INTRODUCTION
The poor tolerability of the retinoids has limited their use in sensitive skin patients, even though retinoids are some of the most effective anti-aging cosmeceutical ingredients. Prescription retinoic acid, also known as tretinoin, and OTC retinol, which can be converted in the skin to retinaldehyde and then retinoic acid, can cause irritation due to an overload of the retinoic acid-dependent pathways with supraphysiological amounts of exogenous retinoic acid.1 Retinoids are effective because they activate retinoic acid receptors and retinoid X receptors, each with three isotypes (alpha, beta, and gamma) and multiple isoforms, responsible for regulating growth, differentiation, and apoptosis.2
Sensitive skin patients desire to use anti-aging cosmeceuticals, but may find it difficult to combine retinoid efficacy with tolerability frequently experiencing pruritus, erythema, and xerosis with product use. In order to determine the suitability of anti-aging cosmeceuticals for sensitive skin subjects, a sensitive skin panel must be developed. One approach to studying sensitive skin is to enroll subjects with dermatologic conditions, such as rosacea, atopic dermatitis/eczema, and cosmetic intolerance syndrome. Cosmetic intolerance syndrome is defined as individuals who frequently experience noxious sensory stimuli (stinging, itching, burning) when topical products are applied to the face.
Rosacea is characterized by vascular hyper-reactivity, atopic dermatitis/eczema by barrier disruption, and cosmetic intolerance syndrome by sensory hypersensitivity.
An ingredient with retinoid-like effects is bakuchiol, a meroterpene from the Psoralea corylifolia seed. Bakuchiol, a Sanskrit name derived from the plant name Bakuchi, has been used in Indian and Chinese medicine for its antioxidant, anti-inflamatory, anti-bacterial, anti-acne, and anti-tumor activities.3,4,5 Bakuchiol and retinol both modulate genes involved in the product of the extracellular matrix and dermal- epidermal junction.6 Thus, bakuchiol has been said to possess retinol functionality through retinol-like regulation of gene expression.7 Prior clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of bakuchiol in comparison with retinol.8 However, the goal of this research was to evaluate the tolerability, efficacy, and barrier effects of a cleanser and anti-aging cream containing bakuchiol in subjects with sensitive skin.
Sensitive skin patients desire to use anti-aging cosmeceuticals, but may find it difficult to combine retinoid efficacy with tolerability frequently experiencing pruritus, erythema, and xerosis with product use. In order to determine the suitability of anti-aging cosmeceuticals for sensitive skin subjects, a sensitive skin panel must be developed. One approach to studying sensitive skin is to enroll subjects with dermatologic conditions, such as rosacea, atopic dermatitis/eczema, and cosmetic intolerance syndrome. Cosmetic intolerance syndrome is defined as individuals who frequently experience noxious sensory stimuli (stinging, itching, burning) when topical products are applied to the face.
Rosacea is characterized by vascular hyper-reactivity, atopic dermatitis/eczema by barrier disruption, and cosmetic intolerance syndrome by sensory hypersensitivity.
An ingredient with retinoid-like effects is bakuchiol, a meroterpene from the Psoralea corylifolia seed. Bakuchiol, a Sanskrit name derived from the plant name Bakuchi, has been used in Indian and Chinese medicine for its antioxidant, anti-inflamatory, anti-bacterial, anti-acne, and anti-tumor activities.3,4,5 Bakuchiol and retinol both modulate genes involved in the product of the extracellular matrix and dermal- epidermal junction.6 Thus, bakuchiol has been said to possess retinol functionality through retinol-like regulation of gene expression.7 Prior clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of bakuchiol in comparison with retinol.8 However, the goal of this research was to evaluate the tolerability, efficacy, and barrier effects of a cleanser and anti-aging cream containing bakuchiol in subjects with sensitive skin.
