Tech-Driven Proof: Validating Better Aging Claims with Advanced Innovations

The skincare industry thrives on continuous innovation, and at Covalo, we pride ourselves on leading the charge. As part of our ongoing “Better Aging” campaign, we're zeroing in on the smart cosmetics consumer's demand for evidence-based product claims and the cutting-edge technology that backs them. 

In collaboration with CODIF Technologie Naturelle, we hosted a webinar showcasing the latest technological breakthroughs that satisfy the needs of both consumers and brands for claim verification. 

As CODIF’s Dr. Pierre-Yves Morvan highlighted, the webinar delved into “how to prepare human skin samples, measure the evolution of collagen density in the skin using Kamax technology, and concrete application [with Touchy Fingers technology], used during the development of an anti-aging active ingredient.”

Hint: Anti-gravity may well be the hot new thing in product claims. Read on for more.

On this page: 

• Consumers demand validation of skincare claims
• How to validate & strengthen Better Aging claims 
  • Skin sample preparation with Transderma
  • Measuring collagen density in the skin with Kamax
  • Proof of the pudding: Concrete application of Transderma and Kamax technologies
  • Listen to your skin with Touchy Finger
• Watch our webinar

Consumers demand validation of skincare claims 

The Better Aging movement is no fleeting trend—it's a powerful shift in beauty and wellness. Consumers are now approaching aging proactively and preventively, aiming to maintain health and vigor along with longevity. After all, who wants to live longer without feeling their best? We strive to be the best version of ourselves while embracing the natural aging process.

With free access to information, skincare consumers no longer fall for "miracle in a jar" promises. They value products that support, protect, and enhance their skin's natural rejuvenation abilities. Savvy and discerning, they choose where, and why, to spend their money carefully.

However, the glut of information and the constant influx of new products and ingredients can make it difficult for them to find what truly suits their needs. The result? Skincare buyers increasingly demand proof and validation of all product claims to make informed decisions and achieve their skin goals.

How to validate & strengthen Better Aging claims

As brands, suppliers, and industry innovators, how can we strengthen and validate our claims? To answer this question, we're delighted to present a summary of our webinar, Smart Science, Visible Results: Advanced Instrumental Approaches for Anti-Aging Claims, in collaboration with CODIF Technologie Naturelle.

Moderated by Glendean Rehvan from In-Trend, our esteemed panel included Dr. Pierre-Yves Morvan from CODIF Technologie Naturelle (manufacturers of natural active ingredients), Dr. Alain Boucaud from Transderma Systems (ex-vivo testing), Jérôme Desroches, founder of Kamax Innovative System (microscopy technologies), and Professor Hassan Zahouani from Ecole Centrale de Lyon, co-developer of Touchy Finger technology.

Each expert shared insights into how Transderma, Kamax, and Touchy Finger technologies function and their synergistic use in evaluating cosmetic ingredients and final products. Dr. Morvan also showcased how these technologies validated and substantiated unique anti-aging claims for two of CODIF’s award-winning ingredient innovations.

Skin sample preparation with Transderma

Dr. Alain Boucaud from Transderma Systems detailed the ex vivo testing process of skin biopsy samples to evaluate the efficacy of cosmetic ingredients and finished products.

For anti-aging testing claims, human skin samples from a single donor are collected from plastic-surgery procedures. After ensuring the samples are free of stretch marks, scars, or visible damage, the hypodermis is removed, and skin barrier integrity is assessed by measuring TEWL (transepidermal water loss). This step is crucial to confirm that the product will penetrate the skin in a similar way to in vivo conditions.

10 mm diameter biopsies are created from the samples. Each biopsy is placed on a mesh support – the dermis in contact with the culture medium and the epidermis at the air-liquid interface, allowing the product to be applied to the skin's surface. The biopsies are incubated under standard conditions.

Testing is repeated three times per condition: Day zero (D0) biopsies are collected and used as controls. Additional biopsies are maintained in culture, with one series left untreated and another series receiving repeated applications of the product. The number of applications and the study duration depend on the analysis being performed and the product's mode of action. Following treatment, biopsies undergo various analyses, such as histology, protein labeling, or ceramide dosage.

For X-Polar (Kamax) technology, biopsies are frozen, cryotomized, and prepared on specific XPolar-compatible slides. To obtain maximum collagen structure information, specific mounting protocols were also developed with Kamax to maintain intact collagen tissue, as damage to the collagen structure during analysis could give false results. The prepared slides are analyzed within 48 hours to prevent collagen damage and ensure accurate results. 

Measuring collagen density in the skin with Kamax microscopy

Jérôme Desroches from Kamax Innovative System explained their decade-long experience in industrializing innovative microscopy techniques. They specialize in optical microscopy within the spectral range of visible light, infrared, and UV, focusing on efficacy tests for cosmetics.

Kamax also works with polarized light, and has developed advanced imaging XPolar imaging technology, paired with a K-probe scanner. This is fully integrated into their microscopy platform. 

As Desroches explains, “It's a scanner that allows us to observe and measure

parametric modification [on biological samples like skin explants]. This polarization change is induced by the refraction index of anisotropy. Kamax investigates optical properties of polarization changes, called birefringence.”

In simple terms, the technology enables scientists to see and measure changes in the skin by examining how light changes direction when passing through it. It specifically looks at changes in light polarization, which can reveal details about the skin's structure.

For skin applications, Kamax examines the structural state of collagen fibers in the dermis, using skin explants. OCT sections are placed on microscope-specific slides without coloring or labeling, only observing the optical properties of the collagen network. 

The XPolar method maps and records the polarization values for each pixel, analyzing different depths below the dermal-epidermal junctions, which is crucial for anti-aging claims. This methodology reflects the structural states of collagen qualitatively and quantitatively, The XPolar method is commonly used to prove the activity of cosmetic products on dermal collagen.

Proof of the pudding: Concrete application of Transderma and Kamax technologies

Dr. Pierre-Yves Morvan from CODIF Technologie Naturelle explains the use of Transderma and Kamax technologies to validate the properties and claims of their active ingredient J- Dermist™  

What is J-Dermist™?

It is an anti-aging and anti-gravity ingredient, extracted from organic Isodon japonicus plant – known in Japan as Enmei-so, or "plant that prolongs life." CODIF scientists were intrigued by the plant’s high flexibility and rigidity, despite being 2 meters tall and thin. Cross-section analysis of its architecture revealed its specific lignin composition.

J-Dermist™ is designed to rejuvenate the dermal-epidermal junction, decrease wrinkles and restore the skin's matrix for better resistance to gravity. It is suitable for mature, sagging skin and those lacking firmness. 

J-Dermist™ was subjected to a number of tests: 

CODIF measured the lignin and precursor compounds of the plant extract. They conducted in vitro evaluations to test the extract's ability to reactivate epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts. 

Collagen density and quality tests using Kamax technology

These tests measured improvements in collagen, as well as protection and repair from glycation:

• Human skin explants were treated with 1% J-Dermist™ topically three times over seven days. Kamax technology images showed significant improvement in fiber quality, with increased red and green coloration indicating better collagen structure. In the papillary dermis, collagen quality improved by 27%, and in the reticular dermis, by 60%.
• Further tests involved applying J-Dermist™ twice on days 1, 3 and 5, showing a 150% increase in collagen density in the papillary dermis and a 56% increase in the reticular dermis. Another test was conducted on the skin samples, after applying a known glycation inducer, methylglyoxal, demonstrated its ability to improve collagen quality even under glycation stress.
• In another Kamex test, J-Dermist™ has also been shown to reverse UVA-induced collagen damage. 
• Following in vitro and ex vivo testing, an in vivo test using Fringe projection analysis showed an 8% reduction in wrinkle depth after 28 days of treatment with 2% J-Dermist™. The placebo showed no significant effect. After treatment with J-Dermist™, gravity's impact on wrinkles was also reduced by 28%.

J-Dermist™ has received the 2023 BSB Innovation Award for the most innovative raw material. Its INCI name is water, glycerine, pentylene glycol, and Isodon japonicus leaf/stem extract, recommended at 1-2% usage. What’s more, it is also China-approved and COSMOS organic-certified.

Listen to your skin with Touchy Finger

Professor Hassan Zahouani, from the University of Lyon, is co-developer of Touchy Finger, new touch-engineering technology that analyzes tactile perception.

How Touchy Finger works

When a surface is rubbed with a finger, the fingertip deforms and creates vibrations. Touchy Finger technology is used to show and quantify the effects of cosmetic application by measuring the normal force and vibration induced during product application. 

Using decibel (dB) units, similar to sound measurement, these vibrations are measured across different frequency bands. Touchy Finger technology characterizes and measures all the information perceived by mechanoreceptors in the skin during touch. It is sensitive not only to smoothness but also to skin stiffness, texture, and adhesion. All this information is captured in the vibration signals. The technique introduces specific parameters to distinguish the effects of a product across different frequency bands, providing a comprehensive analysis of tactile perception.

Concrete application of Touchy Finger technology

Dr. Morvan asks: Did you know that the skin sings, and that we can listen to it? He takes us through the concrete application of Touchy Finger technology for CODIF’s new anti-aging active, Regetaste™, which targets epidermal senescence. Developed from upcycled organic apple pomace from the Marie Menard variety, Regetaste™ has been recognized with several awards.

Regetaste™, derived from bitter apples used in cider production, is found to contain a compound that interacts with TAS2R receptors on keratinocytes, known for detecting bitterness on the tongue. CODIF has shown that these receptors are also expressed on the skin (TAS2R 4 and 5). Applying Regetaste™ stimulates these receptors, increasing them and through this, reducing the protein p16, a marker of keratinocyte senescence (skin aging), indicating that it promotes epidermal regeneration and natural desquamation (exfoliation).

For in vivo evaluation, various technologies – including Touchy Finger – were used to measure the benefits of Regetaste™: 

• In a study where participants applied a 1% Regetaste™ cream twice daily, Touchy Finger technology measured the skin's sound frequency, correlating to skin texture and roughness. The technology "listens" to the skin by measuring the sound it emits, which depends on the skin's texture and roughness. Different surfaces produce varying sound levels, such as 82 dB for a smartphone screen and up to 120 dB for rough sandpaper. The 1% concentration significantly reduced the sound of the skin, indicating a smoother surface: After two weeks, Regetaste-treated skin showed a 2.2 dB reduction (22 times less sound), while the placebo showed no significant change. The results from Touchy Fingers correlated well with volunteer self-evaluations, which noted increased skin softness and improved skin texture.
• Classical evaluations such as fringe projection confirmed these findings, showing a significant reduction in skin roughness after four weeks of Regetaste™ treatment, compared to a placebo. Self-evaluations also reported a 36% improvement in skin texture, a 74% increase in skin radiance, and an 80% increase in complexion freshness, demonstrating overall improved skin quality with reduced imperfections and redness.

Regetaste™ is recommended at 1% and 2% concentrations, is Chinese-approved, and is COSMOS organic-certified, showcasing the effective use of Touchy Finger technology in substantiating its anti-aging claims.

And what about the ‘Anti-gravity’ buzzword?

Dr. Morvan explains, “anti-gravity is a new claim. It’s possible only if we compare wrinkles before and after treatment with or without gravity (seated or lying). It’s only this difference that can allow us to conclude anti-gravity or not.”

We hope we have given you food for thought for your next product development, as well as validation of claims for your existing products. 

👉 Watch our insightful webinar on YouTube now for a detailed look at these test methodologies and results, and to see how these technologies can work for you in your product innovation.