Journal

What is NMF? 

Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF) is found in the upper part of the epidermis and is made up of water-absorbing compounds such as amino acids, lactates, pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), urea, sugar, and peptides. If you want healthy, hydrated, nourished skin then protecting, strengthening, and supporting your skin’s NMF is very important.

Why is NMF important?

Hydrates skin: NMF is the difference between healthy nourished skin and dry flaky wrinkled skin. NMF components absorb moisture from the air, even at low humidity, and provide hydration to the upper layers of our skin. NMF also plays a critical role in maintaining adequate moisture levels in your skin. Simply increasing the water content in your skin won’t make it healthy and elastic. 

Improves skin’s elasticity: A well-hydrated NMF also increases the elasticity of our skin by reducing the intermolecular forces between skin cells and also prevents it from cracking and flaking.

Help shed old skin cells and keep skin young: NMF also activates enzymes that help in breaking and shedding old and dead skin cells so that younger cells can come on the surface. Increased cell turnover (i.e. shedding of old skin and production of new cells) keeps skin young.

How can I strengthen my skin’s NMF?

1. Use moisturizer or serum that contains peptides and naturally occurring amino acids for fortification, and hyaluronic acid and glycerine for hydration.

2. For dry skin, opt for deeply hydrating creams such as Aminu's Hydrating Cream to prevent water loss due to a weak lipid barrier.

3. Incorporate peptide-based toners into your skincare routine for additional hydration and NMF support.

4. Avoid harsh soaps or cleansers, as they can strip away essential NMF.

5. Avoid over-exfoliation, since it can remove the NMF-containing upper layers of your skin.

6. Steer clear of products with drying alcohol, as they deplete NMF and damage your skin's acid mantle. 

Do you regularly wear waterproof makeup for long hours?

If the answer is yes, it is very important that before makeup you use a cream/serum that provides deep hydration and strengthens NMF so that your skin remains healthy and nourished and your makeup looks flawless. Let me explain. As we discussed earlier, NMF absorbs moisture from the air and provides hydration to the upper layers of your skin. Waterproof makeup if worn for long hours regularly can cut off the moisture supply to the upper layers of your skin. Lack of hydration will not only make it dry and flaky but also reduce its elasticity and youth.