As skin loses resilience, it becomes hollow, and radiance dims. But all’s not lost – The Weekly discovers a saving light.
As skin loses resilience, it becomes hollow, and radiance dims. But all’s not lost – The Weekly discovers a saving light.
Asian medical skin literature shows that from the ages of 28 to 42, our skin drastically loses resilience and radiance, giving us a dull and saggy look. There are many proven causes, both natural and lifestyle, for skin ageing.
Stress is a big culprit. When you’re stressed out, you may have friends saying you look “cui” (broken) or awful. Why is that so? Stress causes the release of the hormone cortisol, and when there is excessive cortisol circulating in the body, ageing is accelerated. Thinning skin and lines are the telling results.
Going hand in hand with this is sleep. When we sleep, the body has the time and chance to repair itself; cells regenerate and depleted energy stores are replenished. That’s why when you have a good night’s rest, you wake up not only feeling, but also looking, fresher. Sleep actually helps fight the negative effects of cortisol. Excessive sun exposure, smoking and alcohol also lead to thinner skin, loss of skin elasticity and dark spots.
As the skin cells’ processes start to slow down as we get older, caused also by hormonal changes, there’s also loss of volume or density. You’ll start to yearn for that bouncy-baby plumpness, as you discover a change in facial contours. As areas sag, you may notice a slacker jawline (hence the quest for the V-line face), flatter cheekbones, and deeper marionette lines. This hollowness causes skin to lose its brightness, hence the looming of the “shadowing effect”.
Sulwhasoo Science Manager Kate Kwon, from the amore Pacific R&D Centre in Seoul, explains, “ageing is accompanied by increasingly complicated whitening issues, such as ‘skin shadowing’. This occurs due to the combination of excessive production of melanin and the loss of skin elasticity – it’s as if the ‘shadow’ of dull, saggy skin hides a bright complexion that lies beneath.”
The Power of Ginseng
Sulwhasoo scientists have discovered that one of the key functions in skin that is responsible for restoring balance and clarity, is the Balancing Brightening Factor (BBF).
This genetic element degrades as skin ages. Kate explains, “This decline in activity of the BBF results in increased melanin production and a slowdown in collagen synthesis, which accelerates skin pigmentation and weakens the skin structure and elasticity.”
So, to improve the skin’s condition and address ‘skin shadowing’, amore Pacific scientists knew they had to find a way to stimulate this BBF. The reformulation of the Snowise Brightening Serum does just that with two key ginseng derivatives.
Kate says, “White ginseng saponin is Sulwhasoo’s proprietary and patented whitening ingredient, and the world’s first whitening ingredient derived from ginseng.
It stimulates the BBF, which in turn suppresses melanin pigmentation and formation, and also boosts collagen production, so skin is plumped up and elasticity is increased – helping it to look brighter and more even toned.”
With their deep knowledge of asian herbal remedies, Sulwhasoo R&D experts have upped the concentration of ginseng polysaccharides to 2.5 times more than in the serum’s original formulation. Ginseng polysaccharides, when orally consumed, have been shown to help boost immunity and liver function, but when used in skincare, acts as a moisturising active ingredient.
Kate explains, “Extracted using Thermal Optimization technology, the ginseng saccharides help skin act as a water-soaked sponge, forming a dense reflective layer on the surface to increase light transmission through the skin.
This serves as a powerful reflective board on the skin surface to generate volume brightening effects. You get that translucent, inner glow that is associated with youthful skin – and shadowing is eliminated.”
Glow Getter
So is this the light at the end of a shadowy beauty tunnel? Sulwhasoo is convinced it is. Seoul’s P&K Skin Research Center, which runs tests for new ingredients, conducted a clinical study of Snowise Brightening Serum on 31 women, aged 35, for eight weeks last November, to demonstrate the new formula’s efficacy.
Results showed it was highly effective in the six major components of skin tone – translucency, collagen, melanin, transparency, brightness and hydration – which together, create volume brightening. Kate shares, “The serum delivered high improvement in three indicators which are instrumental to creating a youthful glow – 14.2 per cent improvement in translucency, a 9.79 per cent decrease in melanin, and 12.9 per cent boost in collagen production.”
Another blind test for the serum on 300 asian women also indicates likewise. More than 97 per cent of the respondents said they were satisfied with the impact of the serum on their skin texture as their skin felt firmer and more resilient.
“Skin shadowing occurs due to the combination of excessive production of melanin and the loss of skin elasticity. It’s as if the ‘shadow’ of dull skin hides a bright complexion”– Kate Kwon, Sulwhasoo Science Manager
Revealing Your Inner Radiance
The entire Sulwhasoo Snowise range has been upgraded to help reclaim your skin’s inner radiance. The products work together to not only suppress melanin production, but also to boost skin resilience.
Besides the Brightening Serum, $268, there’s the Brightening Exfoliating Gel, which has fine powders of white ginseng and walnut skin to remove dead cells. For targeted treatment of pigmentation and dark spots, there’s the Brightening Spot treatment which also contains pine mushroom to gently hydrate inflamed areas.
For skin that’s clear and radiant, there’s the Brightening cream, which has cactus extract for long-lasting hydration. And if your skin needs that quick pick-me-up, there’s the Brightening mask.
Each mask is individually fermented in white ginseng for two weeks, and the biocellulose mask is treated with the Brightening Serum. You’ll find skin looks brighter and feels plumper right after use.
