Effect of facial application of essence containing royal jelly extract on stratum corneum moisture content: A placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, parallel‐group study

Objectives To evaluate the moisturizing function and other effects of royal jelly extract on the skin. The effects of applying an essence containing royal jelly extract on the skin of healthy Japanese males and females were examined. Methods Thirty‐five healthy Japanese men and women who were aware of their skin dryness applied an essence containing royal jelly extract or placebo for 4 weeks using the split‐face method in a placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, parallel comparative study. The stratum corneum water content, transepidermal water evaporation, pigmentation, pores, and redness were evaluated. Results The stratum corneum water content significantly increased by the application of essence containing royal jelly extract to the cheeks for 4 weeks compared with placebo. Conclusion The application of an essence containing royal jelly extract significantly improved the moisture content of the stratum corneum of the cheeks, confirming the improvement in the moisturizing function of the royal jelly extract. Furthermore, no adverse events were observed at the application site during the application period, and the test products and royal jelly extract contained in the test product were considered highly safe.