A Focus on Menopause and Wellness
A shifting demographic: the age revolution unveiled
In the tapestry of evolving demographics, there's an age-old story that's now taking center stage. The 2020 US census has unveiled a profound shift in our population: a remarkable 16.5% of the vast tapestry of 328 million Americans, translating into 54 million individuals, have crossed the age of 65. But this isn't just a statistic; it's a profound transformation. By the year 2030, this demographic is expected to reach 74 million individuals1. And the story is no different in other corners of the globe. Consider China, for instance, where the horizon of 2035 predicts that 400 million citizens, constituting the 30% of the population, will be over the age of 602. These transitions remind us of the beautiful chapters in humanity's collective story, urging the world of personal care to evolve, acknowledge, and celebrate. Just like understanding menopause.
An emerging demand for consumer-specific products?
Amidst the global narrative of a gracefully maturing population, women navigating the intricate dance of peri-menopause, menopause, and post-menopause stand as a chorus, gaining momentum in contemporary dialogues and making their voices heard. Their collective voice is an anthem of yearning for solutions that redefine the skincare journey impacted by menopause. They seek a symbiotic relationship with their cherished skincare brands, a harmonious relationship where the brands evolve, innovate, and cater to the myriad shades of the menopausal journey. To emphasize this sentiment, a compelling study reveals that a remarkable 79% of women are drawn to skincare brands that resonate with and craft for the diverse symphony of menopausal stages3.
What kind of skincare issues are menopausal consumers most concerned about? The dsm-firmenich Consumer Insights Hub, a consumer insights tool providing timely and genuine insights, offered by real people in real time, conducted an online survey with women from the US, France and China who self-identified in a menopausal stage (45 to 60 years of age). The survey revealed the 5 main skincare concerns were:
1.?????? Dry, itchy skin and scalp
2.?????? Lines, wrinkles and sagging?
3.?????? Hot flushes
4.?????? Age spots / skin tone
5.?????? skin sensitivity and redness
As menopause is a very personal experience, these concerns vary by person. As such, each woman deserves her own skincare solution. And brands are creating messaging around this personal experience and how the concerns affect menopausal consumers. ???
Significant changes during menopause
As a person ages, their skin undergoes several different changes. More fine lines and wrinkles appear on the skin, especially the jaw line and forehead areas. These changes are accelerated during menopause. The skin loses its elasticity as collagen levels continue to rapidly decline. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, studies have demonstrated that the skin loses about 30% of its collagen during the first five years of menopause. After the first five years of menopause, women lose roughly 2% of their collagen every year for the next 20 years4. There is a noticeable increase in fine lines and wrinkles as this occurs.
Increased stress has a significant impact on the appearance of the skin. The skin is affected by cortisol, a natural hormone that helps the skin contend with all kinds of stresses. The enzyme 11β-HSD1 transforms inactive cortisome into cortisol. Under stress with age, 11β-HSD1 is upregulated, leading to high cortisol levels. Persistent high cortisol levels trigger signs of premature skin aging. It reduces collagen synthesis and creates extra cellular matrix disorder. This causes the skin to lose its elasticity and more fine lines and wrinkles appear. This is another issue that menopausal women must cope with. ??
Additionally, an increase in cortisol levels impact skin cell functions such as collagen and elastin production, epidermal cell turnover and fibroblast growth resulting in visible signs of aging and lower skin resilience to daily stress factors. During menopause, as the skin loses its ability to retain water, the skin becomes very dry. This becomes even more of an issue when the air is dry. Moreover, a woman’s skin sensitivity tends to increase, and the skin takes on a reddish appearance as she gets older.
In addition to changes to the skin, there are also changes to a woman’s hair during the menopausal stages. The dsm-firmenich Consumer Insights Hub conducted another survey to learn more about the hair issues faced by menopausal women. These participants were from the US, UK and Australia and were 45 – 60 years old. It was revealed that the three main hair and scalp concerns noted by respondents were dry and itchy scalp, hair loss and hair thinning. These hair concerns related to menopause are very emotional and can lead to sadness and a loss of self-confidence. Menopausal consumers are always looking for new products that are effective at alleviating skin and hair issues.
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Proven solutions available to brands?
How might brands weave value into the lives of consumers seeking nurturing products tailored for the menopausal journey? Brands can accomplish this by developing effective solutions, ones that resonate deeply with the transformations brought forth by menopause. dsm-firmenich has crafted a suite of proven solutions, ensuring that both skin and hair narratives during menopause are heard, and addressed.
PEPHA?-TIGHT CB (INCI: Nannochloropsis oculata extract, Pullulan) is a natural solution that can provide benefits that address the appearance of wrinkles and loss of tone. As PEPHA?-TIGHT CB is a concentrated mixture of powerful functional ingredients?produced by biotechnologies, fully naturally derived and renewable, it is a unique combination of efficacy and sustainability. The use of 3% PEPHA?-TIGHT CB in an in vivo study demonstrated improvements in skin smoothness (skin smoothness evolution) below the eye within 15 minutes. This is significant as its performance was 4 times better than placebo. The study also demonstrated improvements in skin texture (average homogeneity) 4% better than placebo. This bioactive also provides a long-lasting lifting effect. In vivo data demonstrate that 3% PEPHA?-TIGHT CB can increase skin firmness 13 times better than placebo.
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BEL-EVEN? (INCI: Biphenyl Azepanyl Methanone) is a bioactive that helps support the skin barrier function which results in improved skin elasticity and density. In vivo data demonstrated that the use of 1% BEL-EVEN? improves skin elasticity by 15.7% relatively to placebo after 12 weeks. Additionally, Dermascan imagery demonstrated that BEL-EVEN? helps increase skin density significantly after 4 and 12 weeks. The higher skin density is a result of increased protein (mostly collagen) content in the dermis. Skin barrier function was also improved with the use of BEL-EVEN?. An in vivo study demonstrated that 1% BEL-EVEN? improves barrier function. The bioactive was shown to provide exceptional protection against external stress factors such as harsh winter weather. This protection helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As such, these benefits make BEL-EVEN? the ideal solution for brands offering products that provide benefits for stressed skin.
ALPAFLOR? EDELWEISS CB (INCI: Leontopodium alpinum ‘Helvetia’ extract) is dsm-firmenich’s natural, organic preservative-free bioactive. It is cultivated between 1,000 metres and 1,500 metres altitude in the Swiss Alps, ensuring a maximum content of active compounds such as leontopodic acid and flavonoids (luteolin and apigenin derivatives). The bioactive has been proven to help improve specific hair-related issues. An In vivo study of 3% ALPAFLOR? EDELWEISS CB in a leave-on scalp formulation demonstrated a 13% increase in hair density after 5 months versus T0. 90%?of volunteers treated with ALPAFLOR??EDELWEISS CB measured an increase in hair density, compared to 57%?of volunteers using placebo. This increase in hair density helps to reduce the appearance of thinning hair, one of the key hair issues cited by menopausal women.??????
ALPAFLOR? EDELWEISS CB is a multifunctional solution that provides benefits for both hair and skin. ?It has strong efficacy in helping to restore elasticity and smoothen the skin for a youthful looking complexion. Additionally, it helps protect the skin against oxidative stress which is useful in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. dsm-firmenich has additional data for ALPAFLOR? EDELWEISS CB which could also be relevant for designing solutions for menopausal consumers. ???
Timely solutions to meet a consumer need
As the beauty industry shifts to more personalized options for consumers, it makes sense that there should be more products for those consumers who have skin or hair that need additional attention. There is a strong need for skin and hair products that can help consumers as they adjust to the changes caused by menopause. It is a shift in the right direction that we now have products in the market that cater this specific consumer group. dsm-firmenich, with the use of its novel solutions, is actively partnering with brands to develop innovative products that will help to lead to healthier looking-skin and hair for consumers.
4.?????? https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/anti-aging/skin-care-during-menopause
Customer Documentation Center Specialist
1 年Great article Brian Grady!