Gravi-A nanoparticles, composed of retinyl propionate (RP) and hydroxypinacolone retinoate (HPR), were prepared by encapsulating the two using the high-pressure homogenization technique. The nanoparticles are effective in anti-wrinkle treatment with high stability and low irritation. We evaluated the effect of different process parameters on nanoparticle preparation. Supramolecular technology effectively produced nanoparticles with spherical shapes with an average size of 101.1 nm. The encapsulation efficiency was in the 97.98–98.35% range. The system showed a sustained release profile for reducing the irritation caused by Gravi-A nanoparticles. Furthermore, applying lipid nanoparticle encapsulation technology improved the transdermal efficiency of the nanoparticles, thereby allowing these to penetrate deep into the dermis layer to achieve precise and sustained release of active ingredients. Gravi-A nanoparticles can be extensively and conveniently used in cosmetics and other related formulations by direct application.

Background: As the largest organ of the body, the skin is constantly subjected to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), leading to inflammations and changes that mirror those seen in chronological aging. Although various small molecule drugs have been explored for treating skin photoaging, they typically suffer from low stability and a high incidence of adverse reactions. Consequently, the continued investigation of photoaging treatments, particularly those utilizing herbal products, remains a critical clinical endeavor. One such herbal product, Lapagyl, is derived from the bark of the lapacho tree and possesses antioxidant efficacies that could be beneficial in combating skin photoaging. Purpose: This research aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the herbal product Lapagyl in combating UVR-induced skin photoaging. Additionally, it sought to unravel the mechanisms by which Lapagyl promotes the regeneration of the skin extracellular matrix. Methods: To investigate whether Lapagyl can alleviate skin aging and damage, a UVR radiation model was established using SKH-1 hairless mice. The dorsal skins of these mice were evaluated for wrinkle formation, texture, moisture, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and elasticity. Pathological assessments were conducted to determine Lapagyl's efficacy. Additionally, single-cell sequencing and spectrum analysis were employed to elucidate the working mechanisms and primary components of Lapagyl in addressing UVR-induced skin aging and injury. Results: Lapagyl markedly reduced UVR-induced wrinkles, moisture loss, and elasticity decrease in SKH-1 mice. Single-cell sequencing demonstrated that Lapagyl corrected the imbalance in cell proportions caused by UVR, decreased UVR-induced ROS expression, and protected basal and spinous cells from skin damage. Additionally, Lapagyl effectively prevented the entry of inflammatory cells into the skin by reducing CCL8 expression and curtailed the UVR-induced formation of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the skin. Both pathological assessments and ex vivo skin model results demonstrated that Lapagyl effectively reduced UVR-induced damage to collagen and elastin. Spectrum analysis identified Salidroside as the primary compound remaining in the skin following Lapagyl treatment. Taken together, our study elucidated the skin protection mechanism of the herbal product Lapagyl against UVR damage at the cellular level, revealing its immunomodulatory effects, with salidroside identified as the primary active compound for skin. Conclusion: Our study provided a thorough evaluation of Lapagyl's protective effects on skin against UVR damage, delving into the mechanisms at the cellular level. We discovered that Lapagyl mitigates skin inflammation and immunosuppression by regulating Foxp3+ Tregs and the CCL pathway. These insights indicate that Lapagyl has potential as a novel therapeutic option for addressing skin photoaging.

Background: Repeated exposure to UV generates excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damages the enzymatic antioxidant defense system including quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in skin. Topical application of antioxidants may prevent the undesired damage of cellular proteins, lipids and DNA in skin. Dimethylmethoxy chromanol (DMC) is a bioinspired molecule, designed to be a structural analog to the γ–tocopherol that is naturally present in vegetables and plants. Turmeric root extract (TRE) is from a plant in South Asia extensively used as a food spice & vegetable, and its main components are turmerones. As both DMC and TRE are strong antioxidants with complementary antioxidation mechanisms, the aim of this study was to investigate the enhanced protective effects of their combination on oxidative damage in HaCaT cells following UVB exposure.Materials and methods: The effects of single and combined administrations of DMC and TRE on the SOD activity of HaCaT cells were evaluated by the SOD assay and qPCR. The NQO1 expression in the UVB‐treated HaCaT cells was analyzed by the Western Blot. Furthermore, a clinical test involving 24 subjects was conducted to evaluate the in vivo antioxidation efficacies of the serum formulated with the combination of DMC and TRE at the optimal weight ratio.Results: SOD assay showed that pretreating DMC or TRE alone could not preserve the impaired HaCaT SOD activity after UVB treatment. DMC and TRE at 1:1 weight ratio was the optimal combination to enhance the HaCaT SOD activity by approximately more than 1‐fold compared with either of the single treated groups. No enhancement effect was observed at other mixing ratios. The 1:1 weight ratio was further proved to be optimal as this combination boosted the NQO1 expression by more than 50%, whereas no boosting effect was observed at other mixing ratios. The clinical test of the serum containing this optimal antioxidant combination demonstrated promising in vivo antioxidation efficacies after 4‐week use, including 7.16% improvement in skin lightening, 18.29% reduction in skin redness, 35.68% decrease in TEWL, 19.05% increase in skin gloss and 32.04% enhancement in skin firmness.Conclusion: Collectively, our results indicated that the combination of DMC and TRE at 1:1 weight ratio attenuated the UV‐induced oxidative damage by synergistically boosting endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity in HaCaT cells. Therefore, this optimal antioxidant combination is a promising treatment to boost skin antioxidation defense system.

Background: The assessment of skin aging through skin measurements faces limitations, making perceived age evaluation a more valuable and direct tool for assessing skin aging. Given that the aging process markedly affects the appearance of the eye contour, characterizing the eye region could be beneficial for perceived age assessment. This study aimed to analyze age‐correlated changes in the eye contour within the Chinese Han female population and to develop, validate, and apply a multiple linear regression model for predicting perceived age. Materials and methods: A naïve panel of 107 Chinese women assessed the perceived ages of 212 Chinese Han women. Instrumental analysis evaluated periorbital parameters, including palpebral fissure width (PFW), palpebral fissure height (PFH), acclivity of palpebral fissure (AX), angle of inner canthal (AEN), and angle of outer canthal (AEX). These parameters were used to construct a multiple linear regression model for predicting the perceived ages of Chinese Han women. A combined treatment using Fotona 4D and an anti‐aging eye cream, formulated with plant extracts, peptides, and antioxidants, was conducted to verify the cream's anti‐aging efficacy and safety. This eye cream was then tested in a large‐scale clinical trial involving 101 participants. The prediction model was employed in this trial to assess the perceived ages of the women after an 8‐week application of the eye cream. Results: All parameters were observed to decrease with age. An intergroup comparison indicated that eyelid aging in Chinese Han women accelerates beyond the age of 50. Consequently, a linear regression model was constructed and validated, with the perceived age being calculated as 183.159 ‐ 1.078 * AEN ‐ 4.487 * PFW + 6.061 * PFH ‐ 1.003 * AX ‐ 0.328 * AEX. The anti‐aging efficacy and safety of the eye cream were confirmed through combined treatment with Fotona 4D, showing improvements in wrinkles, elasticity, and dark circles under the eyes. In a large‐scale clinical evaluation using this eye cream, a perceived age prediction model was applied, suggesting that 8 weeks of use made participants appear 2.25 years younger. Conclusion: Our study developed and validated a multiple linear regression model to predict the perceived age of Chinese Han women. This model was successfully utilized in a large‐scale clinical evaluation of anti‐aging eye cream, revealing that 8 weeks of usage made participants appear 2.25 years younger. This method effectively bridges the gap between clinical research and consumer perceptions, explores the complex factors influencing perceived age, and aims to improve anti‐aging formulations.

Chronic ultraviolet (UV) exposure disrupts dermal fibroblast function and extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis, driving the structural features of photoaged skin. Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) has shown regenerative effects in injectable applications, but the mechanism and delivery of topical PDRN remain insufficiently defined. This study investigated the mechanism, skin delivery, and efficacy of a medium-length PDRN preparation (PDRN-850K) in photodamaged skin. Pathway activation was examined in basal human dermal fibroblasts using western blotting, gene expression analysis, and pharmacological inhibition. Skin delivery was assessed by confocal Raman spectroscopy in a reconstructed epidermal model and by complementary ex vivo and in vivo penetration studies. Tissue-level effects were assessed in a UV-irradiated human ex vivo skin model. Clinical efficacy was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, split-face study comparing 0.1% PDRN-850K eye cream with 0.1% retinol over 28 days. PDRN-850K activated PI3K–Akt, TGF-β/Smad, and autophagy-related signaling in basal fibroblasts, and inhibition of these pathways reduced ECM gene induction. Raman analysis demonstrated time-dependent distribution of PDRN-associated signal into viable epidermal regions, with additional support from FITC-labeled porcine skin and pilot in vivo human Raman studies. In UV-irradiated ex vivo skin, PDRN-850K increased viable epidermal thickness and upregulated multiple collagens, elastic fiber–associated proteins, and YAP. Clinically, PDRN-850K achieved approximately two-fold greater improvements in periocular wrinkles, dermal thickness, density, and eye bag parameters compared with retinol, with good tolerability. These findings support PDRN-850K as a topical pro-repair approach for photodamaged skin.