Solar lentigos (SLs) are pigmented spots that typically appear in photoaged skin depending on its solar exposure history. It has been reported that ultraviolet (UV) light is a major cause of SLs because UV is a strong promoter of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The process of skin pigmentation has been demonstrated to be divided into three major steps: melanocyte proliferation, the maturation of melanosomes (MSs) according to increases in melanin synthesis and the transfer of MSs to keratinocytes. The maturation of MSs and their transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes following UV exposure are accelerated via the effects of soluble factors such as α-melanocyte stimulating hormone, endothelin-1, stem cell factor and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), produced by UV-exposed keratinocytes in autocrine and paracrine fashions. Among those soluble factors, PGE₂, which is synthesized by keratinocytes in response to UV exposure, has been reported to promote dendrite development and melanin synthesis of melanocytes. The purpose of this study was to characterize the potential anti-pigmentation effects of α-tocopherol fatty acid ester (VE-FA), which was synthesized with a natural fatty acid mixture enriched with linoleic acid, focusing on the activation of melanocytes and acceleration of MS incorporation to keratinocytes by the conditioned medium of UVB-exposed keratinocytes. VE-FA suppressed the incorporation of fluorescent beads, which were used as pseudo-MSs, into keratinocytes treated with the conditioned medium (CM) from UVB-exposed keratinocytes. In addition, treatment with VE-FA abolished the increased proliferation and dendrite elongation of melanocytes treated with CM from keratinocytes exposed to UVB. Furthermore, VE-FA reduced the level of PGE₂ in the CM from keratinocytes exposed to UVB. In summary, the results of this study demonstrated the possibility that VE-FA has an anti-pigmentation effect through its suppression of MS transfer to keratinocytes and of melanocyte activation following UVB exposure.

Currently, international discussions to establish acceptable trace heavy metal levels in finished cosmetic products and their testing methods are ongoing. In Japan, the testing methods and acceptable levels of heavy metals in raw materials have already been specified with the Japanese Standards of Quasi-drug Ingredients, but no specification regarding their testing methods and levels in finished cosmetic products has been published. In order to assess trace metal impurity in cosmetic products, an analytical method for determining 13 metals in finished cosmetic products by using microwave-assisted digestion and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was developed and validated. Because cosmetic products contain ingredients in various dosage forms, including various fats, oils, pigments, dyes, and minerals, microwave digestion conditions for the preparation of sample solution were mainly investigated using oil-based reference standard solution and certified reference material (CRM) (Lake sediment CRM, for trace elements analysis). In the recovery test using an oil-based reference standard solution, good recovery and repeatability were achieved under the developed acid digestion conditions using HNO₃; HNO₃ and H₂O₂; and HNO₃ and HF. However, in terms of recovery from lake sediment CRM, good recovery from the CRM was achieved, and high concentrations (the value closest to the true concentration) in the commercial cosmetic products for each metals were obtained only when using HNO₃ and HF for digestion. Therefore, HNO₃ and HF were used in the microwave digestion treatment of commercial 59 lipsticks, 23 lip glosses, and 20 lip liners. The metals detected at high concentrations and frequencies were Zn, Sr, and Sn for lipstick; Zn and Sn for lip gloss; and Mn, Zn, Sr, and Sn for lip liner. These metals were likely derived from zinc oxide, tin oxide, and manganese violet those were labeled ingredients on the product. Compared to the recommended acceptable levels of Pb, As, Cd, and Sb in cosmetic products by International Cooperation on Cosmetics Regulation (ICCR) and Health Canada, the concentration of Sb in some of the tested products exceeded the acceptable level.

Life expectancy has increased significantly. It was 50.06 and 53.96 years in 1947, and 79.64 and 86.39 years in 2010 for male and female respectively. Birth rate per 1,000 population showed a decrease from 39.3 in 1945 to 7.6 in 2017. An aging society is progressing rapidly in Japan. Baby boomers have become older than 65, and their health anxiety, prevention of skin aging and skin diseases, has become major matter for health care world.

One of the biggest factors of skin-aging is ultraviolet rays. Since it is not necessarily aging due to biological time, the word “photoaging” is established. Photoaging include not only cosmetic problems like wrinkles and freckles, but also skin cancers like actinic keratosis. To prevent photo-aging, sunscreen is the most convenient and reliable method. In addition to the photo-aging skin condition and skin diseases, there are many skin diseases which are common in elderly people or are associated with internal diseases. For bedridden old people, bedsore is the largest problem.

Cosmetics can prevent many skin diseases and help treatments, although they cannot treat by themselves. They have many possibilities of cosmetics in elderly society.

Active ingredients in the formulations must distribute from the formulations to the epidermal tissues and maintain efficient concentrations in the tissues to achieve their effectiveness as cosmetics. In addition, the determination of skin concentration is very important for evaluating cosmetics formulations, as well as for developing new cosmetic products. However, the direct measurement of skin concentration has several problems. Generally, only one data point is obtained from one skin after active ingredient application. In addition, controlling the removal of the formulation from the skin surface is very difficult. Hard cleaning the skin surface decreases the membrane concentration, whereas inadequate cleaning may leave the drug formulation on the skin. Dose setting method guideline committee organized by the Japanese Cosmetic Science Society has reported that in vitro skin permeation experiment with an infinite dose could identify the formulation which exhibited the highest steady-state skin concentration of cosmetic active ingredients.

Skin concentration of active ingredients is affected by application behavior of cosmetic products, such as layered application and rubbing application. In the present paper, factors are introduced that affect skin concentration of active ingredients. I hope this presentation will contribute to the development as well as investigation of the safety and effectiveness of cosmetic products.

Collagen is a main protein of extracellular matrix and has triple helix structure. Heat treatment of collagen with water converts triple helix structure into globular structure. The denatured collagen, gelatin, can be digested with protease. The gelatin hydrolysate or collagen peptide has been prepared and used as food ingredient. Human trials and animal experiments have demonstrated that oral administration of collagen peptide improves skin condition and also enhances healing of pressure ulcers. After ingestion of 10 g of collagen peptides, hydroxyproline (Hyp)-containing peptide increases to approximately 10–40 μM in human peripheral blood. Hyp-containing peptide is also generated in cutaneous wound healing site by degradation of endogenous collagen. It has been demonstrated that Pro-Hyp, a main endogenous and food-derived collagen peptide in body, triggers growth of fibroblasts expressing mesenchymal stem cell marker, p75NTR, on collagen gel, while it does not initiate growth of fibroblasts without p75NTR. Fibroblasts from tissue stem cells distributing subcutaneous layer rather than those from healthy cutaneous tissues infiltrate wounds and play crucial role in wound healing. Thus, endogenous and food-derived Pro-Hyp can enhance growth of fibroblasts in wound healing site without affecting quiescent fibroblasts in healthy tissue.

Sleep accounts for about one-third of life time, its physiological phenomena are indispensable for maintaining and improving the quality of life such as resting of the brain, recovery of the mind and body. In recent years, many studies have revealed that sleep and general health are closely related. The social and economic loss caused by sleep problems in Japan is estimated to be 15 trillion yen a year, and the social significance of improving sleep is great. In this paper, we will report on the development of “Foods with Function Claims” that improves the quality of sleep, focusing on the findings of “Sake Yeast GSP6” and its effect of sleep improvement. Sake yeast is necessary for the production of sake, and has been eaten as a food such as Kasujiru (a soup containing sake yeast) and Kasuzuke (pickles containing sake yeast). We also demonstrate that daily ingestion of Sake Yeast GSP6 enhances sleep quality, which in turn, improves skin quality, as indicated by an improvement in cheek collagen density, skin elasticity, and TEWL. These results suggest that sleep improvement by taking sake yeast supplements is an effective way to preserve skin health.