Cosmetic Ingredient Research & Innovation

When people talk about anti-aging cosmetic ingredients, the first things that often come to mind are collagen, antioxidants, or wrinkle reduction. However, wrinkles are only visible outcomes of skin aging, rather than the aging process itself. Advances in dermatological science have shown that skin aging is not driven by a single factor. Instead, it is a complex biological process involving neural regulation, structural support degradation, oxidative damage, glycation, and changes in cellular viability.

Different signs of skin aging are associated with distinct biological mechanisms. Therefore, effective anti-aging ingredients and skincare solutions should not be limited to a single active ingredient or efficacy metric. A more comprehensive approach should address different skin aging pathways and their underlying biological mechanisms.

Based on this understanding, Plamed has developed a multi-dimensional anti-aging ingredient innovation framework built around four core research directions: Neural Dynamic Aging, Structural Aging, Oxidative & Glycation Aging, and Cell Lifespan & Regenerative Potential. Through the development of mechanism-focused active ingredients and efficacy-validated solutions, Plamed aims to provide scientifically advanced support for different anti-aging mechanisms and skin aging pathways.

With the deep application of neuroscience in skin research, TRPV1 has gradually become one of the most prominent research targets in the anti-irritation field, steering the industry beyond traditional approaches focused primarily on anti-inflammation and barrier repair toward neural pathway anti-irritant research. This emerging direction provides new opportunities for developing anti irritant ingredients, skin calming ingredients, and soothing skincare solutions, particularly for sensitive skin.

However, skin irritation perception is not engaged by TRPV1 alone. Multiple sensory receptors are involved in identifying and transmitting different types of irritation signals, making them important sensitive skin irritation targets in neuro-anti-irritation research. When other receptors are activated, regulating a single receptor alone cannot fully cover the complex process of skin irritation perception. Therefore, understanding the interaction between different sensory pathways is essential for developing more comprehensive soothing skin care ingredients.

Based on this understanding, Plamed took the lead in introducing Action Potential (AP)—the common convergence point of skin irritation signals—into cosmetic anti-irritation research and established the AP neural anti-irritation pathway research system. Rather than focusing only on the TRPV1 inhibitor mechanism, this approach explores the broader neural signaling process involved in skin irritation perception.

Through systematic exploration across mechanism research, efficacy validation, and industrial application, Plamed's approach represents an innovative anti-irritation mechanism for cosmetic ingredient development. It provides a new scientific perspective for developing skin calming ingredients, soothing ingredients for sensitive skin, and other active ingredients for sensitive skin, while supporting the development of cosmetic formulations designed to help soothe skin and reduce the perception of irritation.

Skin repair is one of the fundamental research directions in skincare R&D. Classic skin repair ingredients such as Centella Asiatica extract and madecassoside have, through long-term research and market validation, become an important foundation for repair product development. These established actives continue to provide valuable references for the development of skin barrier repair ingredients.

Building upon this foundation, Plamed continues to focus on a more fundamental question: Are there other unexplored ingredients that possess valuable skin-repairing activity? And can these ingredients establish a practical, applicable relationship with classic repair systems?

By exploring new ingredients for skin repair alongside established repair actives, Plamed seeks to identify new opportunities for skin barrier repairing ingredients, including natural ingredients for skin barrier repair that can complement existing approaches to skin repair and barrier support.

Traditional exfoliation relies predominantly on external interventions such as physical abrasion, chemical peeling, or enzymatic degradation to induce passive stratum corneum shedding. In recent years, the industry has turned its attention toward endogenous exfoliation, the core of which lies in activating the skin's intrinsic metabolic pathways to achieve a more physiological renewal of the stratum corneum. This approach provides a new direction for skin exfoliation and the development of gentle exfoliating ingredients for modern skincare.

Focusing on this direction, Plamed initiated research on the active constituents of white willow bark. Through AI prediction, mechanistic studies, multi-model validations, and in vivo tests, we have systematically explored the regulatory pathways of KLK7/SPINK5 in stratum corneum renewal, establishing a complete and rigorous evidence system for endogenous exfoliation.

This research provides a scientific foundation for exploring exfoliating active ingredients that support a more physiological approach to skin renewal. By focusing on endogenous regulation rather than relying solely on external removal, Plamed explores new possibilities for gentle exfoliation for skin and the development of advanced exfoliating skincare ingredients.