The research
The science of photonutrition.
50+ years of published research. 25+ clinical intervention studies. 966 total subjects. We didn’t invent the science — we formulated around it.
The gap in your sun care
No sunscreen on earth blocks all UV. Not one.
SPF 50 lets 2% of UV through — in lab conditions, with perfect application. In reality, most people apply 25–50% of the recommended amount. SPF 50 functions more like SPF 10–25. It breaks down in 2 hours. It washes off with sweat and water. And 80% of lifetime UV exposure is incidental — not from the beach, but from everyday life.
The UV that gets through doesn’t disappear. It generates reactive oxygen species inside your skin cells — free radicals that degrade collagen, damage DNA, and drive the visible aging most people blame on time. This damage accumulates over years and decades. It’s called photoaging, and research suggests it accounts for up to 90% of visible skin aging.
Photonutrition is not a less effective sunscreen. It does not block UV. It works on a completely different level — inside your skin cells, where UV has already arrived and the damage is happening. Sunscreen and photonutrition are partners, not competitors. Two stages of the same problem.
Sunscreen is the wall. Photonutrition is what happens inside it.
What carotenoids do in your skin.
When you consume carotenoids consistently, they accumulate in dermal and epidermal tissue. Aust et al. (2005) measured this deposition directly: supplementation raised skin carotenoid density within weeks, creating a measurable antioxidant reservoir in living skin.
Baswan et al. (2021) reviewed the clinical literature and confirmed that dietary carotenoids support the skin systemically — not just at the application site, but across the whole body. This is the advantage of oral delivery: it reaches tissue that topicals cannot.
Sunscreen handles the outside. Photonutrition handles the inside. They work on completely different planes.
Your body knows where to send them.
29,518
women followed for 20 years. Sun avoidance carried health risks comparable to smoking.
The answer was never avoidance — it was preparation.
Lindqvist et al., 2014 — Journal of Internal Medicine
The bigger picture
Sunlight is essential. UV damage is real. Both are true.
A 20-year study of 29,518 women found sun avoidance carried health risks comparable to smoking. Sunlight drives vitamin D synthesis, triggers beta-endorphins, resets your circadian clock, and lowers blood pressure. Your body was built for light.
But UV also generates oxidative stress inside your skin — free radicals that degrade collagen and drive the aging most people blame on time. Up to 90% of visible skin aging comes from UV exposure, not age.
The answer isn’t avoidance. It’s preparation. Meet the sun well — with your skin supported from both the outside and the inside.
Lindqvist et al., Journal of Internal Medicine, 2014 · World Health Organization
The evidence, study by study.
Lycopene
43% reduction
in UV-induced erythema after 10–12 weeks of supplementation with tomato-derived lycopene.
Rizwan et al., 2011 — British Journal of Dermatology
Astaxanthin
6,000x more potent
than vitamin C at quenching singlet oxygen. The most powerful carotenoid antioxidant measured.
Nishida et al., 2007 — Carotenoid Science
Beta-Carotene
7 clinical studies
confirm photoprotective benefit at dietary doses. Skin reddening reduced consistently across trials.
Stahl & Sies, 2012 — Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences
Lutein
22% improvement
in skin hydration and elasticity after 12 weeks of lutein supplementation in a double-blind trial.
Palombo et al., 2007 — Journal of Nutrition
Mixed Carotenoids
60-person RCT
A low-dose carotenoid blend matched a high-dose single-carotenoid arm for photoprotection. Diversity outperformed volume.
Heinrich et al., 2003 — Journal of Nutrition
Annatto Tocotrienols
800mg clinically studied
Tocotrienols from annatto support antioxidant defense pathways and protect lipid membranes from oxidative stress.
Chin & Tay, 2018 — Nutrients
Leading voices in science
The research is shifting.
Full citations
Every study we cite.
1. Rizwan M et al. (2011). Tomato paste rich in lycopene protects against cutaneous photodamage in humans. British Journal of Dermatology, 164(1), 154–162.
2. Nishida Y et al. (2007). Quenching activities of common hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants against singlet oxygen. Carotenoid Science, 11, 16–20.
3. Stahl W & Sies H (2012). Photoprotection by dietary carotenoids. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 56, 287–295.
4. Palombo P et al. (2007). Beneficial long-term effects of combined oral/topical antioxidant treatment. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 20(4), 199–210.
5. Heinrich U et al. (2003). Mixed carotenoids protect humans from UV-induced erythema. Journal of Nutrition, 133(1), 98–101.
6. Chin KY & Tay SS (2018). Tocotrienols and oxidative stress. Nutrients, 10(7), 881.
7. Aust O et al. (2005). Lycopene, phytofluene, and phytoene levels in human serum. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 75(1), 54–60.
8. Baswan SM et al. (2021). Ingestible carotenoids in skin protection. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 37(6), 490–504.
9. Lindqvist PG et al. (2014). Avoidance of sun exposure is a risk factor for all-cause mortality. Journal of Internal Medicine, 276(1), 77–86.
10. Camera E et al. (2009). Astaxanthin, canthaxanthin and beta-carotene differently affect UVA-induced oxidative damage. Experimental Dermatology, 18(3), 222–231.
11. Tominaga K et al. (2012). Cosmetic benefits of astaxanthin on human subjects. Acta Biochimica Polonica, 59(1), 43–47.
12. Stahl W et al. (2001). Carotenoids plus vitamin E protect against UV-induced erythema. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73(6), 1141–1146.
13. Darvin ME et al. (2011). Cutaneous concentration of lycopene correlates with roughness of the skin. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 78(3), 443–449.