For over 150 years, Shiseido has led the way in skincare innovation. Since 1915, the brand’s iconic camellia flower has symbolized beauty and strength. Today, this timeless flower inspires Shiseido’s newest breakthrough: the fourth generation of the Ultimune Power Infusing Serum.
The camellia is well-known in skincare for its moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and collagen-boosting benefits. Now, a groundbreaking collaboration between Shiseido and Harvard University has revealed that fermented camellia extracts can act as a “front-line defender” against skin aging at the cellular level.
The Science Behind Fermented Camellia and Skin Aging
As we age, our skin cells do too. More cells enter a state called senescence, where they stop dividing but remain active. These senescent cells perform less effectively, causing skin to look older. The number of these cells doesn’t always match your actual age, as it depends on how well your immune system clears them out.
Researchers Tatsuya Hasegawa, PhD, from Shiseido’s Global Innovation Center, and Shawn Demehri, MD, a dermatologist at Harvard’s Center for Cancer Immunology, explain that T cells — a type of white blood cell — act like snipers, targeting and removing harmful or senescent cells. Their study found that applying fermented camellia seed extract topically stimulates the skin to produce CXCL9, a protein that attracts T cells. This helps the immune system clear more senescent cells, leading to healthier, younger-looking skin over time.
What’s New in Ultimune?
The latest Ultimune serum features a powerful blend of three camellia-based ingredients:
Camellia seed extract: boosts skin elasticity
Camellia leaf and flower extracts: soothe and strengthen skin
Camellia seed oil: provides deep hydration
Fermented camellia seed extract: recruits T cells to fight aging
Shiseido uses a special fermentation process inspired by Japanese sake brewing to create the fermented camellia seed extract. This process increases the amino acid content by 3.4 times, enhancing its skin benefits.
In addition to camellia, the formula retains key ingredients from previous versions, including moisturizing fermented roselle extract, soothing heart leaf extract, and antioxidant-rich reishi mushroom.
Beyond Skincare: The Role of “Good” Viruses
This research also sheds light on a surprising player in skin health: viruses. The team discovered that senescent cells release a virus called human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), which helps T cells locate and clear these aging cells. While HCMV is present in 60% to 90% of adults and can cause illness in some, it was long thought to be dormant in healthy people.
Dr. Demehri explains that these viruses are actually dynamic and regulated by the immune system. Just as we have come to understand “good” bacteria in our microbiome, researchers are now recognizing the beneficial roles of certain viruses.
Dr. Hasegawa and Dr. Demehri predict that by 2035, the concept of healthy viruses will be as widely accepted as the idea of healthy bacteria today. This insight not only advances skincare science but may also impact research on diseases like cancer.
Bridging Beauty and Cutting-Edge Science
“This isn’t just about HCMV,” Dr. Demehri notes. “We are studying other viruses too, emphasizing that viruses around us can be beneficial, not just dormant.”
Shiseido’s latest Ultimune Power Infusing Serum embodies this pioneering spirit. It links beauty to groundbreaking science in an unprecedented way — enhancing skin health at the cellular level while opening doors to new research in longevity and immune function.
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