Anyone familiar with skin care knows the power of hyaluronic acid. Over the past decade, the skin-care industry has been overtaken with new launches formulated with the hydrating ingredient—and with good reason. “Hyaluronic acid is one of the best hydrators,” says New York dermatologist Marina Peredo, MD, who has been labeled as a “Super Doctor” by The New York Times. “Not only does it help with dry skin, it helps to retain moisture, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by plumping the skin and helps with acne when applied topically.”
Hyaluronic acid has also made a name for itself in the world of aesthetics, as it is the main ingredient in most dermal fillers. “When injected with hyaluronic acid dermal fillers, the hyaluronic acid plumps the skin to diminish the appearance of fine lines,” says Dr. Peredo. (When injected subdermally, Dr. Peredo says fillers have the ability to sculpt, reshape and recontour the face by volumizing and supporting the surrounding tissues.)
However, there’s been one major drawback when it comes to formulating skin care with hyaluronic acid: its size. Hyaluronic acid’s molecular makeup is pretty large and unable to effectively penetrate the skin. So unlike topical products that often sit on the surface of the skin, fillers are injected into the deeper layers of the skin, resulting in a fuller look from beneath. Because of this inability to effectively penetrate the skin, traditional skin-care topical formulas can only do so much when it comes to hydrating and firming the skin—until now.
After 40 years of research, Shiseido is announcing its most innovative launch yet. Available now, Bio-Performance Skin Filler Serums is a skin-care duo designed to reinvent the way we think of—and use—hyaluronic acid.
What it is
Shiseido’s Bio-Performance Skin Filler Serums includes a day and a night serum designed to be used in tandem. Created with the brand’s proprietary Japanese hyaluronic acid, the Infill Serum, designed for nighttime use, includes shrunken hyaluronic acid molecules that easily pass through the skin’s surface. The Full Expansion Serum, designed for daytime use, then expands these molecules back to their original size, resulting in a plumper, younger look from beneath the surface.
How it works
This shrink-and-fill action is powered by MolecuShift Technology, which the brand describes as the world’s first technology to effectively do so. “The MolecuShift technology allows the hyaluronic acid molecules to be shrunken without changing the structure,” explains Dr. Peredo. “Due to the size of the molecule, it penetrates the skin, whereas larger HA molecules in other products just sit on the surface or stratum corneum of the skin and do not have the ability to penetrate the skin.”
What the data says
As aforementioned, Shiseido puts science and efficacy first. In a clinical study of 106 respondents, 92 percent of users reported skin that looked more voluminous than ever after a single day of using the day and night serums. 71 percent said the face looked firmer and five years younger; 82 percent said deep wrinkles were less visible; 85 percent said fine lines were less visible and 91 percent said their skin looked “firm as if I had a medical treatment.”
Who it’s for
If your skin could use some firming and serious hydrating but you’re not interested in or ready for in-office fillers, this two-step serum system is a great option. While it doesn’t offer the exact results injectable fillers can—“It’s hard to compare topical products to injectable filler because they do different things,” notes Dr. Peredo—it can transform the skin in a similar fashion and deliver a dramatically younger look to the skin. If dermal fillers are part of your anti-aging skin-care routine, this hyaluronic acid system is perfect for maintaining results between touch-ups. Even better, the duo proves to be effective on all skin types, tones and ages, making this product a perfect fit for everyone.
The bottom line
This next-generation skin-care duo revolutionizes the way we use hyaluronic acid in our daily skin-care routines. Whether filler is part of your routine skin-care regimen or you’ve yet to take the plunge, this system is ideal for anyone after a younger, refreshed appearance.
