PCA SKIN® Looks to Space for Next Breakthrough in Skin Health
PCA SKIN® is taking its science to new heights to explore insights that could lead to a world of product innovation.
Today, PCA SKIN®, a Colgate-Palmolive Company brand, announced plans to send the first-ever private sector skin health experiment to the International Space Station (ISS). The experiment, sponsored by the ISS National Lab, will explore the effects of microgravity on skin-related genes as the biomarkers used to evaluate overall skin health in an effort to guide future product innovations and technologies.
The experiment will travel to the ISS aboard Northrop Grumman’s 17th commercial resupply services mission, contracted by NASA, in its Cygnus spacecraft no earlier than February 19, 2022 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
“We know from historical data that space travel and lengthy exposure to microgravity have profound effects on the skin. Astronauts in space experience thinning, dry skin that is susceptible to cuts. While these changes are comparable to those observed during the normal aging process on Earth, it appears that they are accelerated in microgravity,” said Lia Arvanitidou, Global Technology and Design Vice President for Colgate-Palmolive’s skin health businesses. “Through this exciting endeavor, we’ll be able to gather new data on the skin health biomarkers behind those changes – data which will be available faster than it would be on Earth,” said Arvanitidou.
For 30 years, PCA SKIN® has pioneered and perfected the science of skin health to improve people’s lives. Developing transformative solutions backed by science is an important part of the brand’s mission and vision, which support Colgate-Palmolive’s purpose to reimagine a healthier future for all. With this experiment, the brand hopes to find ways to better identify areas for early intervention in skin health and, ultimately, help guide the development of groundbreaking skincare innovations across all of C-P’s skincare brands – PCA SKIN®, EltaMD, and Filorga.
To conduct the experiment on the ISS, Colgate-Palmolive scientists partnered with BioServe Space Technologies, an ISS National Lab implementation partner that specializes in engineering space-based life science investigations to develop a custom device, containing live, lab-grown skin samples from MatTek Life Sciences. The samples will be exposed to the microgravity environment aboard the ISS for a set number of days and then frozen until they are returned to Earth. Once the samples return to our lab, investigators will compare findings to those observed in matching control experiments conducted on the ground.
The experiment is Colgate-Palmolive’s second research project to be conducted in collaboration with the ISS National Lab. “We are committed to exploring new pathways to innovation that help our customers feel their best. We are confident that our collaboration with the ISS National Lab will give us valuable insights to inform our work as a result-driven, professional-grade skincare company deeply rooted in science and skin health,” said Arvanitidou.
To learn more on PCA SKIN’s latest innovations, visit PCASKIN.com.
About PCA SKIN®
For 30 years, PCA SKIN® has pioneered and perfected the science of skin health. We create individualized solutions to deliver dramatic, visible results, starting with our transformative peels. Our professional peel treatments bring effective skincare solutions into the future, ensuring the best results are achieved for every skin type and concern. Today, our line of professional treatments and daily care products are found in over 70 countries and feature the most scientifically-advanced formulations for better stability, delivery, and above all, efficacy. We know skin health is personal, so we put our best into helping customers feel their best. Discover your personal PCA SKIN® experience at pcaskin.com. | @pcaskin on Facebook and Instagram.
About Colgate-Palmolive:
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, the Company sells its products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom’s of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA Skin, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet. The Company is recognized for its leadership and innovation in promoting environmental sustainability and community well-being, including its achievements in saving water, reducing waste, promoting recyclability and improving children’s oral health through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, which has reached more than 1.4 billion children since 1991. For more information about Colgate’s global business and how the Company is building a future to smile about, visit www.colgatepalmolive.com. CL-E
