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(Hyaluronic acid!Ceramides!Ectoin!)
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But a lesser-known term that deserves a spot in your mental glossary is aquaporins.
Consequently, you won’t find them listed on product labels.
What are aquaporins?
Think back to your first lesson on cellular biology you might remember learning all about the cell membrane.
This is actually where aquaporins reside.
Aquaporins make this hydration restoration happen.
The deal with aquaporins is that they reduce as we age, says Dr. Castilla.
This reduction also happens in skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
In such cases, aquaporins can’t facilitate hydration for your skin as effectively as before.
What are aquaporins' skin-care benefits?
You might have noticed brands touting aquaporin technology in their formulations.
As mentioned, skin-care products don’t contain aquaporins.
It also takes center stage in the Kate Somerville HydraKate skin-care collection.
Both brands assert their potential to naturally invigorate your skins aquaporin channels.
It needs at a minimum to have a concentration of active ingredients that will make it biologically active.
Then the formulation needs to stabilize it so it can actually reach the intended target.
In short, it goes deeper than including it in the ingredient list.
Remember: Upping your skin cells' aquaporin count isn’t the only path to skin hydration.