A New Focus on Japanese and Asian Skin Tokyo, December 11, 2004 LVMH Recherche Symposium Organized by LVMH Recherche ‐ 45804 St Jean de Braye, France Chairman: Frédéric Bonté

Abstract

When we attain a certain level of mental development, it is natural for us to wish to show our bodily features as attractive as possible to others, particularly to those of opposite sex. Thus, cosmetics have been playing an important role in our cultural activities. In their long history, human beings have made all possible efforts to utilize various natural substances as ingredients for the formulation of desirable make‐up products and fragrances. However, some of them caused unexpected skin problems or even a hazard to health. Hence, in the past, dermatologists tended to regard cosmetics as unnatural and sometimes undesirable substances applied to the skin.In old days, those individuals who had conspicuous skin diseases were discriminated in their society under a collective term of leper. Even until recently, patients who had congenital skin malformations or keratinization disorders, such as severe cases of ichthyosis, were cruelly put on exhibition to the public. Studies conducted by dermatologists have greatly contributed to eradication of such a prejudice against skin disfigurements and skin diseases. At the same time, through various trials and errors, they have developed many therapeutic measures for them. However, it is only in the later half of the last century that medicine and cosmetic science have begun to make the best use of the rapid progress in biological sciences, uniting their working sphere of activity. It has become clear that dermatology and cosmetology, both concerned not only with improvement of the skin appearance but also with maintenance and enhancement of skin health, share the same background of skin science. Their expertise has begun to be shared each other, contributing greatly to the recent rapid progress of the science related to the skin. They include the development of various non‐invasive biophysical methods that are employed for objective and quantitative in vivo evaluation of morphological and functional properties of the skin that are easily overlooked even by astute eyes of expert clinicians and that of acceptable and truly effective skin care products. Science has now become a strong driving force to accelerate development of desirable cosmetics.