-
Skin barrier and C24 fatty acid
Hello🙂
After reading this: “Stratum corneum lipids play a major role in maintaining skin hydration. These intercellular
lipids comprise approximately 40% to 50% ceramides, 20% to 25% cholesterol, 15% to 25% fatty
acids (that have chain lengths between 16 and 30 carbons, C24:0–C28:0 being the most
abundant), and 5% to 10% cholesterol sulfate; the approximate molar ratios of these lipids are
1:1:1 (ceramide: fatty acid: cholesterol)”, I’ve searched online and found Lunaria seed oil which is said to contain around 25% C24 fatty acids https://www.northstarlipids.co.uk/product/lunaria-honesty-seed-oil/#:~:text=%E2%80%93%20Lunaria%20oil%20is%20an%20effective,use%20in%20anti%2Dageing%20formulations.May I know your professional opinion, please: would the use of this oil make a difference in terms of skin barrier benefits?
Thank you.
-
5 Replies
-
When we start at the very beginning of cosmetics…. we get excited about this oil, and that oil…and the fatty acid profile. Later we start to learn that the fatty acids are actually part of a triglyceride, and
fatty acid content has little bearing on skin performance, other than some haptic variation, and rate of absorption. Along with this line of thought, we also discover some TEWL variability.
Not until we begin to realize that skin essentially has very little mechanisms to break triglycerides does it start to dawn on us… why the people that know the most about oils, cosmetics and skin…. mainly use CCT…. instead of some exotic oil that some blogger wrote about the magical properties. The more we learn about skin… we learn that skin is not built from the outside in, but from the inside out. Along these lines, the skin is NOT looking for or typically utilizing building material that gets smeared on the surface.
Triglyceride breakdown… happens readily in our digestive system, hence consuming healthy oils will have a dramatic effect on health. The skin however has very little enzymatic activity, and about any triglyceride breakdown is going to be miniscule and done by the local microbiome residents (bacteria). And as my mentor likes to say… no one works for free… meaning if they go to the effort of breaking a triglyceride, it is usually done so it can eat part of the results.
The more you learn about the oils…. the less exciting cosmetics gets. Hence, I often encourage those starting out…not to learn the ins and outs of oils… as you can quickly lose your fervor once you really start to understand things. Oils are basically claim ingredients to help sell the product. Keep them on that level…. use the fake claims to help you sell the product. Put a drop in the formula, and sing the praises for hours, but then make sure you actually formulate with the functions you need…. elegance, moisturizing, a bit of barrier….and lots and lots of marketing.
Here is a reasonably good video that explains some of the oil concept. She is very careful not to fully steal Christmas from the Who’s in Whoville…. but if you go into it with a glimpse of what really is behind the curtain…. it is quite revealing.
Good Luck!
Skincare Oils and Free Fatty Acids: The Science | Lab Muffin Beauty Science (youtube.com)
-
Wow, such a comprehensive answer, thank you @Graillotion .
I guess I needed to hear (read) this to finally give-up on the idea that oils are far more than emollients.
The more you learn about the oils…. the less exciting cosmetics gets. Hence, I often encourage those starting out…not to learn the ins and outs of oils… as you can quickly lose your fervor once you really start to understand things.
Hard to swallow this bit, but I’m a big girl, so I’ll survive 🙂
Thank you for the link, I’ve watched the video a few years back, and you’re right, having to choose between the reality and myth, I chose the latter as I wanted to keep… the Christmas alive.
I’ll leave the Christmas for kids and focus on the essentials:
but then make sure you actually formulate with the functions you need…. elegance, moisturizing, a bit of barrier….and lots and lots of marketing.
PS- did anyone tell you that you’d make a wonderful teacher?
-
Oh…PLEASE don’t misunderstand me!!! Even big girls need Christmas! Success and failure in cosmetics is 99.997% based on your marketing. You NEED these type stories and folk lore to sell your products. BUT……….. you only need one drop….or commonly mentioned as .1, .01, or .001% for you to wax eloquent about that ingredient for hours, while humming kumbaya to the faithful.
You need your ‘claim’ ingredients to build the fairy tale on. Without the fairy tale….doesn’t matter how good your product is…. it will be very difficult to sell!
-
You cannot allow your personal knowledge of cosmetics interfere with the sugar plum and fairy tale dreams of the consumer. You must play to those if you desire sales. Otherwise, they can just go and buy a mega jug of Vaseline for $7 from the big box store. You must build the fantasy and dream….even if it is done at .1% at a time. 😂
We all still formulate the fairy tale into your products, just the rate of fairy dust included….is far lower than the general public expects. 😉 (I have a whole shelf of ‘fairy dust’ that I use…. and the good news is…. a small jar/bottle…..lasts FOREVER! 😂 )
-
This reply was modified 1 month ago by Graillotion.
-
This reply was modified 1 month ago by Graillotion.
-
Thank you @Graillotion -pretty late because of some things going on, yet the same appreciation and gratitude for taking your time to help.
-
This reply was modified 1 month ago by
-
-
-
Log in to reply.