LG H&H overcomes application challenges, targets global market with NAD+ anti-ageing skin care

After 10 years of research, LG H&H has developed a proprietary ingredient called NAD Power24, which claims to encapsulate 99% pure NAD+.

The company’s first application of NAD Power24 in cosmetics is in its luxury skin care brand The Whoo’s recently renewed Bichup Ultimate Recovery Youth Serum.

Released in 2009, the Bichup Serum has sold over 9.8m bottles in the past 14 years, with the popularity attributed to its efficacy in anti-ageing care.

The fourth generation of this hero product, Bichup Ultimate Recovery Youth Serum 4.0, contains 10% NAD Power24 and was launched in Korea in March.

“NAD Power24 is developed and applied using transfersome, a technology that modifies the structure of liposome and delivers active ingredients to the skin. As a result, its absorption rate is 94% higher than NAD+.  ​

“Through the reverse concept of attaching NAD+ to the surface of liposomes, the stability of NAD Power24 also improved five-fold,” ​said Son Nam-seo, Managing Director at LG H&H.

On April 17, The Whoo held a symposium in Seoul, with over 200 people including academia, research institutes and major retailers in attendance. About 70 beauty influencers from Korea, China, Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia were present.

Notably, representatives from Tmall, operated by China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba, also attended the event showing “great interest”.

The fourth-gen Bichup Serum was unveiled to the attendees, alongside LG H&H’s NAD+ research findings and application results.

It was also revealed that the product will debut in the Chinese market this May.

“NAD+, a key ingredient for anti-ageing, creates a thorough skin regeneration balance. Users can expect the fourth-gen ​Bichup Serum to provide a 24-hour skin barrier strengthening effect — protecting the skin from external irritants during the day and enhancing the damaged skin barrier at night.​

“This product offers a differentiated experience that we seek to bring to global consumers, and that will change the future of ageing skin care,” ​Lee Hong-joo, head of The Whoo’s marketing division, added.

All-round upgrades​

As there is growing evidence that NAD+ plays an important role in ageing and that decreasing NAD+ levels are associated with age-related diseases, the compound has been gaining attention​ among industry players across the globe.

However, its low skin-penetration efficiency has made it difficult to study its efficacy as a cosmetic raw material and its application potential.

According to LG H&H, the development of NAD Power24 has “dramatically improved the permeability and delivery of NAD+” in the skin.

Furthermore, the incorporation of herbal medicine ingredients with strong antioxidant properties, including yoonseolran​ (black crowberry extract) and licorice, in a “golden ratio” is said to boost the product’s anti-ageing effect.

In a test conducted by P&K Skin Clinical Research Center in January, 30 women aged between 30 and 60 reported improvement in eye wrinkles, skin elasticity and texture, lifted appearance, and skin transparency after four weeks of NAD Power24 usage.

Another test involving 32 women aged 21 to 55 showed that the skin barrier, moisture level, shine, elasticity, and antioxidant power were significantly elevated.

In addition, the patented “Post-it formulation” of Bichup Ultimate Recovery Youth Serum has been upgraded for smoother application and easy absorption that does not cause stickiness.

While retaining the design heritage of The Whoo and Bichup Serum, the packaging has been revamped for a more modern vibe and the product now comes in a refillable container.