Is Watercress the Next Big Skin Care Ingredient?

Watercress extract has been proven to boost the production of type III collagen or ‘baby collagen’, according to Shiseido.

The edible plant, Nasturtium officinale, is rich in B carotene and is said to have anticancer and arteriosclerosis prevention effects.

Working on the dermal cells, Shiseido says it has discovered that the vegetable can promote the production of type III collagen, which is a major component of the extracellular matrix of skin.

Type III collagen is abundant in the papillary dermis, making up approximately 20-30% of skin collagen; it has a triple-helix structure that is thinner and shorter than type I collagen.

Found in the uppermost layer of the dermis, type III collagen has also been found to be present in high percentages in baby skin, but decrease as humans age causing a reduction in skin elasticity.

Shiseido made these latest findings by working with Honda Electronics Co and Toyohashi University of Technology using an internal skin elasticity visualisation system.