Moisturizing Agents: Do You Know The Difference?
Moisturizing Agents: Do You Know The Difference?
Are you the kind of person who skips the moisturizing step during your skincare routine because you don’t like how creams look or feel on your skin? Or perhaps because you don’t think they work on your skin type? What if we tell you that there is more than one kind of moisturizer, and maybe you just haven’t found the right one for you?
In the same way that drinking water is essential to keep the correct hydration levels in your body, applying moisturizing products is necessary to replace the lost moisture and keep the skin healthy and radiant. For this reason, today, we will tell you everything to know about different types of moisturizers and how you can choose the most suitable for your skin. Come see!
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOISTURIZERS
Moisturizers can be divided into three main categories: humectants, emollients, and occlusives. With different properties, each one is recommended to treat different objectives. Check these differences below.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MOISTURIZING AGENTS
HUMECTANTS
Humectant agents are highly hydrophilic, meaning they have the capacity to attract water from the middle layer of our skin - the dermis - to retain it in the epidermis, which is the outer layer, the skin’s protective barrier. They also attract humidity from the air in adequate conditions. They are perfect for all skin types, especially oily and mature skin.
Examples of Natural Humectants: hyaluronic acid, alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) - such as glycolic acid -, sugar alcohols - such as glycerin and xylitol -, D-panthenol, sea salt, aloe vera.
Simple Organic Humectant moisturizers: Hyaluronic Acid Facial Moisturizer, Eye Balm.
EMOLLIENTS
Emollients help soften the external layer of skin, leaving it nice and smooth, and because of this, they are great for preventing fine lines and wrinkles. The emollient agents spread effortlessly on the skin and fill in the gaps between the cells, which is essential to dry and eczema-prone skin. Additionally, they form a film over the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (water evaporation from the skin) and, consequently, increases the amount of water on the epidermis.
Opposite to humectants, they are hydrophobic substances that repel water and hinder its evaporation. Another benefit is their capacity to offer nutrition to all skin types, especially dry ones.
Examples of Natural Emollients: emollient ingredients are usually vegetable oils (such as rosehip, copaiba, and coconut oils), butter, fatty acids and alcohols, squalane, and others.
Simple Organic emollient moisturizers: Rosehip Oil, BBA oil, Facial Blending and Vitamin C Body Moisturizer.
OCCLUSIVES
Occlusive agents are ingredients that create a physical barrier on the outer layer of the skin and stop water loss to the environment. But watch out: they are usually based on problematic ingredients such as petrolatum, silicones, and mineral oils. And due to their thick and heavy consistency, they will block other substances that you may wish to apply next. Luckily, there are natural alternatives for this kind of agent. And they are perfect for dry and sensitive skin!
Examples of Natural Occlusives: some vegetable oils, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, castor oil, and tocopherol.
Simple Organic Occlusive Moisturizers: Primer Blur Effect, Eye Balm, and Lip Care Serum.