“Melanin-rich skin loses moisture faster.” What does that really mean? 👉🏾

If your skin feels dry, tight, or oily just hours after yourroutine, the problem may not be hydration. It may be how fast yourskin loses it.

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Hydration is not just about how much water you apply.
It’s about how much your skin can keep.

TEWL, or transepidermal water loss, measures how quickly water escapes through the skin barrier.

Studies suggest that melanin-rich skin may experience higher TEWL under certain conditions, especially when the barrier is disrupted.

When water escapes too quickly, skin can feel dry, tight, or even oily as it tries to compensate.

That’s why effective skincare must not only hydrate, but also limit water loss.

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GALSKIN BARRIER+ combines humectants with Mycomucin™, a vegan polysaccharide complex derived from mushrooms, which forms a breathable film on the skin to help reduce water evaporation and support moisture retention.

What is TEWL?

TEWL stands for transepidermal water loss.

It refers to the passive evaporation of water from the skin into the environment.

In simple terms, TEWL measures how fast hydration leaves your skin.

A healthy skin barrier slows this process down. A weakened barrier allows water to escape more easily.

TEWL is one of the most important indicators of barrier function.

What studies suggest about melanin-rich skin

Research on skin of color suggests that TEWL may be higher in melanin-rich skin under certain conditions, particularly when the barrier is stressed or disrupted.

Differences in lipid organization and barrier structure may affect how efficiently the skin retains water.

These findings are not absolute, but they point to a consistent idea.

Hydration retention can become more fragile when the barrier is not functioning optimally.

What happens when TEWL is high

When water escapes too quickly, hydration does not last.

Skin may feel dry shortly after applying skincare. Tightness and discomfort can appear even when the routine seems hydrating.

At the same time, TEWL does not always present as visible dryness.

In some cases, the skin reacts differently.

Dry or oily: why TEWL can lead to both

When hydration is lost too quickly, the skin can respond in two ways:

• In some cases, the result is dryness. The skin feels rough, tight, and uncomfortable.
• In other cases, the skin compensates by increasing sebum production. The surface becomes oily, but hydration is still lacking underneath.

This is why skin can feel both oily and dehydrated at the same time.

Show me the research!

This is not marketing. It is based on skin physiology.

TEWL is widely used in dermatology as a measure of barrier integrity.

Increased TEWL is associated with reduced barrier function, altered lipid organization, and increased sensitivity.

Research on melanin-rich skin suggests that TEWL may be higher in certain populations, especially when the barrier is disrupted.

At the same time, the literature remains heterogeneous, and these findings should be interpreted as tendencies rather than universal rules.

What is consistent is the relationship between barrier function and water loss.

Why this matters

If hydration escapes too quickly, even well-formulated products may not deliver lasting results.

This explains why skin can feel dry hours after moisturizing, why routines seem ineffective, and why texture and tone may become uneven over time.

Without retention, hydration does not last.

Why GALSKIN BARRIER+ focuses on limiting water loss

At K+BROWN, hydration is not defined by how much product is applied, but by how much water the skin can retain.

That is why GALSKIN BARRIER+ is designed as a complete system.

Humectants help attract and bind water within the skin.

Ceramides help support the barrier and reduce moisture loss.

Mycomucin™, a polysaccharide complex derived from mushrooms, forms a lightweight and breathable film at the skin surface, helping reduce water evaporation and support moisture retention over time.

Together, these elements work to slow down water loss and maintain hydration where it is needed.

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