BOTANICAL

Raw material exclusively for cosmetic manufacturing

Materials purely made in Japan produced using thefermentation technology of a long-established sake brewery

KOHAKUYUKI ‒Sake Lees Aging Fermented Extract
Sake lees aging fermented extract derived fromrice improves the skin barrier function andmake the skin healthy
Natural ingredientand production
Rice/Yeast
Low temperature aging

Fermented extracts
Amino acids
Glucosylceramide
Natural sugar
Ferulic acids
α-EGFunction
Moisturizing
Barrier on the skin
Antioxidant

Lather quality improvement

raw material veriﬁed by ECOCERT GREENLIFE,
conform to the COSMOS Standardand without animal origin".

This product was jointly developed by Watarai Honten and KOKEN CO., LTD.

A fusion of traditional ingredients and natural fermentation
technology developed over 1,000 years of history.
Towards a beauty ingredient to make the skin healthy.

What are sake lees,a traditional Japanese
ingredient?
Sake is manufactured by fermenting rice, koji, yeast, and clean water.
Sake lees are a by-product obtained after ﬁltering sake during the manufacturing process.
It is thought that Japan's culture of rice fermentation dates back morethan 1,000 years. Both sake and sake lees are fermented materials witha long history in Japan.
Fermentation 1Rice

Pressing

Fermentation

Rice Koji(malted rice)Amount ofbrewer's rice
About

70 %

Sake
About
30 %

Yeast

Water

Sake lees

Was it originally thought that sake lees,
an ancient Japanese material,
were an unwanted by-product?
Lees are the impurities or residues that remain after the target ingredients have been extracted.
The making of sake lees spread throughout Japan and became a part ofits food culture, even though it is a byproduct of sake production. This isa uniquely Japanese culture born from the mottainai (too good to waste)spirit cultivated by the Japanese people since ancient times. People
have also incorporated sake lees into daily skin care.
Sake lees are a probiotic rich in amino acids, peptides, sugars, organic
acids, vitamins and other nutrients. In addition, sake lees reportedly contain many beauty ingredients such as glucosylceramide, kojic acid, andα-EG, which have attracted attention for their skin beautifying eﬀects.
This is what has led to the reevaluation of its value as a beauty material.
Sake lees, a true representative of the ancient fermentation technologyof Japan can be seen as a treasure trove of beauty ingredients with concentrated functional components derived from rice, koji, and yeast.

What is KOHAKUYUKI ‒Sake Lees Aging Fermented Extract?
"Watarai Honten", a long-established sake brewery founded in the Edo Period. (about 400 years ago)
We have focused on aged sake lees produced using a traditional technique passed down from generation to generation.
Through a natural extraction method without any solvents or chemicals, the aged sake lees were transformed into theamber-colored fermented beauty ingredient, KOHAKUYUKI‒Sake Lees Aging Fermented Extract.

Special aging fermentation evolved fromtraditional manufacturing methods
Fermentation 2: Aging

Fresh sake lees are a white, plate-likematerial rice grains remaining in them.
Sake lees are carefully fermented at low
temperature for more than 1,000 hours
through a two-stage process, resulting inaged sake lees with a soft texture.

Aging

Low temperature aging(more than 1,000 hours)
Extraction

Beauty ingredient contentLess

The extract from fresh sake lees is clear
and colorless, while that from aging sakelees has a beautiful amber color.
This shows that the fermentation-derived
ingredients have been concentrated andenriched through aging.
KOHAKUYUKI ‒Sakes Lees A ging Fermented Extract was developed by reﬁning
this extract to the speciﬁcation that makeit easy to formulate into cosmetics.

Extraction

More
Aging periodFinishing

KOHAKUYUKI‒

Sake Lees Aging
Fermented Extract

（％）

＋206%

350＋1560%（％）

＋201%

1500

300
250＋76%200

1000＋30%＋19% ＋29%

150

100

100500-EGCeramide
glucosylAging

Kojic acidsImmature

Lactic acid

Succinic acid

Malic acid

0Amino acids

Analysis of the composition of immature and aging
sake lees revealed increased amino acid, organicacid, and kojic acid content in the sake lees, aswell as glucosylceramide, which regulates the skinbarrier function, and α- ethylglucoside (α-EG),
which promotes collagen production, after theaging process.

Composition changes by aging
Relative value with the content ofimmature sake lees set to 100

Functional ingredients that
increase through aging

αFreshBased on in-house data

STORY OF KOHAKUYUKI

Watarai Honten, which makes use of rice fermentation with its traditional techniques, is located in the snowy
northern part of Japan. It is also known as Dewanoyuki Sake Brewery.
The name KOHAKUYUKI comes from the snow (yuki) associated with Watarai Honten and the beautiful ambercolor (kohaku) of the extract.

Amber colored
extract＋Snowynorthern area

Dewanoyuki Sake Brewery＋ (another name for Watarai Honten) ＝KOHAKUYUKI

The product's name implies the expectation that it will bring beautiful skin as clear as snow, thanks to the aged fermented extract derived
from rice grown in northern earth and traditional technology.

Functions and content of the ingredients
Beauty ingredients contained in KOHAKUYUKI
Sake lees, a natural material that Japanese people have continuously used in their daily lives.

Aged fermented extract, developed by harmonizing traditional fermented materials and science,
help make the skin supple and clear.

Amino acids
Natural moisturizing factor(NMF)

Kojic acids
Boosts transparency,
ﬁrmness, and elasticity ofthe skin.

Ceramide

Ferulic acids

Strengthens skin barrier
function and involved inimprovement of sensitiveskin. Increases skinelasticity.

Protects the skin from
UV rays. Involved intransparency andanti-aging of the skin.

Organic acids(lactic acid, malic acid,and succinic acid)

Amino acid composition

38800

Aging increases the amino acid content700■ Immature■ Aging

600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Methionine

CystineHistidine

Isoleucine

ProlineThreonine

Arginine

LysineGlycinePhenylalanine

SerineValineLeucineTyrosine

AlanineGlutamic acid62% of the contained
amino acids are NMF
components.

Increases the amount ofcollagen and hyaluronic
acids and increases theskin's moisture-retaining
property.
Brightens the skin.

Increases dermal collagendensity and improves skinelasticity.

Moisturizes the skin andretains moisture.

Aspartic acid

62

Natural sugar

Relative value with the content ofimmature sake lees set to 100

Smoothens rough skin.
Promotes metabolism andsoftens the skin.
Tightens the skin andimproves its
texture.

α-GG

α-EG

Looking at each amino acid, signiﬁcant increase in aspartic acid, a source of energy
metabolism, and proline, a raw material for collagen involved in skin hydration, wasconﬁrmed after aging.

The addition of KOHAKUYUKI helped maintain a highmoisturizing eﬀect even 3 hours after application.
Immediate and persistent moisturizing eﬀect can beexpected.
Test method
Apply each sample to the forearm. Measure the change inskin moisture content after application.

Moisture content in thehorny layer (relative value)

Moisturizing eﬀect (human study)
120
110
10090

Initial value

5 minutes later

Control(BG 3% aqueous solution)

180 minutes later

KOHAKUYUKI(2% formulated aqueous solution)
Based on in-house data

BOTANICAL
Antioxidant (In vitro)

Test method
Use an SOD Assay kit to measure the SOD inhibition rateby absorbance measurement. Calculate SOD-like activity
rate (%, active oxygen scavenging activity) (absorbance:450 nm).

87SOD inhibition rate (%)

KOHAKUYUKI was found to have a concentrationdependent eﬀect scavenging active oxygen (antioxidant eﬀect).
KOHAKUYUKI is expected to have an inhibitory eﬀect
on aging (wrinkles, sag ging, pigmentation, etc.)
caused by active oxygen.

65432
100%
0.2% contained 0.8% contained(W/O formulation)
KOHAKUYUKI

4% contained
Based on in-house data

KOHAKUYUKI was found to have a melanin production inhibitory eﬀect. It is expected to reduce the production of melanin, which causes blemishes and dullness, leading to clearer skin.
Test method
Add each sample to melanin-producing cells. After 72
hours of incubation, calculate the rate of melanin production by measuring absorbance.

Melanin production rate (%)

Brightening eﬀect (In vitro)
110
100
90
80
70
60
50

W/O formulation

KOHAKUYUKI
4% formulation

Arbutin

Based on in-house data

KOHAKUYUKI was found to increase the gene expression levels of ﬁlaggrin, hyaluronic acid synthase, andceramide producing enzymes related to skin barrier
and moisturizing functions. It can be expected to regulate the natural barrier function and moisturizing
power from within the skin.
Test method
Add a medium containing 1% KOHAKUYUKI to humanepidermal keratinocytes. After 48 hours of culture, analyze
the gene expression levels using real-time PCR.

Gene expression level(W/O formulation is considered as 100)

Skin barrier and moisturizing eﬀect (In vitro)
130＋24%120＋13%

110＋9%＋5%10090807060
50

W/O
formulation

Filaggrin

Hyaluronic acid Ceramide 1synthase
producingenzymeCeramide 5producing
enzymeBased on in-house data

Skin barrier (human study)

Test method
Create skin roughness by tape stripping and acetone treatm e nt . O bs e r ve a p p ea ra n ce af te r t h e a p p l i c ati o n o f
KOHAKUYUKI for three consecutive days. In addition, measure the transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and calculate
the skin barrier recovery from the results.

Rough skinDay 3 ofapplication of
KOHAKUYUKI(1% formulation)

Skin barrier recovery rate (TEWL)Skin barrier recovery rate (%)

The application of KOHAKUYUKI to the rough skinmade the dry areas of the skin (white areas in theimage) less noticeable and the skin smoother.
It was also conﬁrmed that the skin barrier function
recovered more quickly than the control.

50403020
100W/Oformulation

KOHAKUYUKI
1% formulation

Based on in-house data

Characteristics of the base material
The foam texture can be controlled by adjusting thecontent of KOHAKUYUKI.
■ Pleasantly sticky and elastic foam
■ Fine, weighty and moist foam

Foam improving eﬀect

Improvement of foaming
The addition of KOHAKUYUKI improved
foaming.
It is also expected to produce a ﬁne foam
and enable it to be more persistent.

KOHAKUYUKI
1% formulation

GlucoseControl

Test method
Foam the soap containing each sample
and observe how it foams.
Based onin-house data

Appearance of foam after 75 seconds

Adhesive foam

Adhesive foam
Position at the start of the test

The addition of KOHAKUYUKI improved
the foam adhesion in a concentrationdependent manner.

KOHAKUYUKI
2% formulation

KOHAKUYUKI
1% formulation

Test method
Foam the facial cleanser containing
KOHAKUYUKI. Allow to stand on a plateand observe the degree of foam sliding
after tilting the plate.

Control
KOHAKUYUKI
0.5% formulation

Based onin-house data

The addition of KOHAKUYUKI improved the foam's adhesion.

Appearance of foam after 30 seconds
Elastic foam

Elastic foam
KOHAKUYUKI is expected to improve
the foam elasticity of the facial cleanser.
Test method
Foam the facial cleanser containing
KOHAKUYUKI. Place a coin weighing 2 g on
top of the foam to observe the foam elasticity.

Foam elasticity
increasedControl

KOHAKUYUKI 3% formulation

Based onin-house data

BOTANICAL

Test method
Wash the back of hands with a facial cleanser
c o n t a i n i n g KO H A KU Y U K I . ( W a s h f o r 3 0seconds and rinse for 15 seconds)
Measure the skin moisture content over timeafter lightly wiping them. In addition, measure
the skin elasticity level 5 minutes after washing
it under the same conditions.

Change in skin moisture content
105

1009590
Initialvalue

5 minutes
later

10 minutes
later

Relative value when the initial value is 100

KOHAKUYUKI was found to reduce dryness
and increase skin elasticity after washing.
KOHAKUYUKI is expected to reduce thedryness and tightness of the skin caused
by washing, and to make the skin feel
supple after washing.

Relative value when the initial value is 100

Moisture content and skin elasticity immediately after washing (human study)
Skin elasticity level (5 minutes after washing)150＋39%100500Initial value

ControlControlKOHAKUYUKI 1% formulation

KOHAKUYUKI
1% formulation

Based on in-house data

Basic physical properties
Physical property data

Product speciﬁcations

Quality standard

A tendency is observed that the color darkens atpH 12.

Property
Description

Test method
Adjust the pH of KOHAKUYUKI (undiluted) to 3, 5, 7, 9,
and 12, and measure the tint.

pH 3

Speciﬁcations
Light yellow to yellow
colored liquid with a weak
characteristic odor.

57

Identiﬁcation

9Purity

12

Based on in-house data

Temperature stability

Test method

Based on in-house data

Exhibits dark purple color(2) Sugars

Red precipitation is formed（1）Arsenic

Not more than 2 ppm（2）Heavy metals

Not more than 20 ppm

pH4‒6Residue on Ignition

0.3‒0.8 %Quantitative Method:
Sugar concentration

0.4‒0.7％

Aerobic plate countNot more than 100 CFU/mL

Color change due to heating

The color tended to slightly darken after storage at high temperature for two weeks, but the physical properties were
within speciﬁcations. No signiﬁcant impact is expected when
formulated.

Store KOHAKUYUKI (undiluted) at 60 ℃ for 2 weeks andobserve the color change.

(1) Amino acids

Store at 60 ℃
0 week2 weeks

The color remained almost unchanged even after heating athigh temperature for a short time.

Test method
Heat KOHAKUYUKI (undiluted) at 80 ℃ for 3 hours andobserve the color change.

Based on in-house data

Heat at 80 ℃ for 3 hours
Before heating After heating

Special attention to materials and fermentation

Place of origin

Materials

Manufacturing method

YAMAGATASHONAI

Sake lees fermented through low
temperature aging“raw material veriﬁed by ECOCERT GREENLIFE,
conform to the COSMOS Standard and without animal origin".

Tsuruoka City,
Yamagata Prefecture

Purely domestic materials

Aging through a
two-stage fermentation

One of Japan's leading rice-growing
regions, where the vast Shonai Plain islocated

100% plant-derived

Natural extraction

Natural origin index: 1＊Contains water in accordance with ISO16128＊Plant-derived BG

No solvents or chemicals used
COSMOS approved

UNESCO Creative City Of
Gastronomy

Long-established sake brewery "Watarai Honten"

The sake breweries areopen to talking with themedia. Please contact
us in advance.

Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, is the only city in Japan designated as aUNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. It is one of Japan's leading rice-growing regions,as the vast Shonai Plain is located in the area which is blessed with rich water and awonderful climate. Therefore, it is home to many highly skilled sake breweries.
The long-established sake brewery "Watarai Honten," the joint developer ofKOHAKUYUKI, has an approximately 400-year-long history and a high level oftechnology handed down from generation to generation. It has applied brewing
technology that combines traditional Japanese techniques and personalization
to cosmetics raw materials.

Recommended formulation ratio: 1-3%
Safety evaluation: Human Repeat Insult Patch Test (HRIPT)
Skin irritation alternative test (OECD TG439)

Conducted
No irritation

Product number

Product name

INCI name ／中文名称

Other ingredient

Package

SampleSLE-121

Sake Lees Aging Fermented Extract
KOHAKUYUKI BG

ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) LEES EXTRACT/ 稻（ORYZA SATIVA）糟提取物

Butylene glycol(plant-derived)

1kg30 g

The country of origin: Japan, The place of origin: Yamagata Prefecture＊The content in this document is prepared based on documents and experimental data available at the time of preparation. However the content
does not comprise a guarantee. ＊Please note in advance that the content description in the document is subject to change. All intellectual property
belongs to KOKEN CO., LTD., such as copyrights and design rights for the given data and related documents. All rights reserved. For safe use of thematerials, refer to the MSDS of each of our products prior to use. For written and verbal expressions about products for general consumers, follow therelated laws and regulations in each country.

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