Olay introduced the newest member of the Regenerist family -- Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream with SPF 30 -- at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in Washington, DC.

Several studies presented here helped lay the groundwork for the new cream’s development. In one, Olay researchers found that women who avoid and protect themselves against UV radiation are more likely to be ‘exceptional skin agers’ and an sun protection factor of 30 seems to hit that "sweet spot," says Frauke Neuser, PhD, Principal Scientist & Scientific Communications Leader for P&G Global Skin Care and Olay in Cincinnati.

While photoaging is clearly a factor, genetics also play a role, according to the latest results from the Racial Similarities and Differences in Gene Expression Related to Aging – The Multi-Decade & Ethnicity Study.  “There are more than 2,100 different genes that make people look younger and older even though their real age may be the same,” Neuser says. These genes are responsible for natural-antioxidant production, skin-barrier formation, or cell-energy metabolism, she explains in an interview with DermWire and AestheticsWire.

“We all have these genes, but the differences are in how hard they are working. We know that activity can be influenced by environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and even skin-care habits,” she says. “The actives in the Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream with SPF 30 -- including Pal-KTTKS, chemically known as palmitoyl-pentapeptide 3 -- can boost more than 50 percent of the genes.”

This was the main finding of another study presented here, dubbed the In Vitro Skin Biomarker Responses to Pal-KTTKS in a UV-Damage Skin Model. “We pretreated those skin cells with the active and found that the skin structure is more robust and more resistant to UV damage afterward,” adds Rosemarie Osborne, PhD, a Research Fellow at P&G Beauty in Cincinnati.

That said, women don’t or won’t use products including sunscreen if they are too heavy or greasy, says Dawn French, Vice President, Global Beauty Care Research & Development, P&G. “Our Products have to have delightful to use. We can’t have any aesthetic tradeoffs. It has to feel great, smell great and look great. The actives must work, be stable and survive on a Walmart shelf.”

“Olay has been partnering with dermatologists for decades, and we are excited to share our latest research findings at this important, thought-leading meeting. Our range of fundamental, anti-aging skin science will drive Olay innovation for years to come, as we continue to develop skincare products that help women look ‘ageless," says Alex Keith, President, Global Skin & Personal Care, Procter & Gamble.