Is Ectoin the Skin Care Ingredient Filipino Beauty Lovers Should Know About?

Perhaps you’ve noticed how skin care has developed a language of its own, and how many people are becoming more fluent at it. Ingredients that once sounded like complicated chemistry terms, from niacinamideNiacinamideA form of vitamin B3 that helps regulate oil, minimize the look of pores, strengthen the skin barrier, and fade dark spots. It is well tolerated and pairs easily withGo to Niacinamide Glossary to hyaluronic acid, have found their way into everyday beauty routines and conversations. Today, many of us can name the ingredients in our routines and say what they do for our skin.

But the world of skin care science is fast-changing. From research to clinical trials, to products lining up the aisles, there’s always a new ingredient, a new promise to discover and understand. 

Enter ectoin, an ingredient already gaining popularity in the United States. It has been featured in a previous Allure US article entitled, “Why Ectoin May Be the New Niacinamide.” The article explains that it is an amino acid found in several types of bacteria, which cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline explains can help in protecting the skin barrier: “These complexes then surround cells, enzymes, proteins, and other biomolecules by forming protective, nourishing, and stabilizing hydration shells around them.” 

With these lofty promises, should ectoin be the next skin care ingredient Filipinos should look out for? At the New Lounge Global Destination Retreat: Pamper and Reset in Shangri-La Boracay, Allure Philippines spoke to AHN Skin founder and pharmacist Soo Ahn, PharmD,  to understand more about the ingredient, and to find out if this ingredient has a place in our skin care routines.

What is ectoin–and what is it for?

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Although ectoin might feel like a recent discovery in the beauty industry, Ahn points out that it has been around for a while. “It’s been in topical medicines [for decades]. Like for babies, for dry skin, for eczema, for psoriasis, even for eyes. So, it is very, very well-known in the medical world. But recently, it became more of an attention [in beauty],” she explains.

What makes ectoin particularly interesting is its role in supporting the skin barrier. “Ectoin is basically [an ingredient that] helps with the barrier protection. It is an active ingredient. It is very stable, and that can be added for barrier protection. It reduces water loss in your skin,” Ahn says.

A published study from the National Library of Medicine further explains what ectoin can do for the skin: “Ectoine is an effective natural substance with an excellent tolerability and safety profile, representing a beneficial alternative as basic therapy or to increase the efficacy of the pharmacological treatment regimen for patients with inflammatory skin diseases, including infants and children.”

For Ahn, ectoin’s protective function is important at a time when consumers are given access to so many products with active ingredients, or aggressive formulations. “There are many other ingredients that claim to correct things right away. But it could break [the barrier]. It could cause inflammation. It could actually hurt the protection of your skin. The main goal for your skin is to build healthy skin,” she cautions.

Can ectoin work with the ingredients already in your routine?

One of ectoin’s appealing qualities is its compatibility with other skin care ingredients. According to Ahn, it can be incorporated into different formulations, including cleansers, sunscreens, and toners. She points out how it can complement other ingredients. “Vitamin A can sometimes cause redness and swelling depending on the concentration or what type of retinol, Retin-A,” she explains. Ectoin then can help soothe the dryness caused by Retin-A.  

She also emphasizes the importance of knowing where ingredients come from and how they are produced. “I  look very carefully at the source. My belief is that you have to be very careful with the source. Not all ingredients are the same. And also, not all concentrations are the same. And so, I am very careful about that,” Ahn says. 

Ahn shares with Allure Philippines that she sources the ectoin used in her skin care formulations, which is currently purveyed in the Philippines at New Lounge branches, from Bitop, a German biotechnology manufacturer whose ectoin ingredient is registered under a trademark. 

Does ectoin make sense for a Filipino skin care routine?

Choosing skin care products and building a routine in our country presents challenges including the tropical heat. Filipinos can incorporate ectoin when it is in serums and more watery formulas like a hydrating mist. “In the Philippines, weather plays a [big] role when it comes to skin care because it’s very hot and humid. So, Filipinos don’t like products that are heavy on the skin. I noticed that,” Ahn says. 

Ectoin’s ability to support hydration and the skin barrier makes it an interesting ingredient to explore, particularly in a climate like the Philippines. But as Ahn points out, knowing whether it belongs in your routine is best done through an expert consultation. 

“Don’t just go by whatever the next trend is. Like, ‘Oh, this works for everybody.’ You have to understand your skin. You have to understand the information that you get,” she advises. “You should consult a doctor, a dermatologist.” Before adding another trending formula to your shelf, start by knowing what your skin actually needs.