Melatonin skin penetration and circadian repair pathway
Animated cross-section: melatonin penetrating skin layers, activating MT1/MT2 receptors, upregulating antioxidant enzymes, and triggering the 10 ROS cascade.
STRATUM CORNEUM
lipid barrier
EPIDERMIS
keratinocytes · MT1/MT2
DERMIS
fibroblasts · collagen
MELATONIN 0.5%
MT1
MT2
SOD
GPx
CAT
Amphiphilic penetration
Both water- and fat-soluble. Crosses the lipid-rich
stratum corneum without a carrier system.
Unlike purely water- or oil-soluble actives, melatonin crosses both compartments.
Receptor-mediated signalling
MT1 and MT2 receptors in keratinocytes activate
downstream repair gene expression overnight.
Skin synthesises its own melatonin — Slominski et al.
Antioxidant enzyme upregulation
Upregulates SOD, catalase, and GPx — the skin's
endogenous antioxidant defence enzymes.
Fischer TW, Kleszczynski K. Dermato-Endocrinology 2012.
The 10 ROS cascade
Melatonin → AFMK → AMK. Each metabolic step
neutralises further reactive oxygen species.
One molecule. Ten reactive species cleared — Reiter RJ et al.
Represents published ingredient research. HelioRhythm Night Serum has not been independently clinically tested.
Slominski AT et al. · Fischer TW, Kleszczynski K · Reiter RJ, Tan DX · Dreher F et al.