Showa Denko K K : SDK Discovers TPNaTM Vitamin E Derivative Improves Dark Circles

Showa Denko K.K.
October 24, 2016

Showa Denko (SDK) (TOKYO: 4004) has discovered that its 'TPNa' water-soluble vitamin E derivative, which SDK sells as an ingredient for cosmetics, is effective in improving dark circles around eyes. Following this discovery, SDK started shipment of TPNa as an ingredient for eye-care cosmetics.

Sodium dl-α-tocopheryl phosphate (TPNa) is a water-soluble vitamin E derivative with special chemical structure developed by SDK, and was approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare as a basis of quasi-drug to prevent rough dry skin in 2004. TPNa shows anti-inflammatory and moisture-retention effects as an ingredient of cosmetics, and is acclaimed very highly by our customers who manufacture cosmetics.

Dark circles around eyes, on which SDK found TPNa has an improving effect, can be categorized into three types: blue circles caused by low microcirculation, brown circles caused by accumulated blood-origin pigments, and black circles caused by slackening or depression of skin. Generally speaking, dark circles around eyes emerge as combination of these three types. Therefore, conventional cosmetics for dark-circle care have mainly been developed as mixtures of ingredients effective for each type of dark circles.

This time, SDK discovered that TPNa as a single ingredient can improve multiple types of dark circles through diverse approaches. TPNa shows promise of improvement on blue circles because it improves the circulation of the blood and metabolism. SDK also found that TPNa has increasing effect on enzymes which take part in breakdown and removal of pigments that cause brown circles. In a clinical test for four weeks, TPNa improved the L parameters (numerical values indicating luminosities of skin colors) of the surfaces of lower eyelids in 82% of examinees.

SDK will exhibit this effectiveness of TPNa on dark circles at its corporate booths, one in the general meeting of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmic Chemists (IFSCC) to be held in Orlando, Florida from October 30th to November 2nd, and another in the 'in-cosmetics Asia' exhibition to be held in Bangkok, Thailand from November 8th to 10th. SDK classifies its functional chemicals business including cosmetic materials business into 'Growth-accelerating business' in its ongoing medium-term business plan, 'Project 2020,' and is promoting this business aggressively. SDK aims to expand its lineup of high-functioning cosmetic materials to meet customers' expectations.

[Reference]

A clinical test for the effect of TPNa on dark circles around eyes
In this test, TPNa showed remarkable effect on dark circles around eyes.
Test method: We tested 1% TPNa skin cream on 21 Caucasian female examinees (31-49 years old) who have dark circles around eyes. We applied 1% TPNa skin cream and a placebo skin cream to dark circles on examinees' skin for four weeks, and measured changes in L parameters (numerical values indicating luminosities of skin colors) of the parts of their skin with dark circles.

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