Skin color diversity and skin quality of Chinese women
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Presented by: Héloïse VERGNAUD
Introduction
Chinese conception of beautiful skin is multidimensional. However, skin color seems to be a major criteria. According to consumers definition of ideal skin, their tone has to be even, without pigmented spots, and transparent. These characteristics become for example more present with advancing age when the skin darkens and the density of spots increases (Qiu et al., 2011). Worldwide skin color diversity covers a large continuous space color, with overlaps between ethnic groups and even if Asian skin color seems to have its own characteristics, its diversity remains (Caisey et al., 2006; Baras & Caisey, 2016).
The aims of this study were therefore: i) by a scientific review, to map Asian skin color in relation to worldwide skin color, ii) to measure and identify skin color and skin quality typologies among the diversity of Asian skin color as identify in the literature within a Chinese woman population.
Methods
A 2-phase study was set up.
A scientific literature review of skin color with a focus on Asian skin color allowed a meta-analysis of the skin color ranges. 10 publications corresponding to more than 8000 subjects were gathered to obtain a map of the Asian skin color among the worldwide skin color.
Secondly, we selected 102 Chinese women whose skin color covers the full range of Asian skin color diversity identified in the literature. We measured skin color with a contact spectral tool on the forehead and on the cheek (Spectrophotometer RM200QC, X-Rite Inc, Michigan, USA), hydration (Corneometer® CM825, Courage + Khazaka Electronic GmbH, Cologne, Germany), elasticity (Cutometer® MPA580, Courage + Khazaka Electronic GmbH, Cologne, Germany), translucency (Translucencymeter® TLS850, Dia Stron Limited, Hampshire, United Kingdom) and pores through image analysis (VISIA-CR®, Canfield Scientific Inc., Fairfield, NJ, USA). Clusters of women were made separately for skin color and skin quality according to CAH « two-step clustering » method, in order to identify skin typologies.
Results
Scientific literature review revealed that it is quite difficult to build a map of Asian skin color due to the low availability of raw data but also to the diversity of skin color measurement tools. Nevertheless, even if Asian skin color tends to be lighter and quite yellower, important differences remains between countries, cities (i.e in China) and between women.
Skin color characterization highlighted 3 groups of women, of rather equivalent numbers, based on their skin color on the cheek and the skin color difference between the forehead and the cheek:
The first group is composed of women with the yellowest skin and homogenous skin color.
The second group is composed of women with lighter and desaturated skin. Their skin color is heterogeneous for the C* (saturation).
The third group is composed of women with darker and redder skin. Their skin color is homogeneous for the L* (light component) but heterogenous for the h* (hue component).
Skin quality characterization (hydration, elasticity, pores and translucency) highlighted 3 groups of women:
The first group is composed of women with transparent and poreless skin, but lacking hydration and elasticity.
The second group is composed of women with hydrated and elastic skin. They are the youngest.
The third group is composed of women with a less transparent skin and more pores. They are the oldest.
Conclusions
Our study shows that facial Asian skin, and most specifically Chinese skin, has a great variety of colors and qualities, with modulation of skin items from skin color, skin color homogeneity to translucency, hydration, elasticity and firmness but also pores, allowing to identify several typologies of skin.
The skin color with its skin quality items is a key tool for understanding the diversity of concerns and needs of Chinese women, both for skin care and makeup usage. It should be considered by cosmetic industry for diagnosis or future product developments to better fit the multiple needs of consumers through high personalization.
Chinese conception of beautiful skin is multidimensional. However, skin color seems to be a major criteria. According to consumers definition of ideal skin, their tone has to be even, without pigmented spots, and transparent. These characteristics become for example more present with advancing age when the skin darkens and the density of spots increases (Qiu et al., 2011). Worldwide skin color diversity covers a large continuous space color, with overlaps between ethnic groups and even if Asian skin color seems to have its own characteristics, its diversity remains (Caisey et al., 2006; Baras & Caisey, 2016).
The aims of this study were therefore: i) by a scientific review, to map Asian skin color in relation to worldwide skin color, ii) to measure and identify skin color and skin quality typologies among the diversity of Asian skin color as identify in the literature within a Chinese woman population.
Methods
A 2-phase study was set up.
A scientific literature review of skin color with a focus on Asian skin color allowed a meta-analysis of the skin color ranges. 10 publications corresponding to more than 8000 subjects were gathered to obtain a map of the Asian skin color among the worldwide skin color.
Secondly, we selected 102 Chinese women whose skin color covers the full range of Asian skin color diversity identified in the literature. We measured skin color with a contact spectral tool on the forehead and on the cheek (Spectrophotometer RM200QC, X-Rite Inc, Michigan, USA), hydration (Corneometer® CM825, Courage + Khazaka Electronic GmbH, Cologne, Germany), elasticity (Cutometer® MPA580, Courage + Khazaka Electronic GmbH, Cologne, Germany), translucency (Translucencymeter® TLS850, Dia Stron Limited, Hampshire, United Kingdom) and pores through image analysis (VISIA-CR®, Canfield Scientific Inc., Fairfield, NJ, USA). Clusters of women were made separately for skin color and skin quality according to CAH « two-step clustering » method, in order to identify skin typologies.
Results
Scientific literature review revealed that it is quite difficult to build a map of Asian skin color due to the low availability of raw data but also to the diversity of skin color measurement tools. Nevertheless, even if Asian skin color tends to be lighter and quite yellower, important differences remains between countries, cities (i.e in China) and between women.
Skin color characterization highlighted 3 groups of women, of rather equivalent numbers, based on their skin color on the cheek and the skin color difference between the forehead and the cheek:
The first group is composed of women with the yellowest skin and homogenous skin color.
The second group is composed of women with lighter and desaturated skin. Their skin color is heterogeneous for the C* (saturation).
The third group is composed of women with darker and redder skin. Their skin color is homogeneous for the L* (light component) but heterogenous for the h* (hue component).
Skin quality characterization (hydration, elasticity, pores and translucency) highlighted 3 groups of women:
The first group is composed of women with transparent and poreless skin, but lacking hydration and elasticity.
The second group is composed of women with hydrated and elastic skin. They are the youngest.
The third group is composed of women with a less transparent skin and more pores. They are the oldest.
Conclusions
Our study shows that facial Asian skin, and most specifically Chinese skin, has a great variety of colors and qualities, with modulation of skin items from skin color, skin color homogeneity to translucency, hydration, elasticity and firmness but also pores, allowing to identify several typologies of skin.
The skin color with its skin quality items is a key tool for understanding the diversity of concerns and needs of Chinese women, both for skin care and makeup usage. It should be considered by cosmetic industry for diagnosis or future product developments to better fit the multiple needs of consumers through high personalization.