Hello everyone. Welcome to The Skin Report. Today we’re going to talk about a novel ingredient called Ectoin. And we’ll cover what is Ectoin? Where is it derived from? Who can use Ectoin? What does it do? And then later on, we’ll go into how do you incorporate Ectoin-based products into your existing skincare routine. I’m Dr. Simran Sethi, an internal medicine board-certified physician who also specializes in medical aesthetics. Let’s get started.
Let’s start with what is Ectoin? So Ectoin is an amino acid, and an amino acid is basically a building block of a protein, and it is derived from bacteria that are used to surviving or that can survive in very extreme conditions, which means that Ectoin is a compound that allows your skin or the bacteria in to survive in harsh conditions. And when I say that, harsh conditions like extreme sunlight, extreme heat, and dryness, which means that when you put Ectoin in a skincare product, it will allow you to get extreme hydration.
It is very anti-inflammatory in a lot of ways, so it reduces irritation in the skin, and it also actually fights the damaging effects of UVA rays, and UVA rays are known to cause collagen breakdown and aging of the skin. So UVA, A for aging. How is Ectoin used in skincare? So Ectoin, I would say, is a relatively newer ingredient. There are clinical trials showing really, really good data for Ectoin. We know that Ectoin works very well in an anti-inflammation fashion, and it’s very hydrating. It has started appearing in some skincare products, which is very exciting. Most of these products are probably moisturizers and skin hydrators. So when you’re thinking of, “How do I use Ectoin?” think of it as a moisturizer that protects your skin barrier. So Ectoin, again, studies have shown, has been used even in children, and it can actually be used by anyone. It doesn’t matter if you have dry skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin; you can use Ectoin in your skincare.
I think people who should consider it even more are those of you who have eczema, rosacea, acne; all of these three conditions are very inflammatory conditions. And because Ectoin is so hydrating and anti-inflammatory, I think it’s an excellent solution or an excellent product to be used. And one more condition that people don’t actually call inflammatory, but I think does sort of fall into that category, is melasma. Women who have melasma do have an underlying amount of inflammation in their skin, and I think Ectoin being so hydrating and anti-inflammatory would be a good consideration.
So how do you incorporate Ectoin into your existing skincare routine? If you have a serum or a moisturizer containing Ectoin, you would basically apply it after cleansing your skin. If that product is very emollient or very thick, you might have maybe a vitamin C serum that you apply before it. But in general, you can apply Ectoin twice a day. You would apply it right after your cleanser. And even though it gives you protection from UVA rays, it doesn’t give you complete protection from UVB or blue light. So you would still apply your sunblock on top of the Ectoin if you are using it during the day.
If you’re using a skincare product with Ectoin in it, I would love to hear your experience with it, or you can ask us any questions in the comments. Please remember to subscribe and turn on your notification bell so that whenever we release new content.
