Bio-Oil HBSL®

Bio-Oil HBSL® is a biomimetic lipid matrix that will enhance the functionality of the skin's epidermal lipid moisture barrier. These lipid matrices are a fundamental building block for all skin care formulations as they provide consumers with perceptible benefits above and beyond the traditional formulation materials.

Ceramides are a key ingredient of the stratum corneum barrier lipids, along with cholesterol and essential fatty acids. They influence the water holding capacity of the skin and also provide structural integrity via the formation of a molecular scaffolding called the lamellar bilayerm. In the older consumer, a loss in ceramide levels has been related to dry skin conditions. It is a result of a reduction of barrier function and the water-binding ability of the skin. Similar conditions can be brought on in any skin type at almost any age by stress, sunlight exposure, surfactants, low humidity conditions, etc.

The topical application of Bio-Oil HBSL®: can help to alleviate these conditions by replenishing the ceramides and restoring normal barrier function to the skin. There has been work that shows that ceramides, when topically applied, may function as cytokines and influence proliferation events in the basal layer.

The stratum corneum has the important function of protecting the skin from the elements, pollutants, and from microbial assault; it also must ensure that the proper things get in and out of the skin, such as nutrients and water. The development of the stratum corneum has four stages:

• Keratinocytes in the basal layer produce keratin filaments.
• The keratinocytes begin an upward migration, moving from the basal layer into the spinous and granular layers. Along the way, the keratin filaments in the cytoplasm of the keratinocytes become more structured.
• By the time they get to the granular layer, the keratinocytes are full of keratin. Lamellar bodies are formed and the lipid content begins to change.
• The keratinocytes cornify, and older ones are shed via desquamation. The lamellar bodies begin to secrete the intercellular lipid matrix. Ceramides are one of the ingredients of this intercellular lipid matrix. The biosynthesis pathway of ceramides is detailed at right.

Method of Manufacture Each of the components in this blend has been carefully selected for their ability to maximize the functioning of the skin's permeability barrier. Bio-Oil HBSL® is made from a unique blend of soybean lipid extracts rich in sterol esters, plant phytosphingosines (cerebrosides), and complex high molecular weight lipid moieties, which will selectively solubilize human identical Ceramide 3.