A Peek Into the Science Behind Topical Delivery
We apply a cream and expect magic. But between your fingertips and that active ingredient reaching your skin cells lies a seriously tough gatekeeper—the skin barrier.
So how do some topical products actually work? Especially the ones that promise “deep delivery” or “targeted action”? Let’s unpack how nanoparticles—like the ones in Cymbiotics’ Cetosome™ technology—find their way through your skin’s defenses.
Meet the Skin Barrier: Nature’s Vault
Your outermost skin layer, the stratum corneum, is like a wall made of bricks (dead cells) and mortar (lipids). It keeps out water, bacteria, and yes—your fancy ingredients too.
In science, this structure is called the brick-and-mortar model, and while it protects you from the outside world, it also makes topical delivery very tricky.
Enter Nanoparticles
These tiny superheroes range from 10 to 1000 nanometers (for comparison, a human hair is about 80,000 nm wide). Nanoparticles can sneak through the skin using three main pathways:
🔹 Intercellular: slipping between cells
🔹 Transcellular: going right through the cells
🔹 Follicular: using your hair follicles as mini-highways
Size, Surface & Smarts Matter
Not all nanoparticles are created equal. Their size, charge, and how they interact with lipids determine how far they go.
- Smaller is better: Particles under 500 nm can reach deeper layers.
- Surface charge (zeta potential): influences how well particles bind to the skin.
- Hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic: affects how easily they pass through the skin’s oily layers.
Cymbiotics’ Cetosome™ particles are carefully engineered with these parameters in mind, allowing for deep yet controlled ingredient delivery.
More Than Just Penetration
Nanoparticles do more than just squeeze through the skin:
- They stabilize sensitive ingredients
- Provide controlled release
- Reduce irritation
It’s like giving your active ingredients a customized Uber ride to the exact skin layer they need to reach.
Why Should You Care?
This is where science meets skincare. Whether it’s for hydration, barrier repair, or active ingredient delivery—smart topical systems are changing the game.
Technologies like Cetosome™ allow us to design formulas that aren’t just surface-level—they actually interact with your skin in meaningful ways.
At Cymbiotics, our innovation in topical delivery is rooted in one question: What’s the most efficient way to get the right ingredient to the right place—without disrupting the skin’s integrity?
References:
- Prausnitz MR, Langer R. Transdermal drug delivery. Nature Biotechnology. 2008;26(11):1261–1268. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.1504
- Prow TW, Grice JE, Lin LL, et al. Nanoparticles and microparticles for skin drug delivery. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 2011;63(6):470–491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2011.01.012
- Nallamothu R, et al. Role of nanocarriers in the transdermal drug delivery. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences. 2019;11(1):3–7. https://doi.org/10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_249_18