Betaine

What is Betaine?

Betaine is a purified compound extracted from upcycled sugar production side streams. This sustainably sourced bioactive molecule is something called an osmolyte (which means that they help to regulate water intake). They occur naturally in both plants and animals to protect them from hydric stress. In the context of your skin, betaine plays a key role as a part of the Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF), helping to balance water levels within your cells. This makes it a great ingredient in skincare formulations because it offers moisturisation, protection, and sensory benefits.

What are the benefits of betaine for your skin?

As an osmolyte, betaine aids in osmoprotection, safeguarding your cells’ proteins against denaturation. Betaine attracts water away from the protein surface, which helps to increase the thermodynamic stability of proteins, and as a result preserves their natural structure and prevents denaturing.

Additionally, betaine helps to strengthen the skin barrier by improving the integrity of keratinocytes' Tight Junctions (TJ) in the epidermis, which are crucial for skin cohesion and normal barrier function.

Betaine also has significant moisturising benefits for your skin. It helps to manage water balance in living cells, protecting keratinocytes from dehydration even when your skin is exposed to UV radiation and dehydration. Clinical studies have demonstrated that formulations containing betaine possess both short-term and long-term moisturising effects.