It’s a keeper. Procter & Gamble chopped a big portion of its beauty business off the books this summer when it sold CoverGirl, Wella and a host of other brands to Coty for nearly $13 billion. But P&G is keeping a tight grip on SK-II, the billion-dollar skin care line that maintains a loyal following in Asia and, increasingly, around the world as well. As an underscore to its commitment to SK-II, P&G is investing in research and rolling out new products with new levels of efficacy.
 

From its debut in Japan in 1980, distribution has reached 13 markets, with more on the way. SK-II’s worldwide popularity is justified. P&G scientists have kept up with the science; tweaking formulas to create the most effective skin care products available to consumers. For example, all SK-II products contain Pitera, an active yeast-based ingredient that is said to deliver crystal clear skin in as few as 14 days.
 

Most of the targets, when it comes to skin aging, are well known; now, Procter & Gamble researchers have identified a new target, microRNAs, which play a critical role in maintaining skin firmness and elasticity. Specifically, microRNA is a class of biological regulators that plays a role in stem cell differentiation, epidermal differentiation and renewal, skin pigmentation and even wound healing.
 

Xianghong Yan, a principal scientist at P&G, detailed the benefits of the new actives during an interview with Happi at the recent Personal Care Conference in Shanghai.
 

“Anti-aging is a very important category; it is trendy and growing compared to many other beauty categories,” noted Yan. “We put a lot of emphasis on anti-aging research.”
 

New Actives, Better Results
 

Three years ago, for example, Procter & Gamble introduced SK-II Stempower, a daily moisturizer that harnessed the power of stem cells, which have since become de rigueur for upscale skin care products. P&G is raising the bar again with its new RNApower formula, which makes it debut next month. According to Yan, the new SK-II products provide even better firming performance than Stempower. To produce its new active, both the hydrolyzed soy and the hydrolyzed yeast undergo a second hydrolysis; this step creates an optimal biological effect between the two raw materials, according to P&G.
 

Just how powerful is the new SK-II product? According to P&G, the production of collagen-1 synthesis in senescent fibroblasts nearly doubled in just two days when subjects were treated with a 1% treatment of the active found in the new SK-II formula. Similarly, SIRT1 production received a boost in human fibroblast cultures after a 1% treatment. The new SK-II formula boasts the benefits of concentrated Pitera with a fusion of soy and yeast. P&G maintains that soy contains significant amounts of the essential amino acids that humans need for protein production. At the same time, soybeans contain isoflavones, which are strong antioxidants that help prevent DNA damage in cells and fight against photoaging. Meanwhile, the aerobic metabolism of yeast makes it rich in essential amino acids and small peptides. These specific peptide fragments can target molecules involved in the anti-aging pathway. Ultimately, the formula improves skin firmness, which is the basis for all aging skin issues, according to P&G scientists. Yet, how they describe their aging skin problems is unique.
 

“For younger consumers, anti-aging is related to pore size and texture,” Yan explained. “For older consumers, it means improving the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin.”
 

However consumers define it, aging is a concern the world over, but especially in Japan. The Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine notes that people 65 and older will account for nearly 31% of the country’s population by 2030.
 

“Anti-aging is a hot topic in Japan and around the world,” noted Yan. “It reflects a change in how people view the aging process. They want to look younger and feel younger, too.”
 

Demand from China
 

Japan still accounts for the largest portion of worldwide SK-II sales, but the brand is making gains in China.
 

“Prestige beauty sales in general, and SK-II sales in particular, are growing very quickly in China,” explained Yan. “As Chinese consumers get wealthier, they are traveling more and purchasing products in duty-free retail outlets.”
 

What’s Ahead?
 

Looking ahead, Procter & Gamble researchers remain committed to biotechnology and the role that Big Data can play in managing all of that information. For example, P&G researchers collaborated with Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, which is consistently ranked as the No. 1 hospital in the US, to investigate gene expression. The study reviewed more than 20,000 genes. By working with top dermatologists and universities throughout the world, Procter & Gamble researchers are confident that SK-II will retain its No. 1 position in Asia’s anti-aging category and grow its sales in other prestige markets around the world.