Humectants, emollients, and occlusives are all moisturizing agents. Moisturizing your skin is very important for it to stay healthy. If you moisturize it, you reduce your chances of experiencing various skin problems. It keeps your skin youthful with fewer wrinkles and fine lines and, believe it or not, helps fight acne. The three moisturizing agents work differently and are beneficial in their unique ways. Each group is suitable for specific skin types, while some can be good for all.
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Humectants
From skincare to hair and body care, humectants are present in various formulations. Humectants can attract and retain moisture in your skin. Different types of humectants exist, and they all work quite differently. Some work well for your skin, others for your hair and vice versa.
How do humectants work?
Humectants attract water molecules into your skin and are absorbed into the upper layer. Your skin draws moisture from the environment. They all have different mechanisms by which they work; some increase your skin’s moisture retention, while others exfoliate.
Common humectant ingredients you may have heard of?
- Glycerin: It is by far one of the most famous humectants that exist because of how relatively inexpensive it is. Glycerin increases the hydration of your skin, which helps with dryness immensely. Surprisingly it can act as an emollient (skin softening) too. Glycerin can sometimes feel a bit tacky on the skin, but with time it absorbs well. In terms of hair, it helps retain moisture, decreases dandruff, and reduces breakage.
- Hyaluronic acid: The essence of humectants is embodied in hyaluronic acid, as it draws moisture from the environment and attracts it to the skin’s top layer. It significantly reduces dryness, speeds wound healing and diminishes fine lines and wrinkles. Hair flourishes with hyaluronic acid because it reduces frizz, increases volume, and alleviates a dry and itchy scalp.
- Urea: People with dry and eczema-prone skin can apply urea to alleviate their symptoms. Apart from drawing moisture from the environment, urea also acts as an emollient and smooths and softens dry and rough skin. It potentially stings your skin if it has cracks, so be careful when using it. On the scalp, urea is used to relieve dryness and itchiness.
- Lactic acid: Unlike most humectants, lactic acid helps increase your skin’s moisture. Meaning it helps your skin stay hydrated; how lovely is that? It stimulates collagen production, which keeps your skin looking plump and healthy. Other benefits include reducing fine lines and wrinkles and brightening and softening your skin.
- Salicylic acid: Salicylic acid is oil-soluble. It can penetrate deep into your pores and bind to their excess oil and the dead skin cells and dirt to unclog them. This in itself increases your skin’s ability to attract and retain more moisture into your skin, and that is why it also has the properties of a humectant.
- Panthenol: This is a favorite humectant of mine because it feels so comfortable on the skin. It retains moisture in your skin as well as acts as an emollient.
- Propylene glycol can do many things, making it a powerful ingredient. It retains moisture, boosts the efficacy of other ingredients because of its excellent binding properties, and reduces fine lines and wrinkles.
- Others: There are so many more humectants that exist, and here is a list of the others- aloe vera, lecithin, honey, butylene glycol, allantoin, collagen, mandelic acid, sodium hyaluronate, and so many more.
What skin type are humectants best suited to?
All skin types can benefit from increasing humectants in a regimen. They generally do not clog your pores, so you can use them even if you have oily skin. So humectants are a very effective way to moisturize your skin, especially if you have oily or combination skin.
Urea is usually recommended for people with extremely dry and eczema-prone skin. It should be used with caution because it may sting.
Emollients
Have you ever used a product on your skin and instantly felt relief, especially when it was dry? It has emollients and moisturizing agents that soften and soothe your skin. When your skin is dry, cracks can form on the top layer.
Emollients contain lipids and fats that fill up the cracks and smoothen the top layer of your skin. They are usually found in lotions, creams, soaps, ointments, leave-on products, and sprays.
How do emollients work?
Emollients create a thin film on the surface of your skin, trapping moisture. They treat dry, itchy skin and conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and scaly skin.
Common emollient ingredients you may have heard of?
- Petrolatum: Derived from petroleum and famously known as petroleum jelly. When adequately refined, it is safe for your skin. Still, many over-the-counter products contain harmful chemicals, which give the ingredient a bit of a “shady reputation.” Its benefits include wound healing, and it helps moisturize dry skin. People with oily skin should not use it because it can be too heavy.
- Lanolin: Originally derived from sheep, lanolin is a waxy substance. It is so gentle, and besides providing much-needed moisture for the skin, it acts as a barrier by preventing moisture loss without clogging pores because it forms a non-occlusive barrier.
- Mineral oil: A lot of commercial products contain it. Dry skin can benefit from mineral oil because it is very effective at locking in moisture, mainly when applied to damp skin. The result will be soft, healthy skin, especially during the dry winter.
- Dimethicone: Dimethicone is a silicone-based emollient that has multiple properties. It is an emollient suitable for acne-prone skin because it does not clog your pores. It has a non-greasy texture and excellent moisturizing properties. All skin types can benefit from it, including dry and scaly skin and oily and combination skin.
What skin type is best suited to emollients?
People with skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, as well as dry, chapped, scaly, and rashy skin, are to use emollients. Oily and acne-prone skin types should avoid using them as they may clog pores. Still, some exceptions apply because they relate to the product’s formulation. But in general, most skin types tolerate them well.
Lanolin has shown some allergy symptoms in some individuals, so do a patch test before using products containing it to avoid harmful side effects.
Occlusives
An occlusive is a moisturizing agent that forms a protective coating on the skin’s surface. Because they have moisture-sealing properties, many oils are considered occlusives. They tend to be oily or waxy, and some emollients act as occlusives.
How do occlusives work?
Keeping moisture within your skin, occlusives prevent harmful particles from entering. They keep your skin hydrated by reducing transepidermal water loss.
Common occlusive ingredients you may have heard of?
- Beeswax: Beeswax is a wax that is produced by honey bees. It creates a protective layer on your skin, can act as a humectant, and has natural exfoliating properties. It is usually used on formulations requiring thick consistency, such as lip balms and lotion bars.
- Olive oil: Derived from olives, olive oil is rich in antioxidants making it suitable for aging skin. As well as being anti-inflammatory, it helps repair damaged skin tissue and protect the skin from severe dryness.
- Tamanu oil: A not-so-popular oil in the market but with excellent benefits when used on your skin. The tamanu tree produces tamanu oil. It can make collagen in your skin and aid in wound healing from sunburns and other minor burns on the skin. It also reduces the appearance of scars.
- Squalane: Just like the natural oils in your skin, squalane is very similar. This property makes it an excellent emollient for most skin types. Squalane has many benefits, such as softening the texture of your skin, reducing the appearance of dark marks and scars, oil control, soothing irritations, and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Castor oil: Castor beans produce Castor oil. Castor oil contains fatty acids that improve the skin’s barrier. They help improve your skin’s lipid barrier. It is a star at moisturizing your skin, reducing acne, soothing sunburnt skin, and reducing wrinkles and fine lines.
- Shea butter: The fat extracted from a shea nut is called butter. It is anti-inflammatory, wound healing, boosts moisture in your skin, and is filled with antioxidants that reduce signs of aging. Shea butter also helps to fight acne.
- Cocoa butter: Cocoa butter is the fat extracted from the cocoa bean. Many products for pregnant women and stretch marks contain it since it helps improve your skin’s elasticity. It is also moisturizing and nourishing for your skin and heals scars.
- Occlusives that are also emollients: mineral oil, lanolin, and petrolatum.
- Other occlusives: safflower oil, argan oil, jojoba oil.
What skin type are occlusives best suited for?
Occlusives are suitable if you have extremely dry, irritated skin or eczema. Since they create a barrier on the skin, they cause pores to clog and breakouts.
The product may irritate your skin if you apply it too thickly or already oily. If you have oily skin and insist on using occlusives, ensure that your products are non-comedogenic (they do not clog pores) before you use/buy them.
What is the difference between humectants, emollients, and occlusives?
Humectants are water magnets, so they attract water to the upper layer of your skin from the environment and help to moisturize it. Emollients soften and soothe your skin by filling the cracked upper layer with fats and lipids. Occlusives form a thin film on your skin by trapping the moisture and acting as a barrier preventing harmful particles from entering your skin.
I have a post on the different alpha hydroxy acids that exist and which one you should use for your skin type! Have a read and find out.
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