A screening method for identifying an agent as effective for providing an anti-aging skin benefit is provided. The screening method includes culturing first and second human skin samples from about 3 days to about 19 days, wherein the first and second human skin samples are derived from a human skin surgical waste tissue. The first human skin sample is contacted with at least one test agent. The second human skin sample is contacted with a positive control. Transcriptional profiles are generated from the first and second human skin samples, and the at least one test agent is identified as effective for providing an anti-aging skin benefit when the transcriptional profiles of at least two genes show a similar directional change in comparison to one or more untreated control tissue samples.
