Chanel Précision Ultra Correction Lift is dedicated to firmness, and introduces a new concept, with a new ingredient.

Formula structure :

Oil/Water emulsion, emulsified with Gattefossé Emulium Delta (Cetyl Alcohol (and) Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG-75 Stearate (and) Ceteth-20 (and) Steareth-20) / Croda Brij S721 (Steareth-21) stabilized and thickened by Clariant Aristoflex AVC (Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer) / Xanthan Gum / Solabia Fucogel 1000PP (Biosaccharide Gum-1). This last polymer contributes to the stability of the formula, but also gives it a moisturizing feeling when applied on skin. Please note that the Carbomer present in the formula comes from the Matrixyl 3000 (see below), and cannot be considered as really participating to the “skeleton” of the formula.

The aqueous phase contains several humectants : Glycerin, Propylene Glycol and Butylene Glycol, and two moisturizing polymers, Solabia Fucogel 1000PP (Biosaccharide Gum-1), and Sodium Hyaluronate.

The oil phase is made of :

– natural oils : Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)), Jojoba esters and Canola oil

– a synthetic triglyceride : Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (for example Miglyol 810 sold by Sasol)

– a fatty ester : Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate (sold by Stéarinerie Dubois under the trade name Dub VCI 20)

– a solubilizing oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (sold by Innospec under the trade name Finsolv TN), certainly used here to help formulate the UV filters

– silicone oils, a non volatil one – Phenyl Trimethicone (sold by Dow Corning under the trade name Dow Corning® 556 Cosmetic grade fluid – , and two volatile ones – Cyclopentasiloxane and Cyclohexasiloxane

– a silicone-based film-former, insoluble in water : VP/Dimethiconylacrylate/Polycarbamyl Polyglycol Ester. Chanel holds a patent on this polymer, more precisely untitled “Cosmetic method for smoothing wrinkles and fine lines using an interpolymer” (WO/2009/124976). The said interpolymer, described as comprising at least one polyurethane and at least one copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and a silicone monomer, can be Aquamere^® S2011 sold by Hydromer, or Pecogel^® S2120 and Pecogel^® HS-501 sold by Phoenix Chemicals. However, this patent only covers Water / Oil emulsions : it thus do not protect the Ultra Correction Lift Day Cream SPF 15 we are talking about, which is an Oil / Water emulsion.

The oil phase also contains two oil-soluble UV filters to reach the SPF 15 protection claimed on the product :

– Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate : sold by DSM under the trade name Parsol MCX, it is a UVB filter

– Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane : named Avobenzone in the US monography, it is sold by DSM under the trade name Parsol 1789, and is a UVA filter

Active ingredients / Claims :

Active ingredients :

Appart from the UV filters described above, Chanel’s formula contains the following active ingredients :

– Ammonium Glycyrrhizate : could be Cognis Plantactiv AGL, it is a glycyrrhizic acid derivative, obtained from Glycyrrhiza Glabra. It would have anti-inflammatory, anti-irritating and soothing properties.

– Decarboxy Carnosine HCl : sold by Exsymol under the trade name Alistin™, it is a synthetic pseudopeptide claimed to be a “physiological universal anti-oxidant”.

– Canarium Luzonicum Gum Nonvolatiles : Canarium Luzonicum is the latin name of Elemi. This raw material is Chanel “Elemi PFA” claimed as the star ingredient of the Ultra Correction Lift range.

– Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (and) Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3 (and) Glycerin (and) Butylene Glycol (and) Carbomer (and) Polysorbate 20 : this is Sederma Matrixyl 3000. Please note that the INCI name of Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3 has changed to Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, but it remains the same active ingredient.

The “tensegrity” concept :

The Ultra Correction Lift, the firmess range of Chanel Précision, is claimed as “Chanel Cellular Lifting Effect”. The concept of the range is inspired by and linked to the architectural concept of “tensegrity“, that Chanel defines as follows : “derived from tension and integrity, it is a basic structural concept : the solidity of an edifice results from the balanced distribution of forces of tension and compression within the structure”.

The link between tensegrity and skin firmess is made saying that “facial firmness is dependant upon the structure and shape of the cells making up the face. With age cells lose volume, the skin slackens, and facial contours lose their definition. Tensegrity needs to be restored.”

The biological answer to face sagging through Tensin production stimulation

Tensin is a protein localized in the body in regions of the plasma membrane where the cell attaches to the extracellular matrix.

Chanel explains that it plays a “key role” in skin-aging process, saying that “with time the production of tensin diminishes and the skin starts to sag”. To regain firmness, the answer of Chanel is to boost the production of tensin in the skin, “restoring an optimal cell structure and reestabilishing good biological activity”.

This is a shortcut and a popularization of the complex biological mechanism behind the tensin concept. It is more precisely detailed in this Chanel patent WO/2008/145692 untitled “Cosmetic composition comprising an active agent capable of stimulating tensin 1 expression” :

“Tensin 1 is a phosphoprotein which binds to the actin filaments of the cytoskeleton of cells and to the extracellular matrix, at the level cf the abovementioned focal adhesions (Chen et al . , PNAS, 2001; Takahara et al., J. Histochem. Cytochem. , 2004) and specifically the intracellular portion of the α5βl integrin. In connective tissues and in the dermis, tensin 1 is known to allow integrins to move along the cell membrane and to group together, thus entraining the fibronectin associated with these integrins and modifying the conformation of the fibronectin molecules so as to promote their polymerization (Pankov et al . , J. Cell. Biol., 2000), the fibronectin itself playing an essential role in the composition and the stability of the extracellular matrix, and in particular in maintaining collagen I in the form of fibrils.”

And to support the claim that boosting tensin production helps the skin to get firmer, one can read in this same patent that “[Chanel] has demonstrated, for the first time, that tensin 1 is a key protein in the process of the tensioning of the cells of the dermis (fibroblasts) and, in terms of cell activity, for increasing the firmness of the skin and for preventing and/or combating slackening of the skin resulting from the dermal aging pieces. [Chanel] has also demonstrated a decrease in tensin 1 expression during aging, leading to disorganization of the ECM, in particular of fibronectin, and resulting in slackening of the dermis. It has also demonstrated that contraction of the dermis is considerably reduced in the absence of tensin. It therefore appeared to [Chanel] that the use, in cosmetic compositions, of active agents capable of stimulating tensin 1 could make it possible to combat the slackening of the skin observed during aging.”

The star ingredient : the Elemi PFA

Elemi PFA is described by Chanel as a “pure, powerful and polyactive ingredient, that has the ability to boost tensin production”. According to the same patent mentioned above, this active ingredient has been selected by Chanel through “a screening test for selecting biological active agents, and in particular botanical extracts”.

The INCI name of Elemi PFA is Canarium Luznicum Gum Nonvolatiles. It is an extract of Canarium Luzonicum made with a specific and proprietary process of Chanel, the “PFA” or “PolyFractionning of Active ingredients”. Again, the same patent is very precise about it :

“a) hydrodistillation of the gum or of the resin of the plant,

b) elinination of the essential oils,

c) extraction of the hydrodistillation residues using a polar organic solvent, other than water, having a polarity index of greater than 3.5, such as an alcohol, in particular methanol, ethanol or isopropanol.

In all cases, the extraction can be carried out on all or part of the plant under consideration, which can be ground or reduced to pieces in the usual manner. The extraction is generally carried out by immersing or gently stirring the ground material in one or more of the abovementioned solvents at temperatures ranging, for example, from ambient temperature to 100⁰C, for a period of approximately 30 min to 12 h. The solution is then preferably filtered in order to remove the insoluble substances of the plant. Where appropriate, the solvent, if it is a volatile solvent, for instance ethanol or methanol, is also removed.”

To complete the action of Elemi PFA, Chanel added to its formula another active ingredient with a biological activity : Matrixyl 3000. This association is justified as follow in the patent : “[Canarium extract] may be used in combination with agents promoting the synthesis of extracellular macromolecules, such as fibronectin, so as to improve the conformation of these macromolecuies and their organization within the ECM, resulting in a synergistic enhancement of skin firmness.” However, the only “starified” ingredient is the Elemi PFA, which has both a nice story to be told (natural origin, specific extraction process), and a new mode of action to fight sagging (boosting Tensin production).

Conclusion :

This formula has a nice structure, with a diversified oil phase.

The real novelties of this formula are :

– the communication on Tensin and its role in “tensegrity” of the face

– the Elemi PFA, which has both a nice story to be told (natural origin, with a specific extraction process), and a original biological pathway to fight against sagging (boosting of Tensin production).

Ingredient list :