NIOD approaches hydration as a key component in supporting skin resilience and maintaining barrier health. Reducing Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) helps the skin retain moisture and supports the skin barrier function. Our advanced hydration skincare technologies, Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (MMHC2) and Hydration Vaccine (HV) are designed to work with the skin’s natural processes, helping to restore and retain skin’s hydration. To understand how skin dehydration begins—and how to effectively support the skin’s moisture barrier—it’s important to first look at what TEWL is and what causes it.
Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) and How it Affects Your Skin
The skin is our largest organ—and our first line of defence from external elements. However, exposure to pollution, heating, air conditioning, low humidity, and other environmental stressors can disrupt its delicate balance. When hydration is compromised, skin becomes more vulnerable, and dryness, flaking, redness, and irritation can follow, across all skin types.
What is Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL)?
TEWL, or Trans Epidermal Water Loss, refers to the evaporation of water from the skin through its outermost layer—the stratum corneum. Water travels from the deeper layers of the skin—such as the dermis, up through the stratum corneum, and eventually evaporates from the surface.
While this is a normal part of how the skin functions, it can become a problem when water is lost faster than the skin can replenish it. When that happens, the skin barrier becomes weakened and less effective at protecting against external stressors. The skin’s barrier function and ability to retain water rely primarily on the brick-and-mortar arrangement of cells in the outermost layer of the epidermis. When TEWL becomes excessive, it disrupts this structure, ultimately compromising the skin’s defense against the external environment. This is often experienced as dehydration or damage to the skin barrier, and it can lead to irritation and other visible skin concerns.
There are many reasons why the skin becomes dehydrated, and several factors can affect how quickly water is lost. To understand how to care for dehydrated skin and reduce the effects of TEWL, let’s take a closer look at what influences it.
Skin barrier integrity:
When the skin barrier is damaged the amount of water loss increases. This gives rise to irritation and other skin concerns such as:
Environmental conditions: Extreme climates—such as dry or cold weather, intense heat, wind, and excessive unprotected UV exposure—can damage and weaken the skin barrier, making it easier for moisture to escape.
Age: As we age, natural lipid production (how much oil your skin produces) and skin renewal slows down. Because of this, aged skin tends to have a weaker barrier, making it more prone to moisture loss. Additionally, the skin’s ability to produce other barrier components like natural moisturizing factors (NMF) is also reduced.
Lifestyle: Lifestyle factors such as frequent over-washing, smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, and not drinking enough water can indirectly compromise skin barrier health and contribute to increased TEWL.
Hydration is a fundamental component of healthy, well-functioning skin, so minimizing TEWL is essential to maintaining a balanced and resilient skin barrier. When skin lacks moisture it becomes dehydrated, dull, and prone to signs of irritation.
Chronic dehydration can damage the skin barrier and reduce skin elasticity, accelerating premature ageing and contributing to the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and a rough or uneven texture.
NIOD’s Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (MMHC2): Multi-Faceted Hydrating Skincare
Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (MMHC2) is NIOD’s water-based serum designed to provide deep hydration using exceptionally high levels of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in addition to 15 different hydrating technologies that work on different levels of the skin to both topically hydrate and encourage skin’s natural production of HA. MMHC2 uses a tri-fold approach to hydration.
- First, it provides topical hydration through varying molecular weights of sodium hyaluronate (HA), which provides hydration at multiple skin surface levels.
- Second, HA-like polymers are incorporated, which mimic HA but offer superior hydration-retention properties for lasting moisture.
- Lastly, MMHC2 contains HA precursors that offer a dual-approach to boost and support the skin’s natural HA levels for enhanced hydration.
This formulation delivers an immediate plumping effect, enhancing skin suppleness while reducing the appearance of deep wrinkles. It also provides all-day hydration, contributing to overall skin moisture balance and reducing TEWL.
NIOD’s Hydration Vaccine (HV): Sealing in Moisture for Skin Barrier Protection
Hydration Vaccine (HV) is a hydrating occlusive balm that offers a dual approach to moisture—one that both adds and locks in moisture. It acts as a topical barrier to seal in moisture and minimize water loss from the skin’s surface using a lightweight breathable layer of silicone known as a flexo-silicone mesh. This layer of silicone molecules forms a protective physical barrier to minimize moisture loss while remaining lightweight and breathable.
Hydration Vaccine also features unique hydrating ingredients, like Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, which provides an immediate anti-wrinkle, smoothing, and radiant effect, and Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, which targets skin sagging by creating a tightening effect, leaving the skin feeling smoother and more youthful.
How MMHC2 and HV Work Together to Combat TEWL
When used together in a NIOD skincare regimen, Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex and Hydration Vaccine provide a dual approach to hydration, strengthening and reinforcing the skin barrier. MMHC2 provides topical hydration while boosting the skin's own natural production of hyaluronic acid.
Hydration Vaccine’s flexo-silicone mesh acts as a powerful barrier to lock in moisture, minimizing water loss and reinforcing the skin's natural protective layer. HV not only enhances surface hydration but also helps maintain the integrity of the skin barrier, ensuring that the hydration provided by MMHC2 is sealed in for prolonged efficacy.
NIOD’s advanced hydration solutions leverage cutting-edge skin technologies designed to provide immediate surface hydration while simultaneously enhancing the skin’s natural ability to hold moisture. By reinforcing the skin’s mechanisms for moisture retention and minimizing TEWL, NIOD’s hydration solutions contribute to long-lasting moisture, improved skin elasticity, and a more resilient barrier.
Strengthen Your Skin’s Hydration Defense with NIOD
Transepidermal water loss is a natural process in the skin. However, it’s essential to replenish moisture to avoid dehydration and maintain a healthy skin barrier. Several factors can cause dehydration and influence the rate of TEWL, including environment, age, and lifestyle choices. Protecting the skin with TEWL skincare designed to support the skin’s moisture can prevent dehydration, irritation, and premature signs of ageing.
Our Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (MMHC2) delivers deep moisture while boosting the skin's natural HA levels, hydrating, plumping, and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Hydration Vaccine (HV) supplements and simultaneously seals in hydration levels. Together, these two formulations optimise the skin’s moisture levels for a healthy-looking, more resilient complexion.
