The present application relates to compositions and methods for treating skin disorders, dry skin, and protection of skin in inflammatory events. The present application more particularly discloses the identification of new genes and metabolic pathways involved in skin disorders, which provide novel targets and approaches for treating said disorders and for screening biologically active compounds. The present invention also provides various products and constructs, such as probes, primers, vectors, recombinant cells, which can be used to implement the above methods. The invention may be used to detect or treat various skin disorders, particularly dry and inflammatory skin disorders, in various subjects, including mammalian subjects, particularly human beings.