Biocogent describes a dual botanical extract that ameliorates the negative impacts of at least four distinct hallmarks of ageing: chronic inflammation, (inflammaging), altered intercellular communication, epigenetic alterations, and diminished proteostasis. These benefits appear to be promulgated by the material’s activity focusing on the dermal-epidermal junction
Modern cosmetic scientists have expended considerable time and effort to elucidate why some people may visibly age quicker or slower than others despite being the same age chronologically. These investigations have built towards an understanding of the collective phenomena responsible for ‘biological ageing’, the cumulative effects of which either accelerate the deterioration or maintain the resiliency of youthful skin.
Colloquially speaking, living forever is not sufficient for current consumers unless they also “age well”. For that desire to be met, cosmetic care active ingredients must both prevent the onset of the physical features of ageing as well as and restore and sustain skin resiliency.
The design, development, and launch of active materials that address such lofty goals continues to be an extremely complicated endeavour requiring a comprehensive understanding of why skin loses its elasticity and strength over time, why hyperpigmentation develops, and of course, why wrinkles form. Many scientific studies have illustrated that the prominent fibres of the extracellular matrix (ECM), such as collagen and elastin, diminish in abundance as we get older.
Increasing evidence supports that the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) is a critical interface at which many of the factors involved in sustaining skin elasticity and longevity converge. At this site, the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and dermis (deeper connective tissue layer) physically interact through a meshwork-like basement membrane that precisely coordinates the organized arrangement of proteins, glycoproteins, and cells.
Indeed, this is the site where the dermis and epidermis are mechanically anchored to each other, which facilitates barrier function, nutrient exchange, and signal transduction between cell types. Furthermore, the DEJ represents the niche for epidermal stem cells. It is therefore no surprise that thinning of the DEJ with age leads to reductions in the mechanical and functional resiliency of the skin.
The hallmarks of ageing
Twelve ‘Hallmarks of Ageing’ have been established to explain the observed effects of ‘biological ageing’ relative to simple ‘chronological ageing.
These so-called hallmarks currently include, but potentially are not limited to: 1) dysbiosis of the skin microbiome; 2) chronic low-level inflammation (‘inflammaging’); 3) alterations in intercellular communication; 4) exhaustion of local stem cell populations; 5) increased incidence of cellular senescence; 6) accumulating mitochondrial dysfunction; 7) dysregulated nutritional sensing; 8) disabled macroautophagy; 9) diminished proteostasis; 10) epigenetic alterations; 11) attrition of the telomeres; and 12) cumulative genomic instability.
These all play a role in how we differentiate chronological ageing from biological ageing, and explain why some people appear to be ageing better than others. These discoveries have provided the impetus for the development of active ingredients that can stymie if not fully reverse the negative impacts of these various ageing factors.
However, none of these trends are singularly responsible for biological ageing, but collectively can accelerate the ageing process. Many of the existing solutions developed have addressed these damages individually but there are continued efforts to find countermeasures that are effective at more than one aspect of the ageing process.
Yet imagine the rejuvenating potential of a substance that could assert influence over multiple facets of the ’12 Hallmarks of Ageing’. Herein, we describe in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo evidence of a novel plant-based ingredient that functions as a countermeasure to no less than four of these hallmarks.
Botanical solutions
In addition to devising clever means of countering the facets of ageing, the modern consumer has shown a preference for naturally derived active ingredients. Thus, finding ameliorative substances derived from botanical sources that can address the desires of well-ageing and skin longevity are highly sought after.
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