Rejuvenating skin science: Shiseido thins aging-related dermis thickness with botanical blend

18 May 2023 --- Investigating the skin revitalizing properties in a trio of botanical active ingredients, Shiseido has succeeded in reproducing a ”thinning” phenomenon, which is characterized by a decreased thickness of the dermis caused by aging.

The activity was tested using a 3D skin model and knowledge for cell experiments gained from Shiseido’s regenerative medicine research that was applied to the experiment.

“The development of methods to prevent or improve wrinkles and sagging, which are typical signs of aging, has long been desired as they represent major concerns related to aging,” states the Japanese skin care specialist.

“In response to such customer concerns, Shiseido has been engaged in research on skin aging for many years and has yielded ample knowledge, including the association between dermal stem cells and sagging and the mechanism by which immune cells eliminate senescent cells in the skin.”

Japanese botanical potencies
Thinning of the dermis is a phenomenon observed with aging, and it causes a loss of elasticity and weakening of the entire skin, leading to formation of wrinkles and sagging. It is known to occur as a result of progressing decomposition of the extracellular matrix, which is composed of components such as collagen and elastin. 

Thinning of the dermis is a phenomenon observed with aging, and it causes a loss of elasticity and weakening of the entire skin.In the search for ingredients that prevent the thinning of the dermis, Shiseido’s commonly used mixture of extracts – consisting of Japanese honeysuckle flower extract, safflower extract and Bupleurum root extract – was found to have some positive effects.

As the company further investigated the effect of its original extract mixture, it found there was a suppressive effect on the gene expression of MMP1 (matrix metalloproteinase 1), a type of extracellular matrix degrading enzymes.

To prove these activities, Shiseido innovated a 3D skin model that reproduces the thinning of the dermis caused by aging. This was done to capture changes in the skin structure in detail and shine light on the precise mechanism underlying this phenomenon.

In developing its 3D skin model, Shiseido used its original dermal senescent cell model, which was developed with technologies cultivated over years of regenerative medicine research. 

The model has made it possible to reproduce the characteristics of senescent cells such as overgrown cell size, cessation of cell proliferation and detection of senescence markers.

The developed 3D skin model allowed for observation of age-related changes in the structure of the dermis, termed ”thinning of the dermis,” which had been difficult to reproduce until now, according to the company.

The results of this study were orally presented in part at the 94th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Tissue Culture Association.

Plant-powered beauty solutions
The clean label beauty movement continues to spark interest in botanical beauty solutions, which are expanding with new discoveries each month. A recent report has shown that – particularly in the Asia-Pacific region – a rise in domestic income and growing fears surrounding climate change have sparked demand for plant-based beauty and personal care products.

An independent consumer study of Arctiva’s eczema cream this month found that 91% participants saw improvements in their skin condition when using the brand’s formulation that contains unique healing plant-based biologicals from Antarctica.

At the concluded In-Cosmetics Global show held in March, PersonalCareInsights caught up with supplier Robertet on its botanical-derived scents designed to “transcend” conventional skincare fragrances by delivering functional benefits through bioactive olfactory molecules that harness the physiological properties of natural raw materials present in the perfumer’s palette.

By Benjamin Ferrer