Urea (Cosmetic Grade)

Description

Urea is a humectant and moisturizer, and when used at high amounts, it functions as an exfoliant. Urea is a versatile Ingredient, found on the Ingredient list of many skin and hair care products.

Urea is known for its ability to attract and retain moisture, improve skin hydration and smoothness.  Urea is very effective in products for dry, flaky, or rough skin, including products for rough hands and cracked heels.

INCI Name: Urea

Type: Cosmetic Grade Urea

Derived from: Naturally found in the skin; synthetically mass-produced in labs. *Urea is naturally found in the skin, as  one of the skin’s Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF).

Ingredient Function: Humectant (hydration), Emollient (softens & smoothens) and also an Exfoliant (Keratolytic agent).

Appearance: White, Crystalline powder

Smell: Odourless

Solubility: Fully soluble in water; slightly soluble in Glycerin. Limited solubility in ethanol (lower solubility compared to urea in Glycerin).  Insoluble in oil.

Usage: 1% to 10% (percentage use depends on the type of product and intended use or what the product is targeting to solve).

Shelf Life: 24 months when stored in a cool, dry place.

Storage: Keep Urea in a tightly sealed container, away from moisture and direct sunlight.

STORAGE NOTE: Urea is highly hygroscopic and so would easily absorbs water/ moisture from its surrounding if stores in a moist environment .

Applications: Ideal for moisturizing/ hydrating creams/ lotions, cracked foot balms, hand creams, shampoos and exfoliating serums, and hydrating masks.

 

Urea Benefits and Uses for Skin

1. Hydrating/ Moisturizing: Urea attracts and holds water, to deeply hydrate the skin.

2. Exfoliating: Urea helps break down keratin, which makes it effective in treating rough, scaly skin.

3. Softens Skin: Urea is able to soften dry patches of skin and also helps reduces calluses.

4. Soothing: Urea helps reduce itching and irritation caused by skin dryness.

5. Boosts Penetration: Urea helps boost absorption of other active skincare ingredients.

6. Overall, Uea-based products are ideal for skincare formulations targeting rough, dry skin, cracked foot, thick skin, eczema and psoriasis,.

 

Formulation Guidelines

Usage Rate: 2% to 10%, and up to 20% for targeted treatments.

Optimal pH Range: Formulate at a pH between 5.0 and 8.0 for optimal stability and effectiveness of Urea.

Phase: Add Urea during the cool-down phase (below 50°C) to prevent degradation.

 

Incorporation Steps (Urea):

1. Dissolve Urea in the water phase of your formulation.

2. Heat the water phase, if necessary, but temperature should not be above 50°C when adding Urea.

3. Adjust pH of your formulation as needed, ensuring it stays within the 5.0 to 8.0 pH range for stability of Urea.

4. Blend thoroughly to ensure full dispersion.

 

Urea Compatibility and Usage Safety

• Compatibility: Urea is suitable for most skin types.
• Caution: Products with high concentrations of Urea (above 10%) may cause mild irritation for sensitive skin types. End users must ensure to conduct a patch test before use of products with high percentage of Urea.

 

More About Cosmetic-Grade Urea

Urea is a multi-function and widely-used skin and hair care  ingredient that can be categorized as a humectant, emollient, or exfoliant, depending on the percentage used and the type of product being formulated.

Urea as a Humectant: Urea draws water from the air and also eom deeper layers of the skin to keep it moist.

Urea as an Emollient: Urea prevents and treats dry, rough, thick, scaly, and itchy skin.

Urea as an Exfoliant: Urea breaks down keratin to reduce buildup of dead skin and get rid of flaking or scaling skin. Keratin isa protein found in the outer layer of skin.

 

How the Function of Urea Changes Depending on Percentage Usage in a Formulation

The percentage of urea in a formulation determines whether it will function as a humectant, emollient, or exfoliant.

(1) Low Urea Concentrations (2% to 10%): Moisturizer

When Urea is added between 2% to 10% in a formulation, it acts as a humectant to moisturize the skin and optimize its barrier function.

In general, products containing low  concentrations of Urea (2% to 10%) are formulated to moisturize and improve the skin’s barrier function.

This is the typical  concentration of Urea in body creams/ lotions, face creams, and foot care products.

(2) Moderate concentrations (10% to 30%): Moisturizer + Mild Exfoliant

When Urea is added between 10-30% in a formulation, it acts as both moisturizer and a mild exfoliant/ keratolytics.

This is the kind of Urea concentration you can find in skincare products targeting very dry skin.

(3) High concentrations (30% and above)

When Urea is used from 30% and above, it acts as a keratolytic/ exfoliant.

As an exfoliant, Urea helps get rid of dead skin cells and also to soften rough or thick skin.

You can find this amount of Urea concentration in foot care products targeting cracked foot and rough heels.