Shiseido says protein boosted by French white lily enhances skin barrier and reduces water loss

22 May 2024 --- Shiseido says it discovered for “the first time in the world” that odorant binding protein (OBP) 2A protects the skin from odor molecules.

The skin care giant asserts that the protein aids in creating homeostasis in the epidermis and plays a part in the epidermal barrier. OBP2A, found inside the human nose, is known to filter out stress molecules that damage cells. When the skin was immunostained (a process identifying a specific protein), Shiseido found OBP2A was also present in the epidermis. 

Shiseido believes the “French white lily” flower extract enhances OBP2A’s expression in the skin and aims to use this data to provide solutions that lead to healthy skin that can “withstand any environment.”

Maintaining skin barrier
When nonenal odor and oleic and palmitoleic acids (from sebum and sweat) were added to epidermal cells with low OB2A, the cell defense against stress molecules weakened, resulting in a low cell survival rate. 

Furthermore, in the epidermal model with reduced OBP2A, the thickness of the epidermal layer and secretion of lamella granules (skin moisture component) decreased. The epidermal barrier function was also impaired due to increased epidermal water loss.

OBP2A is also expressed in the epidermis, where it filters stress molecules that cause damage to the skin and maintains normal differentiation of the skin.Shiseido’s search for ingredients that can increase the OBP2A expression led the company to the French white lily extract from the Madonna Lily flower. It believes the extract increases the expression of OBP2A in the epidermis and epidermal thickness while reducing water loss and enhancing the epidermal barrier function.

Shiseido says it has done further research on the function of the skin in self-recognizing substances that “stimulate the five senses.” It aims to achieve skin that can withstand any environment by elucidating the “inherent power” of the skin and strengthening its function.

Shiseido sales boost
Last week, Shiseido’s sales jumped 3.2% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2024 to ¥249.5 billion (US$1.6 billion).

The company says it made a “solid start” to 2024 with a “steady” market recovery thanks to brands such as Drunk Elephant, which grew 30%, while Elixir gained 3% and Nars gained 1%. Its fragrance portfolio also saw sales rise 21%.

Shiseido brand Anessa also recently unveiled the Sunshine Project, an initiative to provide children with “holistic well-being” by promoting being outside with proper sun protection.

The project begins in Japan and will eventually reach 12 Asian countries and regions where Anessa products are sold: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

By Sabine Waldeck