Technology for Obscuring Wrinkles Instantly – Technology for Reducing the Visibility of Nasolabial Lines Using a Highly Shrinkable Polymer

Our apparent age is influenced by skin conditions such as wrinkles, blemishes and deep nasolabial lines. Focusing on the fact that lifting sagging cheeks with the hands makes the nasolabial lines less visible, Kao has been working to develop makeup technologies for physically lifting sagging skin and making nasolabial lines less visible.

Liquids containing certain hydrophobic (water-repellent) polymers shrink and form a film when dried, so we considered taking advantage of this ability of polymers to shrink to lift sagging skin.
First, we examined the force necessary to lift sags, and then calculated the shrinkage rate when the coating film dries to shrink and generate the equivalent force. Then, we screened for polymers that are shrinkable as well as moderately flexible so as to prevent the coating film from cracking when the preparation dries. As a result, we found that a certain hydrophobic polymer is a unique material that is both shrinkable and flexible.

We applied a model preparation containing this polymer to the cheeks and the lower parts of the nasolabial lines of 12 women, and found that the nasolabial lines became less visible in 11 of the 12 subjects.
3D images of their faces showed that their nasolabial lines shallowed by an average of approx. 1 mm after the preparation was applied (Figure 1).
We would like to apply this technology to developing makeup products and meet people’s desire to make the nasolabial lines less visible and enable them to look younger, even if just a little.