10 November Room C Seminars

K-Beauty has redefined beauty with its innovative textures, multifunctional products, and unique sensory experience. This presentation explores how these concepts can be adapted for the European market through practical formulation examples featuring Momentive's Harmonie™ ingredients and silicone technologies, delivering enhanced spreading, cushioning, and optical benefits while meeting local consumer preferences and trends.

Introduction: Peptides are a cornerstone of anti-aging science, yet innovation typically prioritizes new sequences over delivery efficiency. This study addresses the inherent limitations of peptide stability and bioavailability by developing a novel lipid core-shell capsule for Pal-KTTKS. While Pal-KTTKS is a gold-standard anti-wrinkle agent, its efficacy is often hindered by poor skin penetration and rapid degradation. We present a sophisticated delivery strategy designed to maximize the therapeutic window of this peptide through structural stabilization and controlled release.

Methods: Lipid core-shell systems were synthesized using a blend of solid/liquid lipids stabilized by phospholipids. Stability was monitored at room temperature and 40°C via particle size (light diffraction) and pH. Structural characterization was performed using Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and TEM. Encapsulation efficiency was determined by tangential filtration, and release kinetics were analysed via dialysis. Ex vivo bioactivity was assessed in skin explants (with/without microneedling) via immunohistochemistry for collagen and involucrin. Finally, a double-blind, half-face clinical study (n=33) evaluated efficacy at 3 ppm over 28 days using fringe projection and identometry to measure skin topography and firmness.

Results: The system maintained stability for 12 months (0.27 ± 0.04 µm) with 99% encapsulation efficiency. SAXS confirmed a complex multilayered architecture (structural diameter 178 nm). Release profiles followed biexponential and Weibull models, showing a biphasic mechanism 37 times slower than free peptide, confirming the core-shell organization. Encapsulation extended the peptide half-life from 60 minutes to 20 hours, providing a robust barrier against enzymatic degradation. In skin explants, the system significantly increased involucrin and Collagen III, IV, and total collagen compared to free peptide; microneedling further synergized Collagen I/III synthesis. Clinically, the encapsulated form outperformed the free peptide, achieving a 10.4% reduction in microstructure density and a 25.0% increase in firmness (vs. 5.9% and 17.2% for free peptide). Visible smoothing was significant by day 14, with progressive improvement through day 28.

Conclusions: Nanostructured lipid encapsulation creates a protective, controlled-release environment for Pal-KTTKS. By extending enzymatic half-life and enhancing cutaneous efficacy, this system achieves superior clinical outcomes over traditional formulations. These results demonstrate that lipid encapsulation is a highly effective strategy for optimizing the delivery and performance of bioactive peptides.