Research Reviews Lipid, NMF Moisturizer Soothes Sensitive Skin People with sensitive skin—including those with atopic derma-titis (AD), rosacea, or “ cosmetic intolerance syndrome ” (CIS)— are often battling a disrupted epidermal barrier, with elevated transepidermal water loss (TEWL), reduced filaggrin/natural moisturizing factor (NMF) levels, and altered lipid profiles. In this study, researchers evaluated a new lightweight non-comedogenic cream boosted with epidermal lipids (free fatty acids, cholesterol, ceramide N-(tetracosanoyl)-phytosphin-gosine) plus humectants (hyaluronic acid, amino acids, electro-lytes) that aim to mimic the skin’s lamellar lipid structure. The authors ran preclinical and clinical studies. In vitro/ex vivo work showed that compared to untreated controls, the moisturizer increased: • filaggrin by +77% • hyaluronic acid by +157% • epidermal lipids by +30% In the human trial on clinically sensitive skin, daily applica-tion over four weeks led to progressive increases in surface hydration, reductions in TEWL, and hydration levels that held even after a three-day regression (i.e., normal washout) period. Patient-reported outcomes showed improved look and feel of skin, with no meaningful rise in irritation. The takeaway? This formulation appears to strengthen the skin barrier biologically (via filaggrin/NMF/lipids), translate into clinical benefits (hydration, TEWL, tolerability), and be well-tolerated in populations who often struggle with stan-dard moisturizers. For dermatologists managing AD, rosa-cea-prone, or cosmetically intolerant skin, this kind of lipid + NMF-centric moisturizer may be a valuable adjunctive option, the researchers conclude. READ MORE: Bernhardt KT, Zaleski E, Li WH, et al. Skin barrier benefits of a natural mois-turizing factor and lipids-based moisturizer for clinically sensitive skin. J Drugs Dermatol . 2025;24(10):1029–1035. https:doi.org/10.36849/JDD.9386 and phototoxicity data. Of the more than 38,900 participants who took part in repeated irritation patch tests, 99.5% showed no sensitization. Only seven subjects reacted, and those reactions were traced to preservatives—not the UV filters themselves. In cumulative irritation tests, with 4,715 participants, 97.8% had no visible irritation; the remaining 29 subjects showed the lowest grade of erythema (barely perceptible). There were no cases of pho-toallergy or phototoxicity. The data supports that chemical-filter sunscreens have a strong dermal safety record, with minimal to no risk of irritation, sensitization, or light-triggered reactions—at least in the pub-lished datasets. While other safety domains (systemic absorption, long-term eects) are still being evaluated, dermatologists can feel confi-dent recommending these filters in appropriate SPF formula-tions, the study authors conclude. READ MORE: Wilson LT, Chu C, Wang SQ, et al. Retrospective review of dermal safety studies of organic sunscreens. J Drugs Dermatol. 2025;24(9):897–903. https://doi.org/10.36849/ jdd.9191 A Gentler Cleanser for the Most Reactive Skin Cleansing may seem like the most straightforward part of a skincare routine, but for people with ultra-sensitive skin it can be a tightrope walk: Remove the dirt, oil, and sweat without demolishing the lipid barrier. A new four-week clinical study evaluated a foaming gel cleans-er formulated with a polymeric surfactant technology de-signed to clean without stripping. Eighty-five adults with clini-cally diagnosed sensitive skin—prone to rosacea, eczema, acne, or classic “cosmetic intolerance syndrome”—used the cleanser daily and returned at Weeks 2 and 4 for investigator-graded irritation assessments, participant-reported symptom scoring, and non-invasive imaging. The cleanser was found to perform well across metrics: • There was no increase in investigator-rated irritation over the four weeks. • Participants reported steady reductions in burning, stinging, itching, tightness, and overall sensitivity starting at Week 2. • Both subjects and investigators also noted significant im-provements in smoothness, softness, clarity, and radiance. The success of the cleanser for reactive skin lies in its formu-lation. Instead of using traditional small-micelle surfactants that penetrate and disrupt the lipid barrier, this cleanser has Chemical Sunscreens: No Red Flags in Dermal Safety Patients and clinicians alike often raise eyebrows at chemical (“organic”) UV filters like avobenzone, octocrylene, homo-salate, and octisalate due to circulating concerns about skin penetration, hormonal eects, and irritation. A recently published retrospective review assessed the dermal safety profile of these organic filters by mining repeat-irrita-tion patch tests, cumulative irritation studies, photoallergy, December 2025 | S5
The Dermatology Digest Innovations in Pre-, Peri-, and Post- Procedure Skincare December 2025: S-5
