Niacinamide whitens skin and minimises wrinkles

Besides the very popular vitamins C, E and A, some B-vitamins such as folic acid and niacinamide have been the subject of scientific interest for many years regarding their positive cutaneous effects, but have been introduced in cosmetic products only in recent years. For beauty-conscious Asian consumers, skin whitening is serious business. This fact is easily noticed when taking a look at the first floors of major department stores where most cosmetics shops are located. Both local and international cosmetic companies promote skin whitening product lines exclusively for the Asian market, and it is easy to spot women shopping for such products and looking for the latest innovations. Fair skin has long been considered as one of the most admired beauty ideals among Asian women, and especially Koreans. In fact, Korean women tend to be more concerned about their appearance and have a greater interest in cosmetic products than women in other countries - the Korean cosmetics market ranked 12th in the world last year, according to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. It is not unusual for Korean women to apply seven to eight different cosmetic products in their daily skin care routine.

Beauty desires of Asian women

Up to 60% of Asian women use skinwhitening products every day1 but a closer look into the claims of face care products all over Asia reveals that “moisturising” and “anti-ageing” rank among the first positions.2 Similar to Caucasian skin, ageing of Asian skin comprises hyperpigmentation and wrinkles, although the latter generally do not appear before the age of 50. Chung3 concluded from his investigations with Korean women that wrinkles on Asian skin can be even deeper and thicker, especially around the eyes, on the forehead and around the mouth, whereas Caucasians develop rather fine wrinkles around the eyes and the cheeks. Niacinamide is the new recently approved functional active that not only delivers the desired fair and evenly toned skin but also helps to minimise premature wrinkles of the skin.