You recognize if you’re shopping for all the brand new LE blushes as a result of OMG they’re so fairly after which you find yourself utilizing the identical outdated one repeatedly as a result of that’s what works for you? Urea is like that blush. When you’re getting carried away by all the brand new skincare bling – Stem cells! EGF! Bee venom! – urea’s the workhorse that’s conserving your pores and skin all mushy and glowy.
It deserves a bit extra credit score, don’t you assume? Particularly, cos your pores and skin goes south shortly when it doesn’t get sufficient of it. Simply ask anybody with eczema or psoriasis. Their pores and skin has little or no urea and take a look at how a lot harm that’s wreaking. Ugh. So, what is that this urea thingie and how are you going to be certain your pores and skin all the time has all of the urea it wants? Right here’s every little thing it’s good to know in regards to the skincare advantages of urea and why it’s good to add it to your skincare routine instantly, particularly when you’ve got dry, scaly pores and skin:
What Is Urea?
Urea is protein rubbish. Actually. And your physique makes it. Let me clarify. When your physique makes use of protein, it spits out a nitrogenous waste byproduct known as urea via sweat and urine (ewww!). Your physique doesn’t want it. However your pores and skin…. it could actually’t get sufficient of these things.
“Urea is a naturally-occurring byproduct of protein metabolism in our livers. Artificial urea is manufactured for skincare use,” explains NYC dermatologist Dendy Engelman. In case you’re questioning, the urea in skincare merchandise doesn’t come from urine. It’s man-made. I suppose for as soon as we are able to all be glad one thing ain’t pure.
Urea is a part of your Pure Moisturising Components (NMF, for brief). Made well-known by The Unusual, your NMF is a gaggle of water-loving components that embrace amino acids, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid. Along with epidermal lipids, they make up your pores and skin’s protecting barrier. The barrier that retains moisture in for plumper, softer pores and skin. This barrier additionally retains irritants out. Urea makes up 7% of your NMF.
Urea has two tremendous powers: it exfoliates pores and skin AND hydrates it on the identical time. Cool, huh Wholesome, younger pores and skin has loads of urea. However as you become older, your pores and skin makes much less of it. That’s one of many the reason why you often want extra hydrating merchandise as you become older.
You recognize who else wants their further share of urea? Psoriasis and eczema victims. Pores and skin with psoriasis has 40% much less urea than wholesome pores and skin. Pores and skin with eczema fares even worse: it lacks 85% of the urea it wants!
Advantages Of Urea For Pores and skin
Urea is a godsend for dry and troubled pores and skin. It could deal with a truckload of skincare situations, together with:
- Contact dermatitis
- Eczema
- Itchiness
- Psoriasis
- Seborrheic dermatitis
Spectacular, isn’t it? And it’s all due to its tremendous hydrating and exfoliating properties. If you happen to’ve bought the persistence for the science, right here’s the way it works:
1. Urea Intensely Hydrates Pores and skin
Urea is a humectant, a.okay.a. a moisture magnet. Its job is to appeal to moisture from the air and bind it to your pores and skin to maintain it hydrated. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are essentially the most well-known member of the humectant household however urea has bought what it takes to offer them run for his or her cash. Not solely urea readily absorbs water, it additionally has a really excessive water content material itself. Meaning it could actually maintain a truckload of moisture within the pores and skin.
The Koreans aren’t bluffing after they say moisture is the fountain of youth. When your pores and skin is well-hydrated and has all of the moisture it wants, it features higher. All this moisture plumps out your pores and skin, so your effective strains and wrinkles look smaller. It smooths out pores and skin, giving it a softer texture. It offers immediate aid to dry, itchy pores and skin and nurses it again to well being. It makes it glow. You need to use all of the antiaging superstars cash should buy, however if you happen to get the hydration half mistaken, your pores and skin isn’t going to look good. By no means.
In response to The Bare Chemist, “when [urea is ] topically utilized, dehydrated pores and skin improves by as a lot as 50%!”. Plus, urea additionally will increase the manufacturing of filaggrin, a protein that aids pores and skin hydration and reinforces the pores and skin’s protecting barrier. When your pores and skin loses an excessive amount of of this protein, you get water loss and dehydration. This makes urea a godsend for dry pores and skin and any pores and skin situation that’s aggravated by dryness, together with psoriasis, eczema, or just sensitivity to retinoids.
Associated: What The Heck Are Humectants And Why Ought to You Add Them To Your Skincare Routine?
2. Urea Is An Exfoliant
Urea has exfoliating properties, but it surely works a bit otherwise from different exfoliants. Whereas scrubs manually take away lifeless cells out of your pores and skin and acids chemically dissolve the “glue” that retains them caught collectively, urea works with the components that make up the molecular construction of the pores and skin. Collectively, they regulates the pores and skin’s mobile turnover, i.e. its pure exfoliating course of. In different phrases, it makes positive lifeless cells slough off after they’re speculated to.
That doesn’t simply make your pores and skin smoother and brighter. It strengthens the pores and skin’s protecting barrier, too, in order that moisture stays in and germs and different pores and skin’s enemies keep out. Plus, as Engelman shares, “Urea can penetrate thick pores and skin, akin to foot calluses, and is superb for cracked ft.
Associated: Bodily Vs Chemical Exfoliation: Which One Ought to You Select?
3. Urea Has Anti-Fungal Properties
Urea additionally has anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties. It boosts the exercise of LL-37, an antimicrobial peptide that may kill pimples micro organism. Plus, it inhibits malassezia, the fungus concerned in fungal pimples, psoriasis, eczema and so on. You need to use a thick layer on or round nails to fight fungus. However, for this to work, it’s good to use excessive focus. Board-certified dermatologist Carl Thornfeldt, MD, explains: “Urea enhance the supply of different biologically lively molecules within the pores and skin akin to anti-fungal/yeast medicines. It does this by being hydrophilic and a lipid barrier disruptor at concentrations above 12 p.c.”
Associated: How To Deal With Fungal Zits
How To Use It
Comply with the directions on the product. If it’s a moisturiser, use it as a moisturiser. If it’s a serum, use it as serum. Simply be sure you choose a product that has sufficient urea to do what it wants. In case your pores and skin simply want some further hydration, skincare merchandise with a excessive focus will do. If you’d like assist in eradicating powerful calluses, you then want one thing with 10% or greater, ideally round 20%. If you happen to’re utilizing urea on cracked areas or ft, you can too apply socks or material to lock in moisture, in order that it really works higher and sooner.
Who Ought to Use It?
In case your pores and skin is in some sort of bother – eczema, pimples, psoriasis, Sahara-like dryness, you identify it – urea could be the factor it wants. I like to recommend it to anybody with the above pores and skin situations, and any sort of dryness and sensitivity. It’s additionally an excellent hydrator and moisturiser for individuals affected by fungal pimples.
When To Use It?
You need to use space each within the morning and at night time. If it’s in a serum type, apply after anti-aging serums however earlier than moisturiser.
How Typically Ought to You Use It?
If you happen to’re simply utilizing a moisturiser or serum with urea, you possibly can apply it as much as twice a day. If you happen to’re utilizing it as a remedy for extra critical situations, you possibly can apply it as much as 3 instances a day.
PRO TIP: If you happen to’re utilizing a excessive focus of urea, wash your fingers properly afterwards.
Facet Results Of Urea
On the small concentrations utilized in skincare merchandise, urea is usually thought-about to be secure. However if you happen to use excessive focus, like 40%, Engelman shares you might expertise “burning, itching, irritation, or pores and skin break down in uncommon instances.” If that occurs to you, seek the advice of a physician instantly. It goes with out saying, however I’ll say it anyway, that such excessive concentrations ought to solely be used for the driest of pores and skin situations, and even then solely below medical supervision.
What Are The Finest Skincare Merchandise With Urea?
- Eucerin Dry Pores and skin Replenshing Cream 5% Urea (£12.00): A light-weight moisturiser for dry pores and skin that plumps it up and heals dryness and dehydration with out leaving a grease residue on pores and skin. Out there at Boots, Look Improbable, and Sephora.
- First Help Magnificence KP Smoothing Physique Lotion with 10% AHA ($28.00): An exfoliating physique lotion with hydrating urea to easy out imperfection and take away bumps you could have in any space of your physique. Out there at Look Improbable, Pores and skin Retailer, Sephora and Ulta.
- The Unusual Pure Moisturizing Components + HA Every day Moisturizer ($13.50): A light-weight moisturiser infused with just about each pure part of your pores and skin’s protecting barrier, from urea to amino acids and hyaluronic acid, to strengthen the pores and skin’s protecting barrier and make each pores and skin sort mushy and easy with out including extra oil to it. Out there at Magnificence Bay, Boots, Cult Magnificence, Look Improbable, SpaceNK, The Unusual, and Ulta.
The Backside Line
Neglect about all these fancy skincare components. If you happen to’re coping with tremendous dry pores and skin, psoriasis, eczema, fungal pimples or another critical skincare bother, return to fundamentals and get your self a tube of urea. It has hydrating, exfoliating and anti-microbial properties that’ll nurse your pores and skin again to well being very quickly.
About Gio
Hello, I am Gio. I am a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is pores and skin coach and author on a mission that can assist you obtain your greatest pores and skin day ever – every single day. I bust skincare myths and debunk advertising jargon that can assist you work out what’s well worth the splurge and what’s greatest left on the shelf – utilizing science, not hype. I additionally supply skincare consultations that can assist you create the perfect skincare routine to your distinctive wants.
