Estée Lauder reveals promising age-specific and plant-based solutions in new studies

Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has conducted six studies across skin and scalp care that provide bases for future formulations with anti-aging, skin barrier integrity, and sustainability benefits. The research has uncovered new ways to gain improvements in sensitive skin, women’s aging, and plant-powered solutions.

Presented at the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Investigative Dermatology in Chicago, Illinois, US, the beauty conglomerate and several of its brands highlighted advancements across scalp and follicle support, skin sensitivity, and age-related personal care.

Formulation solutions for aging skin 

The research presented at the meeting focused heavily on the impacts of aging on skin, dissecting the effects of aging in collagen production and in skin irritability, providing potential avenues for formulators in the anti-aging skin care segment.

A study demonstrated the efficacy of a proprietary collagen-boosting complex on collagen I expression compared to retinol by using ex vivo skin testing.

The study focused on the increased loss and fragmentation of collagen I as a result of skin aging, stating that the loss of collagen I leads to the thinning of skin and reduction of the skin’s biomechanical fortitude.

The findings demonstrated that the collagen-boosting complex was more effective than retinol in collagen production and in preserving viable skin tissue after UV irradiation. 

In sensitive skin solutions, an observational study focused on the role of skin sensitivity and age on cowhage-induced itchiness, or testing itchiness independent of histamines, such as that caused by atopic dermatitis (eczema).

A correlation between self-identified skin sensitivity and longer-lasting itch responses were documented in the findings. The effects were also said to be felt more persistently in older subjects.

“Nearly all participants (92%) experienced itch from cowhage — a plant-based itch model commonly used in research to trigger non-histaminergic itch responses — but individuals with self-identified sensitive skin showed stronger and longer-lasting itch responses,” reports ELC.

The study’s conclusion supported using validated designators to more accurately distinguish sensitive-skinned subjects in future product testing and participant selection.

Women’s skin and scalp needs

Studies reveal the impacts of aging on female skin and scalp health.

ELC presented two studies focused on the impacts of aging on female skin and scalp health.

One study titled, Skin Health During Perimenopause, investigated the hormonal transition’s impacts on skin aging. It exposed opportunities for personalized skin care solutions specific to perimenopause, differentiated from pre- and post-menopausal care.

The research linked disrupted sleep, caused by the severity of perimenopause symptoms, to the degradation of skin health, independent of age. “Women with more severe perimenopause symptoms show changes in skin hydration and barrier function, suggesting early shifts in skin biology before typical menopausal dryness,” says the report.

Another study presented at the meeting focused on hair follicle longevity. The study inferred that aged fibroblasts may “shorten the hair growth cycle and contribute to hair thinning and reduced hair longevity,” contributing to growing information on how to mitigate hair thinning in aging women.

Aging scalp fibroblasts demonstrated distinction between “young” and “aged” molecular profiles. With age, more inflammation, fibrosis, senescence, and reduced metabolic activity were observed. This was linked to altered signaling pathways and their detrimental effects on follicle cycling and tissue remodeling.

Plants for skin health

Plant-based ingredients show benefits for sensitive and inflamed skin.

Two more studies explored how plants can be leveraged in skin care and support, especially in sensitive or inflamed skin.

In one study, macrocystis pyrifera, or giant bladder kelp, ferment-containing serum showed efficacy in treating rosacea, eczema, and extremely sensitive skin. The research showed that the kelp ferment improved hydration and supported skin barrier repair, as demonstrated by reduced trans-epidermal water loss.

“The ferment also modulates neuroinflammatory pathways via preservation of paracannabinoid signaling. It clinically reduces erythema, dryness, and itching, and improves overall skin tolerability,” says the report.

Another study leveraging plant potentials suggested that a potent plant exosome may help reduce inflammation and restore skin homeostasis by encouraging intercellular communication mechanisms.

The study stipulated that plant-derived exosomes present a scientifically sound alternative to human exosomes. It was said to provide superior scalability, stability, and sourcing while sharing necessary attributes with human exosomes. 

The method exposed reconstructed skin models to various stressors and treated the models with the exosome ingredient. The ingredient showed improvements in inflammatory markers, opening doors for potential applications in skin recovery and homeostasis-restoring applications.