Hydrators & Barrier Support

The Unsung Hero of Skin Moisturisation

Beta glucans are skincare superstars, providing remarkable benefits to the skin in our topical formulas. Found in high levels in yeast extract, beta glucan provides excellent water retention and supports the skin's barrier function. For dry and dehydrated skin, beta glucans offer real, meaningful benefit.

We source our beta-glucan from a specialised yeast extract and include it across a number of our formulations, including our Enzymatic Exfoliator, Eye Cream, and Probiotic Multi-Mineral Repair Mask, for its skin-soothing and hydrating properties. In fact, our Probiotic Multi-Mineral Repair Mask won Best Overnight Skincare Mask at Hip & Healthy's Sleep Awards 2020.

Benefits

Hydrates and retains moisture at the skin's surface Soothes irritation and redness Strengthens the skin's natural barrier Protects against environmental aggressors Supports a smoother, more even-looking complexion Suitable for dry and sensitive skin types

Best For

Dry skin Dehydrated skin Sensitive skin Irritated skin Redness-prone skin Combination skin

What Is Beta Glucan?

Beta glucans are natural polysaccharides found in the cell walls of yeast, as well as in oats and barley. In skincare, they're valued for their ability to hold water at the skin's surface while supporting its natural barrier.

Nourish London sources beta-glucan from a specialised yeast extract and includes it across several formulations, among them the Enzymatic Exfoliator, Eye Cream and Probiotic Multi-Mineral Repair Mask, for its soothing and hydrating properties. The Probiotic Multi-Mineral Repair Mask went on to win Best Overnight Skincare Mask at Hip & Healthy's Sleep Awards 2020.

Because beta glucan works primarily as a humectant and barrier-support ingredient, it's generally well tolerated and suits dry, dehydrated and sensitive skin types.

How It Works

Beta-glucans have humectant properties, drawing moisture to the skin's surface and helping it stay hydrated and supple throughout the day.

They also have a soothing effect on the skin, making them well suited to calming irritation and easing the appearance of redness, which helps promote a more even-looking complexion over time.

By supporting the skin's natural barrier function, beta-glucans help guard against environmental aggressors and reduce moisture loss, leaving skin looking smoother and healthier overall.

Why Formulation Matters

The benefits of beta glucan are impressive, but only when the ingredient is handled correctly. Get the formulation right, and it delivers genuinely meaningful hydration and comfort; get it wrong, and much of that benefit is lost before the product ever reaches the skin.

That's why pH and temperature are carefully controlled during production. Extreme heat, or highly acidic or alkaline conditions, can break down the molecule's structure through depolymerisation and reduce its effectiveness. Native enzymes and free radical oxidation pose a similar risk, gradually degrading the polysaccharide chain and reducing both shelf-life stability and functional performance.

At Nourish London, beta-glucan is formulated alongside complementary hydrators and barrier-supporting ingredients to help it perform consistently from first use through to the end of a product's shelf life.

Scientific Notes

Beta glucans are a well-studied group of biomacromolecules, with documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, as outlined in a 2025 review in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. Interest in their wound-healing and immune-modulating potential continues to grow more broadly.

Within dermatology specifically, research published in Carbohydrate Polymers has demonstrated that barley-derived beta-glucan can accelerate wound healing by supporting fibroblast migration, contributing to a growing evidence base around its barrier-repair and skin-conditioning potential.