The skin’s outermost layer, the Stratum Corneum, exists to perform its vital barrier function.
An exquisitely balanced composition of lipids, comprised of ceramides, cholesterol and triglycerides comprise a living barrier that keeps skin moist and supple, helping to prevent infection by providing a shield against sunlight and other environmental aggressors.
These ‘living lipids’ are also crucial to cell-to-cell communication and biochemical signalling, forming a dynamic, interactive interface between the skin and the outside world.
Stratum Corneum lipids and proteins are synthesised in the skin’s upper layers, but the efficiency of this process diminishes with age and environmental damage, leading to skin dryness and sensitivity. Topical lipid supplementation through the processes of cleansing and moisturising can replenish and stabilise this biological defensive function.
Foaming cleansers tend to dry and strip the skin of precious nutrients and lipids, increasing dehydration and reactivity. The correctly balanced combination of intercellular lipids, vitamins and botanicals can gently remove daily debris, including sunscreens and pollution, while augmenting and reinforcing Stratum Corneum barrier structures.