COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING PAULOWNIA TOMENTOSA WOOD EXTRACTS AND USES THEREOF

1 . A method of improving a sign of aging in skin comprising applying to skin an effective amount for improving a sign of aging of an extract of Paulownia tomentosa wood.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said extract is a polar extract of Paulownia tomentosa wood.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein said polar extract was extracted using one or more solvents comprising C 1 -C 8 alcohols, C1-C8 glycols or a combination of two or more thereof.

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein said polar extract was extracted using one or more solvents comprising ethanol, methanol, or combinations thereof.

5 . The method of claim 2 wherein said extract was extracted using a solvent having a dielectric constant of from about 4 to about 60 at 20° C.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein said extract is a non-polar extract.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein said applying step comprises applying from greater than zero to about 20% of the Paulownia tomentosa wood extract to skin in need of improving a sign of aging.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein said applying step comprises applying from about 0.01 to about 5% of the Paulownia tomentosa wood extract to skin in need of improving a sign of aging.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein said applying step comprises applying a composition comprising an extract of Paulownia tomentosa wood and a carrier to skin in need of improving a sign of aging, said composition being in the form of a solution, suspension, lotion, cream, serum, gel, stick, spray, ointment, liquid wash, soap bar, shampoo, hair conditioner, paste, foam, powder, mousse, shaving cream, hydrogel, or film-forming product.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein said composition further comprises a tropoelastin promoter.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein said tropoelastin promoter is selected from the group consisting of blackberry extracts, cotinus extracts, feverfew extracts, extracts of Phyllanthus niruri and combinations of two or more thereof.

12 . The method of claim 9 wherein said composition further comprises a collagen promoter.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the collagen promoter is a non-retinoid collagen promoter.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the non-retinoid collagen promoter is selected from the group consisting of extracts of Tanacetum parthenium, extracts of Centella asiatica, extracts of Siegesbeckia orientalis; extracts of soy, and combinations of two or more thereof.

15 . The method of claim 12 wherein the collagen promoter is a retinoid.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the retinoid is selected from the group consisting retinol, retinal, retinyl acetate, retinyl propionate, retinyl linoleate, retinyl palmitate, and combinations of two or more thereof.