Beta glucan is a staple in skincare products and is super valuable for those in need of gentle hydrating and skin barrier support. However, despite its many skin benefits, beta glucan isn’t really a household name outside of professional skincare circles. In this article, we’re going to explore what beta glucan is, what it does for skin, how it compares to more famous hydrators and the best way to use it in your skincare routine.
What Is Beta Glucan?
Quit simply, beta glucan is a type of polysaccharide (complex sugar) which you can naturally find in oats, mushrooms, yeast and certain grains. Beta glucan has uses in both dietary and therapeutic applications that date back centuries in regions and cultures where these ingredients were primary staples or part of folk medicine. For instance, oats have a long history of being used to soothe dry or inflamed skin. In fact some accounts trace oat baths and poultices back to ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek civilizations. Mushroom extracts, meanwhile, feature prominently in several East Asian traditions, including Traditional Chinese Medicine. Here their main uses were for their immune-boosting and energy boosting effects. Over time, scientific research has umasked the compounds and mechanisms behind beta glucan’s overall health and skin benefits.
Although there is still wide use of beta glucan as a dietary or supplement for its immune-supporting properties, it has also has become increasingly popular as a skincare ingredient. Like marshmallow root, beta glucan is a natural hydrator. When applied directly to the skin, beta glucan forms a lightweight protective film that locks in moisture. This helps reduce dryness and irritation. Additionally, you can increasingly find beta glucan of inflammatory and repairing skincare products.
Benefits of Beta Glucan for Skin
Beta glucan is quite a versatile skincare ingredient that can deliver several advantages for a wide range of skin types. Here’s a brief overview of the main benefits of beta glucan for skin:
- Intense Hydration: Beta glucan is known for its exceptional moisture-retaining properties. Studies suggest it can hold more water than even hyaluronic acid. This makes it a potent option for those with dehydrated or flaky skin looking to replenish lost moisture.
- Barrier Support: Your skin’s barrier is crucial for keeping out pollutants and irritants while keeping moisture in. Beta glucan helps fortify this protective layer, which can lessen the impact of environmental stressors like harsh weather or pollution.
- Calming & Soothing: Beta glucan’s soothing properties can help with redness or sensitivity. As such, beta glucan may help calm reactive skin in conditions like rosacea or eczema.
- Youthful Glow: A well-hydrated complexion generally looks plumper, more elastic and radiant. By improving moisture levels and skin regeneration, beta glucan can also help soften fine lines over time.
Who Might Benefit from Beta Glucan Skincare?
Beta glucan is generally well-tolerated and its benefits are quite widely applicable. However, it is particularly great for the following skin types:
- Dry or Dehydrated: Regular use of beta glucan can help replenish and lock in moisture. This helps reduce flakiness and tightness making skin look fresher and less dull.
- Sensitive or Irritated: Beta glucan’s anti-inflammatory properties can help soothe redness, itching or discomfort.
- Mature: The hydrating effects of beta glucan helps make teh skin look plumper and more elastic. This helps soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You can magnify this effect by pairing beta glucan with other anti-ageing ingredients.
- Combination or Normal: Even if your skin isn’t overly dry or sensitive, using beta glucan skincare can help keep your complexion balanced and well-protected.
How it Compares with the Competition
There are a huge amount of skincare ingredients with new ones popping up almost every day. So its fair to ask how beta glucan differs from alternatives. Below we compare compares beta glucan vs other popular hydrators in skincare and how to use them together:
- Hyaluronic Acid: Beta glucan and hyaluronic acid (HA) are both superstar hydrators, but they work in slightly different ways. Beta glucan can retain a substantial amount of water while forming a soothing, protective film on the skin’s surface. HA, on the other hand, draw waters from the environment into the deeper layers of skin, holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water. If you’re seeking all-around hydration and barrier reinforcement, beta glucan offers a calming, outer-layer defence. On the other hand, HA excels at pulling hydration into the skin’s deeper layers. Layering them together can maximise moisture retention and help alleviate dryness at multiple levels.
- Polyglutamic Acid: Both beta glucan and polyglutamic acid (PGA) have impressive water-binding abilities. Beta glucan forms a lightweight shield that not only seals in hydration but also helps reduce redness or irritation, making it ideal for stressed or easily inflamed skin. PGA is believed to hold up to four to five times more moisture than HA. This make sit better for extreme dryness or mature skin. If you need a serious moisture boost and extra soothing properties, combining beta glucan and PGA can deliver high-intensity hydration while keeping sensitivity in check.
- Glycerol (Glycerin): Beta glucan creates a moisture “veil” that helps reduce transepidermal water loss and reinforce the skin barrier. Glycerin is a workhorse ingredient that primarily works by drawing water into the skin’s top layers. Although both are great at increasing skin hydration, beta glucan may be more beneficial if you’re prone to irritation because it’s gentler and provides additional calming effects. Otherwise glycerin is cost-effective and widely available so it’s a reliable choice if you just need basic hydration.
- Peptides: Whilst beta glucan offers hydration and barrier fortification, peptides focus on boosting collagen and elastin for increased firmness. As such beta glucan has the edge when it comes to moisturising but peptides lead for anti-aging benefits. If you’re dealing with both dryness and early signs of aging, you can use them together for more hydrated, smoother and younger looking skin.
- Niacinamide: Both these two ingredients are great for b=skin barrier support. Beta glucan is excellent for locking in moisture, reinforcing the skin barrier and calming down redness or itchiness. However, niacinamide is a multitasking ingredient that can support the skin barrier, regulates oil, reduces pore size and brightens uneven skin tone. In general beta glucan is better at moisturising whilst niacinamide provides broader benefits for overall skin texture and tone. The good news is that you can combine the two to get the best of both worlds!
- Ceramides: Whilst beta glucan is a complex sugar that holds onto water at the skin’s surface, ceramides are lipids naturally found in your skin. These act like a glue that keeps skin cells together to prevent water loss from within. This mechanism is key for long-term barrier health. As such, ceramides in skincare help reinforce the deeper structural integrity of the skin barrier whilst beta glucan complements them by offering immediate surface hydration. Pairing both can provide immediate hydration as well as fortify your barrier throughout the day to maintain moisture.
- Panthenol (Vitamin B5): Both beta glucan and Vitamin B5 attract moisture to the skin. However, Vitamin B excels at skin barrier repair and smoothing rough patches. It also helps maintain a healthy skin barrier. You can use both together to hydrate, soothe and repair irritated, dry or injured skin.
- Squalane: Whilst beta glucan is a water-based hydrator that draws moisture to the skin, squalane, behaves more like a lightweight oil that prevents it from evaporating. It helps seal in hydration without leaving a greasy residue. If you’re dealing with chronic dryness or dehydration, you can use the beta glucan to deliver hydration and squalane to seal it in by preventing evaporation.
How to Use Beta Glucan in Your Skincare Routine
Beta glucan is exceptionally versatile and you can find it in a wide range of skincare products. Here are our top tips for the best way to use beta glucan skincare:
- Cleansers: Starting your routine with a beta glucan cleanser can help clean your skin without drying it out. It is a great option if you have very dry or sensitive skin.
- Serums, Essences & Toners: These are lightweight solutions that you apply and leave on after cleansing. They’re a good way to introduce beta glucan if you don’t want to change the rest of your skincare routine or if you have sensitive skin and want to gradually try it as a separate product to control the frequency and amount you use.
- Moisturisers: If you’re dealing with dryness, flakiness or a compromised barrier then a beta glucan moisturiser is the easiest way to deliver consistent hydration throughout the day or night.
- Face Masks: Beta glucan face masks are useful for more intense boost of hydration. They’re great if your skin feels particularly dry or following an irritating treatment such as chemical peels, laser or microneedling.
- Timing & Consistency: You can use beta glucan products at any time and several times a day. In the day, beta glucan can help reinforce the skin barrier to protect against environmental stressors. At night, beta glucan provides hydration and reduces water loss whilst your skin turns over and repairs at night.
- Layer Mindfully: As in the above section, beta glucan works great with other hydrators such as hyaluronic acid to moisturise and repair the skin. It is also helps reduce irritation and dryness following actives like exfoliating acids, Vitamin C and Retinoids
Potential Side Effects & Precautions
Although beta glucan is generally safe and most people tolerate it well, there are always risks of allergy, sensitivity or irritation. As with any new skincare ingredient, its best to exercise some basic precautions when starting:
- Patch Test: Apply a small amount on your wrist or behind your ear and wait 24–48 hours. If no redness or irritation appears you can introduce it to your face.
- Consult a Professional: If you have a chronic skin condition, speak with your dermatologist first before adding any new skincare ingredients.
- Check the Full Ingredients List: While beta glucan is gentle, other components in a product (such as strong fragrances or certain alcohols) may irritate sensitive skin. Always check the label before using!
As you can see beta glucan is an unsung powerhouse skincare ingredient. It has superior moisture retention and can support your skin barrier and soothe irritated skin. Beta glucan is a great addition to your skincare routine if you have dry, ageing or sensitive skin. With time and consistent use it it can help hydrate, plump up, brighten and smooth your skin. Beta glucan also works great with other popular hydrators and anti-ageing skincare ingredients allowing you to amplify their benefits.
At City Skin Clinic, we are passionate about personalised skincare. We offer safe and effective compound skincare treatments with prescription-strength ingredients including Tretinoin and Hydroquinone where appropriate through our online skin clinic. Our doctors treat a range of conditions such as acne and scars, hyperpigmentation, melasma, skin ageing. To start your personalised skincare plan, book a virtual video consultation or use our online consultation form. The journey towards great skin starts here.
