Background Cosmetics are commonly attributed with increasing skin evenness, yet little published data characterizes the effect, either perceptually or physically. We therefore investigated whether makeup increases skin evenness using a perceptual measurement and two physical measurements of color and luminance homogeneity. Materials and Methods Twenty‐two French women (aged 29‐45 years) were photographed without cosmetics, with self‐applied cosmetics, and with professionally‐applied cosmetics. In Study 1, 143 participants rated skin evenness. In Study 2, each face was delineated to create regions of interest (ROI) in the cheek and forehead areas. Both ROIs were then analyzed for luminance homogeneity using an established measure (Haralick homogeneity) and a new measure that incorporates chromaticity (H76). Results In Study 1, the faces were rated as having more even‐looking skin with either self‐applied cosmetics or professionally‐applied cosmetics than without cosmetics. In Study 2, the luminance homogeneity measure found that the cheek ROI, but not the forehead ROI, was more homogeneous after both self‐applied cosmetics and professionally‐applied cosmetics when compared to without cosmetics. The new measure incorporating chromaticity found greater homogeneity in both ROIs in the two cosmetics conditions. The new measure incorporating chromaticity also better predicted the perceived skin evenness ratings from Study 1. Conclusion These results provide systematic empirical evidence that makeup increases perceived skin evenness, and that these increases are partly predicted by physical measurements of skin luminance and color. The data also indicate that H76—the new measure of skin evenness that incorporates chromaticity—better predicts perceived skin evenness.

Aging of skin manifests in loss of volume and firming due to degradation of extracellular matrix components such as collagen and hyaluronic acid leading to wrinkling and sagging. To counteract loss of facial volume and regain firmness, fillers like hyaluronic acid (HA) are commonplace in cosmetic dermatology. We developed a synthetic tripeptide tetradecyl aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric acid urea trifluoroacetate with proven hyaluronic acid stimulating activity in vitro. This study investigated the filling and firming activity of the tripeptide. In vitro: Microtissue technology was used to construct spherical 3D-skin equivalents. These were exposed to a tripeptide solution and content of hyaluronic acid and its receptor CD44 were assessed using histological techniques. Skin tissue culture was used to assess HA expression ex vivo. A placebo controlled, randomized, in parallel groups study to assess the firming, filling, and moisturizing activity of the peptide product was designed. We recruited 30 female Caucasian volunteers age 40 to 60 per group. Product application was twice daily for 29 days. Skin volume, deformation and moisturization were measured. HA and CD44 content in skin were increased in vitro and ex vivo. In vivo, skin firming was improved by a significant decrease in cheek deformation, a significantly restored skin volume below the eyes, and significantly improved skin hydration as measured on the cheekbone. We show evidence that the tripeptide tetradecyl-diaminobutyroylvalyldiaminobutyric urea trifluoroacetate restores facial skin volume by stimulating HA synthesis. These results underline the anti-aging activity of this synthetic tripeptide.

Background: Facial skin is a particularly complex environment made of different skin types such as sebaceous (forehead) and dry (cheeks). The skin microbiota composition on different facial sites has not yet been addressed. Methods:We conducted a 4-week-long, single-centre, randomized and placebocontrolled clinical study involving 23 Caucasian females. We assessed both bacterial composition on five different facial areas and the microbiome modulatory effects resulting from the topical application of a plant extract (Epilobium fleischeri). Skin microbiome samples were collected before and after 4 weeks of product application. Microbiota profiling was performed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and relative abundance data were used to calculate differentials via a multinomial regression model. Results:Via 'reference frames', we observed shifts in microbial composition after 4 weeks of twice-daily product application and identify certain microbiota species, which were positively associated with the application of the product containing the Epilobium fleischeri extract. Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Micrococcus yunnanensis appeared to be significantly enriched in the final microbiota composition of the active treatment group. Conclusion:Facial skin was found to be colonized by an heterogenous microbiota, and the Epilobium fleischeri extract had a modulatory effect on commensal bacteria on the different facial sites.