Urea / Urea

Let us reveal a "secret" beauty ingredient, whose benefits many people are not familiar with. We assume we won't be the first to tell you that the key to healthy and youthful skin lies in hydration.

It is hard to believe that something as simple as frequent moisturizing can prevent premature skin aging. And our "secret" supports exactly this process.

In dermatology, urea has been used for decades both for its keratolytic properties and for its ability to retain and “transport” water in the skin.

Get to know urea up close

It is respected as an active ingredient in many products for dry skin in the cosmetic industry because it is one of the most effective moisturizers.

Its role on the skin is remarkable, and its effect varies depending on its concentration in products – at low percentages it helps maintain the skin’s healthy water balance, while at higher percentages it promotes cell turnover and keratolysis, which is why you often find it in foot care products, for example.

Urea is a natural component of your skin tissues. It is an active part of our natural moisturizing factor (NMF), whose role is to keep our skin beautiful, plump, and elastic.

In combination with sodium PCA and glycerol (which together make up the NMF), they facilitate the penetration of water into the cells, which is essential for maintaining the health, function, and natural moisture of the epidermis.

Like many other natural compounds in our skin, urea decreases with age, which in turn makes the skin more prone to dryness, inflammation, and aging.

Products with urea are applied topically to dehydrated and dry skin, and improvement in symptoms of tightness, dryness, or itching can increase by as much as 50%, and in cases of eczema – up to 80%.

It is believed that urea also helps treat skin conditions such as ichthyosis, dermatitis, psoriasis, xerosis, and even nail fungus. All these conditions have a similar pathological cause, namely Malassezia fungi.

Urea and its benefits

Here are just a few of the most important ones:

• It has the incredible ability to retain water molecules, keeping your skin soft and hydrated. It not only easily absorbs moisture but also has a very high water content itself. In this way, it reduces the amount of moisture lost through your skin due to natural processes.
• It strengthens the skin’s barrier function and keeps it healthy, by retaining moisture. This protects it from attacks by allergens, bacteria, and all kinds of natural environmental irritants.

When the protective function is weakened, invaders can penetrate the upper layer of the skin and cause damage, such as acne, rashes, sensitive skin, and signs of aging.

• At higher concentrations, urea has the qualities of a natural keratolytic (exfoliant). This makes it a powerful treatment when your skin is already damaged. The gentle exfoliating action of urea makes the skin smooth and soft, giving it a youthful glow.
• It is remarkable in its ability to easily bind and work synergistically with other active ingredients for more effective deep penetration, such as lactic acid, which is a natural part of the molecular structure of healthy skin.
• It improves skin health by metabolizing the antimicrobial peptide LL-37, which attacks bacteria that cause acne on the skin. It directly inhibits Malassezia fungi, which are often the cause of pimples.
• Urea also has another interesting profile – it can create a local anesthetic effect on the skin and has anti-itch properties. This is really useful for reducing inflammation and other flare-ups, making it a great ingredient for sensitive skin.
• Dry skin can be due to a reduction of urea in the tissues, leading to tightness and flaking. It is a natural moisturizer that offers immediate relief from dryness.

Urea in percentages

The facts are as follows:

• At less than 10% concentration it retains water in your skin – this is due to its extremely hydrophilic nature, making it a popular choice in moisturizing product formulations.
• Above 10% it has a mild keratolytic effect, which is great if you have dry, flaky skin – at this percentage urea not only hydrates but also gently exfoliates.
• At higher doses – from 20-40%, it becomes a powerful keratolytic (exfoliant), making it ideal for more serious therapeutic applications, such as treating psoriasis and callused skin on the feet.

Wow! With all these versatile properties, we have at least partly revealed why urea is so valued in cosmetics. Like glycerin, it is an old but gold ingredient, essential for every moisturizing product. Moreover, creams containing it work much better than good old yogurt after reckless sunbathing.