Written by Anh Thu Pham, founder of 2Naturelle™
How does your skin protect you?
Our skin is one of the largest organ in our body. It is a pliable, waterproof, self-repairing barrier that separates deeper tissues and organs from the external environment. The strateum corneum, the outermost layer of our skin, functions as a protective barrier, preventing dehydration from excessive water loss, penetration of dangerous chemicals, microorganisms, and UV rays as well as mechanical injury.
This skin layer is built like a brick wall with 12-16 layers of corneocytes as the bricks, mortared together by lipids to create the outer water barrier. The corneocytes contain keratin and store a natural moisturizing factor. The corneocytes are crosslinked by a protein known as corneodesmosome. Lipids consisting of free fatty acids, ceramides and cholesterol fill the spaces between the corneocytes to form the protective barrier and prevent water loss through the skin.
Lotions and creams: friends or foes for your eczema?
Eczema is a chronic skin inflammatory disease. In eczematous skin, inflammation and resulting excessive release of reactive oxygen species can damage your skin's protective barrier, causing excessive water loss and dry skin. Applying plant oils such as avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil creates an occlusive effect which acts as a protective barrier. This barrier allows the dry skin to retain moisture and rehydrate.
Creams and lotions may contain plant oils. However, up to 70-80% of their content is water. To blend the oil into water, a surfactant must be added. While addition of a surfactant is necessary in the preparation of creams and lotions, surfactant can further break down your skin’s protective barrier by stripping off the lipids in your strateum corneum, thereby undoing the benefit of the oil. The more frequently you apply your creams and lotions, the more surfactant you are applying to your skin to strip away your natural skin protection.
In addition, preservatives are added to creams and lotions to prevent bacterial and mold growth. Many lotions and creams also contain PEG and perfumes. All these ingredients have the potential to trigger allergic responses, making your eczema worse. Since your eczematous skin’s protective barrier is defective, it may allow more of these undesirable excipients to enter the body.
These lotions and creams can further damage your skin or trigger allergic reactions, leaving your skin conditions worse off rather than moisturized!
How does 2Naturelle™ Primrose Nectar help your eczema skin?
2Naturelle™ Primrose Nectar offers 100% Natural Relief from the dry itchy painful skin caused by eczema. It is scientifically formulated with 100% natural plant oils and essential oils to improve the skin's protective barrier and prevent moisture loss. It is completely free of ingredients which can aggravate your eczema skin conditions.
To learn more about 2Naturelle™ Primrose Nectar, click here.