An antioxidant cocktail-containing cosmetic product (Liftactiv Cure) prevents air pollution-induced skin hyperpigmentation: results from the ex vivo Düsseldorf pollution skin test

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVES

• Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants is associated with facial pigment spots and wrinkles.
• In order to study the underlying mechanisms, we have developed a standardized, robust ex vivo human skin model
  which allows application of ambient relevant, toxicologically well characterized, traffic-related diesel exhaust particles (DEP) onto the surface of human skin.
• We previously demonstrated with this model that topical exposure of human skin to DEP at environmentally relevant, non-toxic concentrations increased skin pigmentation, which was mediated at least in part by oxidative stress.

The objective was to evaluate whether a topical formulation containing antioxidants (vitamin C, E, neohesperidine and maritime pine polyphenols (Liftactiv Cure [Vichy]; LC ) was effective in protecting human skin against air pollution-induced skin pigmentation/ aging.

S. Grether-Beck, A. Valois, H. Brenden, I. Uthe, I. Felsner, D. Kerob, J. Krutmann