The History of Whoo
Royal Regina line
The History of Whoo’s “Royal Regina” line (로얄 레지나) is an anti-aging skincare line designed to address first signs of skin aging, revitalise skin and restore the skin’s natural balance.
Disclaimer: I personally translated the majority of facts and contents in this article from original Korean sources, so I kindly ask you to credit my work if you’re planning to use any of the information included in this guide.
Many concepts mentioned in this guide are based on Oriental Medicine principles, for a better understanding please refer to the introduction to Traditional Korean Medicine on this website. It’s important to stress out that there is no correspondence between Oriental Medicine organs and Western anatomy so capitalised names in this article shouldn’t be interpreted in the Western medical sense.
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Main Ingredients
⬥ Royal Iris Absolute™
Royal Iris Absolute™ is an anti-aging ingredient derived from the roots of Iris Pallida, and meticulously processed to mitigate stress-related skin changes and enhance skin’s elasticity and resilience.
Iris species have been historically valued for their medicinal properties in both the East and the West. Traditionally, the rhizomes of different iris species have been used to treat a variety of health issues, including fever, inflammation and jaundice. Contemporary research supports these traditional uses, confirming the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects of Iris extracts1.
development of the ingredient:
Through extensive research and meticulous extraction techniques, the Whoo Oriental Medicine Skin Science Research Center has developed Royal Iris Absolute™, a skincare ingredient that not only preserves the potency of the active components found in Iris Pallida, but also provides remarkable benefits for the skin.
To create Royal Iris Absolute™, Iris Pallida undergoes a cultivation period of 1,000 days, followed by another 1,000 days of maturation to ensure the plant develops a rich profile of beneficial compounds. Iris Pallida is extracted using a gentle, low-temperature method that preserves its bioactive properties, ensuring that the final ingredient retains the plant’s full antioxidant potential.
clinical studies:
The History of Whoo’s research into Iris Pallida Extract revealed its ability to counteract the negative effects of cortisol on the skin. Their studies showed that Iris Pallida Extract can significantly restore the levels of procollagen type 1 and hyaluronic acid that are typically reduced due to stress-related cortisol secretion. Additionally, the extract was found to inhibit the translocation of the glucocorticoid receptor within cells, a process crucial for cortisol’s damaging impact on the skin.
High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that irigenin, an isoflavone in Iris Pallida Extract, was the key compound responsible for restoring collagen levels by 82%.
These results suggest that Iris Pallida Extract not only protects against cortisol-induced collagen and hyaluronic acid degradation but also promotes the synthesis of these vital components by modulating gene expression related to collagen and hyaluronic acid production2.
⬥ Royal Amino Repair™
Royal Amino Repair™ is an innovative ingredient designed to promote skin regeneration and fortify the skin’s natural protective barrier. The ingredient is protected by a patent in Korea (patent number 102411385) and consists of a unique blend of two amino acids, Arginine and Glutamate.
development of the ingredient:
The creation of Royal Amino Repair™ was inspired by an extensive analysis of over 500 traditional royal beauty remedies and medicinal herbs. Through big data analysis of these historical records, The History of Whoo’s research team identified Arginine and Glutamate as two of the most effective and frequently used amino acids. Initially, the researchers experimented with simple mixtures of these amino acids. However, subsequent investigations revealed that combining them into a eutectic mixture significantly enhanced their efficacy3.
A eutectic mixture is the combination of two or more substances in precise ratios to form a solution with a lower melting point than its individual components. This occurs when the substances interact in a way that disrupts their crystalline structure, reducing the energy needed to convert the mixture from solid to liquid.
In the case of Royal Amino Repair™, the eutectic mixture is formed by combining positively charged Arginine and negatively charged Glutamate. This specific combination interferes with the formation of solid crystals due to molecular interactions known as Van der Waals forces. By preventing crystallisation, the eutectic mixture maintains its liquid form, enhancing both its stability and effectiveness in skincare formulas.
results showing the skin regeneration promotion effect of Royal Amino Repair™ (arginine – glutamic acid eutectic mixture)
clinical studies:
To demonstrate the benefits of Royal Amino Repair™, The History of Whoo conducted rigorous experiments3. In one study, 20 female participants aged 25 to 45 applied a cream with Royal Amino Repair™ twice daily for eight weeks. The results showed a 29% increase in skin elasticity, confirming the ingredient’s significant impact on enhancing skin viscoelasticity.
In another experiment, the brand tested the wound healing efficacy of a 10 ppm Royal Amino Repair™ solution. The results showed a remarkable 92.2% wound healing rate, with microscopic images confirming extensive cell coverage in scratched areas.
These results surpassed treatments using individual amino acids or simple mixtures, highlighting the superior properties of Royal Amino Repair™.
The effectiveness of this innovative material has recently been confirmed through a collaborative study with Hanlim University Han River Sacred Heart Hospital, South Korea’s leading burn treatment hospital. The study, titled “Evaluation of a Cosmetic Formulation Containing Arginine Glutamate in Patients with Burn Scars: A Pilot Study,” was featured in the October 2024 issue of the international journal “Pharmaceutics” and investigates the effectiveness of formulations containing Arginine Glutamate in patients who have completed acute burn treatment. The study found that Arginine Glutamate significantly alleviated skin dryness and itching in burn patients, with patients expressing high satisfaction levels4.
properties:
Overall, Royal Amino Repair™ was shown to offer a wide range of skin benefits:
Products
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Notes
1. Kim, J.-S., Lee, H.-J., Yoon, E.-J., Lee, H., Ji, Y., Kim, Y., Park, S.-J., Kim, J., & Bae, S. (2023). Protective effect of Iris germanica L. rhizome-derived exosome against oxidative-stress-induced cellular senescence in human epidermal keratinocytes. Applied Sciences, 13(21), 11681. https://doi.org/10.3390/app132111681
2. Choo, J. H., Lee, H. G., Lee, S. Y., & Kang, N. G. (2023). Iris pallida extract alleviates cortisol-induced decrease in type 1 collagen and hyaluronic acid syntheses in human skin cells. Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 45(1), 353–363. https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45010025
3. LG H&H Co Ltd. (2021). 공융 혼합물을 포함하는 화장료 조성물 (Korean Patent No. 102411385). Korean Intellectual Property Office.
4. Kim, H., Kwak, I., Kim, M., Um, J., Lee, S., Chung, B., Park, C., Won, J., & Kim, H. (2024). Evaluation of a cosmetic formulation containing arginine glutamate in patients with burn scars: A pilot study. Pharmaceutics, 16(10), 1283. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16101283