3' de lectura
One of the most important prerequisites for knowing how to approach skin care is to know your skin’s needs and for this it is essential to understand its structure and composition. We can thus discover whether our skin is prone to dryness or whether it is dehydrated; whether it has a high or low sebum content; whether its protective barrier has adequate integrity and is able to perform its function or whether, on the contrary, our skin is devoid of its protection.
To begin with, we should know that the skin, as well as being the largest organ in our body, is divided into three layers which, from the outermost to the innermost, are known as the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. Together they form a multifunctional organ involved in protection, immunology, thermoregulation, secretion, sensation and vitamin D production. That is why keeping it in good condition is not only a question of aesthetics, but also of health.
Cosmetically, the most interesting are the first two layers, as the hypodermis is primarily a fatty and vascularised layer, insulating against heat.
The most superficial part of the epidermis, which is the first protective barrier we have, although it may surprise us, is made up of lifeless cells without a nucleus, filled with proteins such as keratin and joined together thanks to a mixture of lipids that we commonly know as the “cement” of our skin. It is not surprising, therefore, that when we talk about the skin, components such as cholesterol, ceramides or fatty acids come to mind. These are present in a multitude of cosmetic products and in the skin they complement hydration by preventing transepidermal water loss. Another approach to hydration is to use hydrophilic components such as glycerine or urea – among others – which are also naturally present in our skin, forming the well-known “natural moisturising factor”. By adding them to our cosmetics, we improve the water retention of this structure. In addition, the acidic nature of the hydrolipidic emulsion that covers the outermost part of the skin maintains the balance of the skin flora and prevents the entry and proliferation of harmful microorganisms.
The next layer, the dermis, serves as a support for the previous one and its main function is due to the presence of fibroblasts, responsible for the synthesis of two other components widely known to all, collagen and elastin, and also of the fundamental substance, rich in hyaluronic acid. This is the reason why many cosmetics include in their composition ingredients that promote their production, such as AHAs and many plant extracts and oils or directly collagen, elastin or, of course, hyaluronic acid.
In this sense, personalising skin care has the advantage of allowing us to address in each case the factor or component that most interests us, being able to improve hydration, the barrier function or the structure of each layer of our skin. That is why at Uniquely we have a variety of ingredients that cover the different objectives and improve the components of the structures of each layer of our skin. Thus, we carry out specific care according to the needs of the skin and we provide the most suitable structural elements in each case.
