Millions of cosmetics consumers worldwide are affected by skin conditions that cause unpleasant sensations such as itching, flaking, and stinging, or simply an uncomfortably dry and taut feeling. For tangible relief, they desire a product that binds water in the skin and keeps it there as long as possible.
PENTAVITIN® perfectly addresses this widespread consumer need both for short- and long term skin hydration, providing the extra care and support required by dry skin and a sensitive scalp, especially when these are exposed to adverse environmental influences, detergents and household products.
Gene expression studies have shown that PENTAVITIN® stimulates key genes to improve skin barrier function, and a variety of in vivo studies confirm its ability to strengthen the skin barrier and maintain deep hydration for 72 hours.
This imparts a soothing action that, due to its unique binding mechanism, is not lost when contained in rinse-off products.
Multifunctional Power
Dry, itchy skin is a warning from the body that protective function of epidermis is not coping with the demands made on it. Although age remains an important factor in dry skin, environmental factors play a greater role.
Heating, air conditioning, traveling by plane and harsh weather conditions all have detrimental effects as they expose skin to extreme and rapid changes in humidity. Such rapid changes represent a severe challenge to the biosensor function of the skin.
Frequent exposure to detergents and chemicals further reduce the ability of the skin to maintain its natural barrier, causing it to become dehydrated. In healthy skin, water loss is regulated by the outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum.
As demonstrated by extensive studies, PENTAVITIN® increases stratum corneum hydration and water retention in the short-term which consequently leads to a mid- to long-term improvement in desquamation and in the epidermal barrier function.
Tightness, itching and stinging caused by dry skin are all reduced for a more omfortable skin feeling. Improved softness and smoothness, as well as reduced flakiness, finally lead to a healthy skin appearance.
Efficacy in vitro
PENTAVITIN® is a 100% natural and unique skin-identical carbohydrate complex. Natural ingredients are increasingly important factors in consumer’s choice of a cosmetic product. It fully meets the criteria for plant-based natural products.
It is Ecocert and Cosmos approved and Natrue criteria complaint. The affinity of PENTAVITIN® to the skin is due to this unique composition, which is similar to that of the endogenous carbohydrate complex, contributing significantly to skin and scalp hydration.
Unique Binding Mechanism
In vitro and in vivo studies have shown the unique binding action of PENTAVITIN® to free amino groups of lysine within keratin which results in higher water retention (G. Padberg; J.Soc. Cosmetic Chemists 23, 271-279, 1972).
This mechanism ensures that it is not washed away but continues to improve hydration until removed by the natural process of desquamation.
Figure 1. Binding mechanism of PENTAVITIN® to amino groups in keratin.
Gene Expression
DNA microarray assays on human keratinocytes reveal that PENTAVITIN® effectively stimulates genes that play a key role in skin barrier maintenance. PENTAVITIN ® improves the skin’s hydration ability by boosting NMF and Hyaluronan indicated by upregulation of the filaggrin and hyaluronan synthase 3 gene expression levels.
PENTAVITIN® affects the function of the cornified envelope by increasing the loricrin gene expression level. It stimulates the synthesis of ceramides by increasing the acid sphingomyelinase gene expression level.
Figure 2. Induction of gene expression in human keratinocytes by
0.3% PENTAVITIN®.
Efficacy in vivo
The moisture accumulation test shows that PENTAVITIN ® instantly retains more moisture in the skin compared to glycerine.
Figure 3. Moisture Accumulation (Nova-Meter units).
Another in vivo skin hydration study was performed using a Nova DPM 9003 that confirms 5% PENTAVITIN ® outperforms 5% glycerine by nearly 50% on both dry and normal skin after 14-day application.
Figure 3. Skin Hydration [% increase]
It is also proven that 1% PENTAVITIN® reduces the signs of dry skin by 20% after 4 weeks. After the last treatment, the effects of this moisturizer last for 72 hours.
Figure 5. Improvement in the signs of dry skin according to
Kligman’s clinical grading.
1% PENTAVITIN® improves and strengthens the skin’s barrier function, as shown by the 20% reduction in TEWL before and after 20 successive tape strippings after 28-day application.
Figure 6. PENTAVITIN® strengthens skin barrier function compared
to control in 4 weeks of test.
Barrier repair for PENTAVITIN® (0.2%) was analysed under rinse-off conditions based on Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL). Reduction of irritation intensity is based on colorimetric measurement assessing the protective effects on a sensitive and itchy skin and scalp. 0.2% PENTAVITIN® repairs skin barrier in 3 days, and result is obtained faster than leading benchmark.
Figure 7. TEWL reduction and 2 hour and 24-hour irritation reduction
Figure 7a
The results of a consumer panel testing confirm that 1% of PENTAVITIN® after two weeks, improves the skin softness and smoothness by more than 50%. It reduces skin flakiness and itchiness caused by dry skin by more than 50%. All the related studies regarding PENTAVITIN® proves us that PENTAVITIN® is a real moisture magnet for our skin and that is why it has been used as a high performing moisturizer in a wide range of cosmetics.
*: Adapted from DSM ‘PENTAVITIN® -Feel Deep Hydration for 72 hours’ brochure.
Prepared and Compiled* by
Burçak Alioğlu
Technical Sales Manager
Arkem Kimya
