“I strongly feel that complementary topical and oral care is important. It’s the best way to combat the signs of ageing, and this product fills a gap that’s difficult to get from topical,” says Gail Jenkins, R&D director, Unilever. “If something is delivered through the bloodstream it can reach specific areas. There is also a lot of emerging evidence about diet and the effect of stress on the skin.”
As we age, skin gradually loses its ability to regenerate naturally and produces less collagen, skin is more affected by UV and wound healing is poorer.
Research for the new oral product is said to demonstrate that supplementing the diet with key nourishing ingredients including soy isoflavones, lycopene, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamins C and E can have a significant impact on the skin’s appearance. The effects on the face, neck and hands are likely to be more obvious as these parts of the skin tend to show more signs of ageing due to environmental exposure. The development of Strength Within follows over five years of clinical research by a team including scientists, dermatologists and nutritionists and the product promises demonstrably smoother skin after 14 weeks’ use, with the greatest improvement shown on deeper wrinkles. A four-week supply will retail at £35.
Clinical research was conducted on over 500 women in Europe and the research has been independently recognised by experts from the British Skin Foundation.