Phytosphingosine - Ceramide, Targeting Acne Issues, Dry Skin, and Scalp Health for healthy hair growth

Did you know phytosphingosine is also a very important type of ceramide in our skin, including our scalp? But phytosphingosine is more than a ceramide; it is also an antimicrobial agent, an excellent addition for all skin types.

I created a toner formula for acne skin care many years ago with phytosphingosine, niacinamide, and zinc PCA. It works exceptionally well. This toner remains popular and is the top seller in the anti-acne section. 

If you have ever worked with ceramides, you will notice that phytosphingosine is one of the key components in the mixture. Phytosphingosine is a crucial component of cell membranes and the skin lipid barrier. It is ubiquitous in the natural world. It can be found in all animals, plants, and fungi. The prefix' Phyto—' signifies its plant-based origin, making phytosphingosine a naturally derived ingredient.

Ceramides are essential to maintaining the skin's integrity. Besides keeping the skin at optimal moisture content to keep it in good working condition, they are also a skin defense molecule that helps balance the skin microbiome by killing/inhibiting harmful microbial growth, such as fungal and Acne P. They are a great ingredient to add to your formula for certain problematic skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, dandruff, and anti-aging skincare.

To understand this ingredient, we must understand how our skin barrier works.

How does the skin barrier work?

As the name implies, the skin barrier is our skin's first-line defense structure. Its primary job is to keep the skin's moisture content at the ideal level to keep the skin's biochemical and physiological functions in a healthy condition. These functions include making natural moisturizing factors (NMF), producing anti-microbial peptides, keeping the skin cell turnover rate at normal speed, protecting the skin against adverse environmental influences, etc. Those functions are absolutely required to keep our skin smooth, plump, and healthy. The skin barrier is also vital in supporting sebaceous gland function and protecting skin support structures beneath, such as collagen, elastin, other matrix components, and adipose tissues.

 As you can see, without a proper skin barrier, all the skin's physiological and biochemical reactions will be disturbed.

Understanding the skin barrier is crucial for our formulators and skincare enthusiasts if you want your skincare strategy to work. A good formula should always work with the skin barrier when designing a good formulation, regardless of the type of product you are developing. 

Building a healthy skin barrier is the number one goal for problematic skin because almost all problematic skin, including aged skin and scalp conditions, share one thing: a weakened skin barrier. 

To create an active skincare formula, you must work with the skin barrier, not against it, for it to work. This is the basic knowledge that separates a good formulator from the rest. 

So, what is the skin barrier? 

The skin barrier comprises two parts: the skin cells (epithelial cells) and the "fillers" between the skin cells (mainly ceramides). Ceramides are the major non-cellular part of the barrier that acts as the 'glue' to keep the skin cells together to form a strong and water-resistant 'wall' to ensure our body's homeostasis and skin integrity. Those two parts work synergistically to create an ideal condition for the skin to work correctly. A good formulator needs to understand how to work with it to develop versatile formulations. 

What are the symptoms of a barrier defect?

1. Dry and/or flaky skin. Skin dehydration is the number one cause of dry, flaky, and dull skin. 
2. Skin/scalp itchy. Dry skin itself can cause skin itchy. The most potent and effective strategy for relief is to enhance the skin barrier. 
3. Signs of aging. Although we can't stop aging, good skin hydration can delay the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, and skin sagging, making them less noticeable if these signs already formed.
4. Skin microbiome imbalance: issues such as eczema, acne, and dandruff are usually accompanied by bacterial or fungal overgrowth. 
5. Scar formation. Scars are the skin's normal healing method. However, keeping a good moisture content at the affected site helps the skin heal quickly with less scar formation or scar formation can be completely avoided for a small affected site.

Is phytosphingosine vegan-friendly?

This is good news for vegan friends. Phytosphingosine is derived from plants. There are two forms of phytosphingosine: water-soluble and non-water-soluble. 

How to formulate with phytosphingosine?

Regular phytosphingosine is very difficult to work with even for an experienced formulator. Yet, water soluble phytosphingosine is so much earsier to use. All you need to do is to add this ingredient in your water phase. Ther recommended rate is 0.02-0.5%, commonly used at 0.2-0.5%. You can choose the concentration for your formula within this range. 

An example of a formula: 

1. 03% water-soluble phytosphingosine
2. 5% niaciamide
3. 0.5% zinc PCA
4. 3% glycerin
5. choice of your preservative
6. Water: add to 100