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Taking Wrinkle Shots to the Next Stage! POLA's "Wrinkle Improvement" Project that Spanned 8 Years
Born in 2017, the "Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum" by POLA sparked a cosmetic boom in wrinkle treatments. Behind the scenes, a new project aimed at the next stage of wrinkle improvement had already commenced within the company.
After a span of 8 years, with the enthusiasm of over 100 planners and researchers, we would like to delve into the development of the Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum Duo.
PROFILE
Miho Tanaka
POLA Wrinkle Shot Product Leader
At POLA, Tanaka is responsible for the planning and development of wrinkle shot brand products. Operating under the brand concept that "All wrinkles are possibilities for beauty," she strives to sincerely address the concerns of those troubled by wrinkles and aim to respond to as many people’s concerns as possible through product development.
PROFILE
Ruiko Nakanishi
POLA CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, Inc.
Researcher
Responsible for the development of Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum Duo.
Engaged in research and development of various cosmetics such as wrinkles, whitening, and aging for many years. Driven by the desire to deliver effective products, Nakanishi observes hundreds of skins each year, confidently stating, "I have confidence in my ability to see wrinkles!"
PROFILE
Tomoki Igari
POLA CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, Inc. Ingredient Development Researcher
Responsible for formulation design of Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum Duo
Mainly involved in the formulation design of skincare products and in the development of best-selling items. Dedicated to revolutionizing the cosmetics industry through the development of unprecedented textures and the acquisition of unmatched efficacy data.
The Wrinkle Cosmetic Boom Started with "Wrinkle Shot"
"Since the birth of Wrinkle Shot, I feel that a new market for 'wrinkle cosmetics' has emerged," says Miho Tanaka, the Wrinkle Shot Product Leader. Indeed, since 2017, a multitude of quasi-drugs targeting wrinkles have appeared, igniting a boom in wrinkle cosmetics within the beauty scene.
"We have received many joyful voices from customers saying things like, 'I had given up on my wrinkles, but it became a motivation to care for my skin.' Since POLA started wrinkle research in 2002, it has truly been a long journey until the launch of Wrinkle Shot," explains Tanaka.
Over 20 years ago, POLA returned to the fundamental question, "Why do wrinkles form?" and began research, identifying one of the causes of wrinkles as "neutrophil elastase."
The ingredient that suppresses the function of neutrophil elastase is POLA's uniquely developed "Neil One." After 14 years of verification regarding its efficacy and safety, it achieved a historic milestone as the first "effective wrinkle improvement active ingredient" recognized as a quasi-drug.
"Scattered Wrinkles" that Many People Overlook Exist All Over the Face
By the way, when you think of the "areas where wrinkles develop," which areas come to mind? According to POLA’s research, the top three mentioned areas were "around the mouth," "forehead," and "crow's feet."
"One contributing factor to wrinkle formation is the expression pressure exerted by facial movements. Indeed, the areas around the eyes and mouth have vigorous facial movements, and as one surpasses a certain age, it becomes easier for wrinkles to form. At the same time, other areas, such as the cheeks that lift when smiling, are also subjected to expression pressure," explains Tanaka.
POLA had already recognized the existence of 'scattered wrinkles' that tend to develop in areas where expression pressure is more gently applied at the time of the 2017 study. The expert on scattered wrinkles is researcher Ruiko Nakanishi.
"The fine lines around the eyes and mouth are prominent, but scattered wrinkles tend to develop gradually, making them harder to notice. If your foundation settles in your cheeks or your eye color creates lines on your eyelids, these can be signs of scattered wrinkles," says Nakanishi.
Many people in their 30s may feel that their makeup isn't going on as well as it used to. It's surprising that one of the causes of this could be scattered wrinkles.
"Scattered wrinkles exist even when the face is expressionless, so they can significantly affect the overall impression of the face. We were eager to deliver Neil One to the entire face as soon as possible, which led to the initiation of the 'Neil One Full Face Project' behind the launch of the first Medical Serum," says Nakanishi.
"Neil One" Decomposes when Dissolved in Water
However, soon after the project began, the development team faced a challenge. The weakness of Neil One was that it gradually decomposes when dissolved in water."For the localized beauty serum, Medical Serum, we adopted a method of capturing Neil One in oil without dissolving it in water, which allowed for its stable dispersion. While this is suitable for specific wrinkles like those at the eyes, applying it to the entire face requires a complete rethink," explains Nakanishi.
Taking on the challenge of developing a refreshing texture that expands comfortably over the entire face while stabilizing Neil One was researcher Yuki Igari, responsible for formulation design.
"Initially, I tried to stabilize Neil One while working with a refreshing base. One difficulty was adhering to strict rules regarding the contents and quantities to obtain quasi-drug approval.
"Considering compatibility with Neil One, the raw materials we could use were very limited. Although I tried various alternatives, I wasn't achieving the desired results," says Igari.
As three years passed since the development began, a breakthrough emerged in an unexpected way. Up until then, we had been experimenting with a single beauty serum, but an idea emerged, asking, "What if we had two agents?" This turned out to be a crucial turning point for the project.
"Yogurt" & "Semiconductors": The Breakthrough Lies in Technologies from Other Fields
Another fortunate occurrence was that at the same time, a colleague had the opportunity to visit a food factory. What they saw was the manufacturing process for "fruit yogurt." By matching the "viscosity" of the yogurt and blueberry sauce, they were able to achieve a smooth texture that blended easily.
"'Could we apply this idea?' was discussed among the team. While matching viscosity seems simple, it is not easy. We had to maintain the stability of Neil One with limited raw materials, and also ensure that customers could blend them smoothly," Igari explains.
Despite the challenges, Igari patiently devised multiple formulations and finally arrived at the optimal texture for the two agents. Generally, cosmetic formulations have a certain range of effectiveness expected.
However, in this case, the serum was a miraculous formulation built on an extraordinarily precise "combination of ingredients" and "meticulous proportions."
Just as the formulation was finally completed, an entirely different problem arose.
The machines in the cosmetic field capable of "precisely measuring the contents" to fill the containers for such an exceptionally delicate balance did not exist.
As filling machine manufacturers continuously declined, once again, a breakthrough came from "technology in other industries."
"In semiconductor manufacturing, there is highly precise filling equipment that wields the capability to attach components to electronic substrates at levels below 0.1mm. We leveraged this precision equipment and established an original filling system that utilized a precise scale used in the medical field," says Igari.
The time spent on building the system was an astonishing four years. After a seemingly endless struggle since the project began, the all-in-one wrinkle improvement serum “Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum Shot Duo” has finally been born.
“This time, it just happened that the three of us are answering the interviews, but more than 100 researchers and developers have been involved in this process. We are truly delighted to finally deliver this to everyone, carrying the thoughts of each individual along the way,” said Nakanishi.
Providing "Neil One" for Everyone Troubled by Wrinkles
On January 1, 2025, the long-awaited “Wrinkle Shot Medical Serum Shot Duo” will be released, delivering Neil One to every nook and cranny of the face.
By mixing the two agents and giving it a gentle shake, applying it to freshly washed skin will allow the refreshing texture to spread comfortably. You will feel as if your skin is drinking it in, soaking it up effortlessly.
Since the start of the full-face Neil One project eight years ago, considering the development of Neil One itself which began 23 years ago, let's rediscover the charm of this serum that has gathered the efforts of many people.
“Thanks to the researchers’ hard work, the ideal texture has been achieved, allowing us to deliver Neil One even to wrinkles that we hadn’t noticed ourselves, which is its appeal. When you use this on your skin post-cleanse, there will surely be a sense of reassurance in establishing a solid foundation. I would be glad if you could feel the smooth changes when your palm touches your face,” said Tanaka.
“In addition to texture issues, considerations regarding the stability of Neil One, product safety, compatibility with the production process and containers were necessary. Changing just one aspect required us to reconsider everything else. Still, this product was developed with the simple wish of wanting 'our customers to be satisfied.' Please experience this refreshing feeling and comfort after application,” said Igari.
“Since I started wrinkle research in 2002, I have been working with the desire to 'solve all wrinkle-related concerns.' I hope those who have given up on wrinkles or are troubled by care routines will definitely pick this up. As a rare case for quasi-drugs, this is a serum that the customers blend themselves, and I hope they will enjoy that step as well,” said Nakanishi.
POLA continues to change consumers’ awareness of wrinkles and respond to concerns across all age groups. I look forward to their future research.
Text by Namiko Uno
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