The global skin care market is just that, global. So too, is the research behind the latest skin care creams, lotions and serums. Mary Kay Inc. has been a leader in skin care research for decades, and the company shared some of its findings this month at the recently concluded Reunión Anual de Dermatólogos Latinoamericanos (RADLA) in Buenos Aires and the 77^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) in Chicago. Specifically, Mary Kay shared the impact of air pollutants on skin health and the effects of vitamin C on skin appearance. 

 
The research is just some of the latest groundbreaking discoveries related to improving skin confidence in women by the Mary Kay Research and Development team, led by Dr. Lucy Gildea, chief scientific officer at Mary Kay. The team includes scientists from around the world, holding doctorates and other advanced degrees across disciplines such as skin biology, cell biology, biochemistry and more.
 

In one study, Mary Kay scientists researched skin concerns stemming from diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in the environment, its ability to trigger inflammation in skin, and its effects from continued exposure—premature signs of aging, like dark spots and dullness. According Gildea, DEPs are a major component of the particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere of industrial cities. They can penetrate cells and tissues triggering severe oxidative damage to the skin by release of free radicals, according to Mary Kay. Long term exposure to DEPs cause oxidative damage to skin that can contribute to different skin disease conditions, and accelerate skin aging such as hyperpigmentation.
 

“For a long time, UV was considered the only significant culprit of environmental stressors responsible for causing premature skin aging,” noted Gildea. “While there has not been a comparative study to separate the negatives effects of UV vs. the negative effects of air pollution on skin, there are now several studies to demonstrate that air pollution contributes significantly to skin disease conditions and to premature skin aging.”
 
 
Mary Kay researchers found that an antioxidant complex found in Mary Kay TimeWise Miracle Set 3D skin care line, reduces the damaging effects of DEP on human skin cells. The antioxidant complex is composed of a combination of resveratrol, niacinamide and oligopeptide-1.
 
 
At the SID meeting, Mary Kay reported findingsfrom a cosmetic formulation containing extracts of five botanical fruits rich in vitamin C on skin appearance, which improved the appearance of skin tone, laxity and texture in just six days. There are five botanical extracts in this serum: acerola cherry, camu camu, kakadu plum, and black currant and pomegranate fruit extracts.
 
 
“We used extracts from fruit that are known to contain high concentrations of vitamin C that are naturally stabilized by the fruit,” explained Gildea. “In a clinical study, 100% of panelists showed improvement in skin texture and 96% showed improvement in clarity after four weeks of use.”