Urea

Functions
NMF

Urea moisturizes the skin, smooths, and relieves itching. As one of the most critical soluble substances of the stratum corneum, it is of increasing importance in dermatological therapy and cosmetics. A lack of urea, a natural moisturizing factor (NMF), identifies diseases such as atopic dermatitis or clinically dry skin. Normal skin contains about 1 % urea.

This NMF improves skins' water retention ability, revealing a smoother, supple, and youthful appearance. In addition, urea may act as a mild keratolytic agent with higher concentrations, eliminating old and dead cells from the skin surface. Furthermore, in complex formulations, it enhances penetration of other ingredients, boosting effectiveness.

F.A.Q.

What's the urea role in cosmetics?

Urea is one of the essential NMFs (natural moisturizing factor) in the skin, and deficiency may lead to dry skin or even to atopic dermatitis. Some surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate in makeup removers, foaming, and other cleansers can wash out the urea from the epidermis, dramatically decreasing amounts of essential NMF, water-binding ability, and during the skin. In vivo tests showed that urea-supplemented cleaners compensate for the drying effects of surfactants and increase urea amounts in the skin. Furthermore, a lack of water-retaining substances may be reimbursed in dry skin by prolonged topical application of urea-containing skincare products such as serums, masks, and creams.

 

Related ingredients

Alanine
Alanine is an amino acid permanently produced in the human body. It is included in beauty formulations as an effective skin humectant.
Ammonium Lactate
This food-grade ingredient is valued for its humectant and skin conditioning effects and is used as an anionic surfactant.
Citric Acid
Citric Acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) found in many fruits. It has a polar molecule and able to disrupt the coherence of corneocytes of the epidermis. This process called the chemical peeling type of exfoliation eliminating dull and old cells from the skin surface.
Proline
Proline is the main building block of dermal collagen. Due to its significant role in skin structure maintenance and easy absorbance proline is a prominent ingredient of anti-aging skin care formulations.  
Sarcosine
Sarcosine (N-methyl glycine) is a natural amino acid found in human body tissues and ubiquitous in raw food such as egg yolks, meat, vegetables, and legume seeds.
Sodium Lactate
It is widely used in skin and hair care preparations thanks to numerous beneficial actions, including humectant, buffering, antiseptic, energizing, thickener, emollient, and preservative.
Zinc NMF
Zinc has a critical role in the metabolism of one of the most important proteins in the epidermis called Filaggrin (filament aggregating protein). Metabolites of Filaggrin are NMFs (natural moisturizing factors) attracting water molecules and improving skin hydration.
Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid found in red algae, buckwheat, and human skin. Arginine supports the regeneration of the skin's moisture-binding system and has a relaxing effect on the skin.
Lactic Acid
A vital part of skin’s NMF (Natural Moisturising Factor), Lactic Acid moisturizes and hydrates skin while stimulating collagen renewal. It is naturally occurring in various food and milk, so the FDA permitted this organic acid for usage as an ingredient in cosmetics and skincare formulations at concentrations lower than 12%.