Disaccharide plus vegetable origin fraction boosts skin

The novel compound’s capability to recreate a natural state of hydration of the skin means it can be considered as an innovative moisturising and lenitive cosmetic ingredient, particularly suitable for delicate skin and hair.

Materials
 A well-balanced combination of a disaccharide (trehalose) and a vegetable origin fraction (hydrolysed vegetable protein) has been realised for simulating the composition of the skin’s Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF). Trehalose is a disaccharide that improves the structure of the other molecules, in particular proteins, keeping constant hydration. The result is better protection of the skin from exogenous pollutant agents. Trehalose stabilises proteins in yeast cells during heat shock preventing proteins from denaturation. It also suppresses the aggregation of denatured proteins, maintaining them in a partiallyfolded state from which they can be reactivated by molecular chaperones (heat shock proteins).1-7 Protein hydrolysates, with a low molecular weight (<2000 daltons) (hydrolysed vegetable protein), obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis from vegetable source (oat, corn, soy, wheat), and unriched of a particular amino acid fraction (hydroxy proline) from carrot, increase substantivity in the skin Normal Moisturising Factor context.8-11

Results
Hydrating properties of the novel compound (INCI name: Trehalose, hydrolysed vegetable protein)* have been evaluated on human volunteers and compared with reference products already present on the market. Surprisingly, it has been evidenced that the novel compound is 6 times more efficient than each of three reference products. The novel ingredient causes the most intense moisturising effect, showing a higher increase five minutes after application. The capacity to induce a skin moisturising effect has been evaluated by corneometric values after application, demonstrating that hydration of the skin increases by about 40%, and that 6 hours after application still remains significant. Values after 6 hours are still higher (25% increase) than competitors after 5 minutes. That means that the novel compound has shown a long-lasting moisturising effect. (Fig. 1). These interesting results have been confirmed by an in-use test of a cream containing 2% of the product versus placebo. A high level of hydration was obtained, and there was a significant effect even 3 weeks after application (+20%) (Fig. 2). The effect of the novel ingredient on skin hydration has been again confirmed after topical application comparing two formulations. The product at 10%, in comparison to 5% of glycerin, was applied, in a randomised trial, on the forearm of 20 subjects. Significantly higher values of skin hydration were measured from the first hour of treatment onwards (p<0.02). The comparison has shown once again superior moisturising capabilities. There was significantly improved skin hydration for up to 6 hours as compared to a standard 5% solution of glycerin (p<0.02). (Fig. 3).