinical studies in which the efficacy of the nutraceutical water was tested by comparing a group treated with the water to a control group. The study was conducted during a period of 28 days, and visual assessments were made by technicians at the start and conclusion of the study. The first study was to examine improvement of skin with respect to dryness, roughness, fine lines, elasticity/firmness/resiliency, skin clarity and subject perception of skin condition. The second study was to evaluate the acnegenic/comedogenic potential of the product in quantifying the decrease or and increase in signs of acne.
Researchers determined a significant improvement in skin dryness, roughness, elasticity and clarity with the use of the skin care water. Also, at least 50% of the panelists indicated improvement of skin condition in five of the seven parameters evaluated, with a range of improvement from 38.67–50.63%. The second study resulted in a decrease in open comedones with use of the skin care water. In addition, panelists reported positive results in terms of acne.
The skin care water is effective in treating skin issues because of the microdelivery system, according to Borba. “BORBA has a microdelivery system so the nutrients are automatically absorbed into the bloodstream. The water goes through the dermal layer and then to the epidermal layer. In seven days the user will see the result,” said Borba.
Creation
To formulate skin care water, Borba incorporated what he terms “radical technology.” First, the formulation starts with reverse osmosis whereby water is combined with the company’s nutraceutical blend. The water, therefore, is forced from a region of high solute concentration through a membrane to a region of low solute concentration. Then, suspended in the water are the micronized, botanical-grade ingredients, or the mineral mixture.
The mineral mixture differs depending on the purpose of the specific skin care water. For example, the Firming Skin Balance Water contains such ingredients as green tea extract, chamomile extract, acai extract, yerba mate, ascorbic acid and dl-alpha tocopherol, among others. The Age Defying Skin Balance Water contains the same ingredients, with the exception of the absence of yerba mate.
Many of the ingredients formulated into the Borba nutraceutical waters are similar to those formulated in topical skin care products; however, the concentrations are different. “We have the highest concentrations of ingredients allowed before they are considered prescription products. We do this to ensure that we are including effective amounts for varying skin problems,” said Borba.
As a nutraceutical company, BORBA does not fit into either the personal care industry or the food industry. Rather, it is considered a functional food. It must, therefore, be go above and beyond claim substantiations and studies before products can be released to the market place. Although the cosmetic industry does not regulate nutraceutical products, the food industry does. BORBA must comply with all US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. “We have to tap into three different industries every time we put out the product. Then we do safety tests,” said Borba.
Skin Balance Water, according to Borba, is more effective at delivering skin care ingredients than traditional supplements. The reason is bio-availability. Borba added, “Traditional supplements have to go through a complicated dissemination process in your system and then travel through the appropriate channel in your body. BORBA, as soon as it’s absorbed into the system, just by touching your tongue etc., is absorbed through the bloodstream to provide head to toe skin care benefits.”
