New focus on natural moisturisation

Pierre-Yves Morvan and Romuald Vallée – Codif International, France

The fundamental role of urea in maintaining the skin’s moisturisation is well known.1

Concentrated in the stratum corneum, where it represents 7% of the natural moisturising factor (or NMF),2 it is naturally present in normal skin, but its concentration falls rapidly by 50% in dry skin and 85% in skin suffering from dermatosis.

This drop in urea content is irremediably accompanied by a depletion of NMF and therefore loss of moisturisation.3 The skin becomes wrinkled and loses its suppleness and radiance.