Achieving and maintaining well-hydrated skin is a primary goal for many individuals in their skincare routines. To effectively quench the skin's thirst, a variety of hydrating ingredients have gained popularity. Understanding the role of these ingredients is an important first step in choosing the right skincare products for your skin's unique needs.
Understanding Dry Skin and the Importance of Hydration
Dry skin is often the result of a weakened skin barrier. This protective layer is the body’s first line of defense against the external environment, keeping moisture in and harmful elements out. Research indicates that factors such as low humidity, cold temperatures, age, pre-existing skin conditions, and certain medications can influence the skin’s moisture barrier. Daily habits can also play a significant role in skin barrier function and, therefore, potential skin dryness. Dry skin can manifest as tightness, itchiness, and discomfort, often appearing dull, flaky, or rough-textured.
Everyone’s dry skin is unique, so it’s important to find what works best for your individual skin’s needs. Working with a board-certified dermatologist is the best way to get one-on-one advice and treatment options for relieving dry skin. The Mayo Clinic, for example, recommends choosing fragrance-free and non-comedogenic skincare products. They also recommend keeping showers short (5-10 minutes) and using lukewarm (not hot) water when bathing. A daily skincare regimen that includes ceramides may also be beneficial for dry skin, such as CeraVe’s range of products, which are formulated with three essential ceramides to lock in moisture and help maintain your skin’s protective barrier.
The Three Pillars of Moisturizing Ingredients
There are three main types of moisturizing ingredients found in skincare products: humectants, occlusives, and emollients.
Humectants: The Moisture Magnets
Humectants work by attracting water into the skin, drawing moisture from the air and deeper layers of the skin to the outer layer. This provides a plumping and moisturizing effect.
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Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid (HA), also known as a glycosaminoglycan, is a sugar naturally produced by the body. It is renowned for its exceptional ability to attract and retain moisture, holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Since hyaluronic acid naturally decreases with age, including it in a daily dry skin routine can be beneficial.
Glycerin: Also known as glycerol, glycerin is a classic ingredient known to draw moisture into the skin. It is a natural humectant that attracts moisture into the skin.
Aloe Vera: Renowned for its soothing and moisture-attracting properties.
Honey: a hydrating ingredient.
Gelatin: a hydrating ingredient.
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Urea: a hydrating ingredient.
Sorbitol: a hydrating ingredient.
Panthenol: a hydrating ingredient.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids: AHAs are hydrating ingredients.
Emollients: Smoothing and Softening Agents
Emollients fill in the spaces in your skin that are missing moisture, essentially smoothing roughness. They help create a soft, supple, and smooth complexion.
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Shea Butter: This creamy emollient ingredient comes from the nuts of the shea tree. It is rich and nourishing, absorbs easily, and moisturizes dryness.
Squalene: A plant-derived oil that helps prevent moisture loss and protects the skin. It absorbs easily into your skin.
Ceramides: Ceramides are an important part of the stratum corneum, the skin’s natural protective barrier. They are skin-mimicking lipids that strengthen the skin's barrier to prevent moisture loss and dehydration. They exist between your skin cells, helping to seal the barrier shut, which both keeps hydration in and keeps potential irritants out. Research shows that, when applied topically, skincare products with ceramides can help hydrate your skin, lock in moisture, and support a strong, healthy skin barrier.
Fatty Alcohols: Fatty alcohols like cetyl and stearyl alcohol can actually be moisturizing. These ingredients are found naturally in the skin’s moisture barrier and help prevent water loss. The fatty alcohols you’ll find in skin-care products are often extracts from plant or vegetable oils.
Urea (in lower concentrations): As a part of your skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF), urea (also known as carbamide) can help support your skin’s moisture barrier.
Occlusives: The Barrier Builders
Occlusives seal in hydration by forming a protective layer on the skin's surface and minimize water loss. They are natural barrier-builders.
Petrolatum: Also known as petroleum jelly, petrolatum is a rich-textured skin protectant that creates a physical barrier on top of your skin-effectively sealing in moisture. This ingredient, which can be found in many ointments, helps protect skin as it recovers from cracking, chafing, and extreme dryness. Often found in heavy creams and ointments.
Beeswax: A natural barrier that locks in moisture.
Dimethicone: According to the Cleveland Clinic, dimethicone is the second most popular ingredient used in moisturizers for dry skin-such as body lotions, hand and foot creams, and ointments. This silicone-based ingredient, which is often used as a skin protectant, can help reduce skin dryness (especially during the harsh, dry winter months). It also helps create the silky, smooth texture that allows your moisturizers to glide easily over your skin. A type of silicone that prevents transepidermal water loss.
Mineral oil: Occlusive that form a layer on the skin to prevent water loss.
Lanolin: Occlusive that form a layer on the skin to prevent water loss. If a person has dry skin, the AADA recommends they use an ointment or cream containing lanolin.
Additional Hydrating Ingredients and Their Benefits
Niacinamide: When used as part of a consistent skincare routine, this water-soluble B vitamin can help calm and hydrate your skin. It also helps support a complexion that appears firm, smooth, and even-textured texture. Niacinamide works by helping to reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Lactic Acid: Lactic acid is often considered an ideal AHA for dry skin, as it’s generally viewed as one of the most gentle chemical exfoliants. Plus, it includes additional hydrating benefits.
Protein Rejuvenators: These are proteins that replenish essential proteins that may rejuvenate the skin. Examples include collagen, keratin, and elastin.
Hydration vs. Moisture: Understanding the Difference
A simple way to differentiate these terms is to remember that hydration refers to water while moisture refers to oil. Hydrating ingredients literally add hydration-water-into the skin. Moisturizing ingredients, on the other hand, help keep that hydration in the skin by preventing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), the process by which water evaporates from your skin. Many products marketed as “moisturizers” have both moisturizing and hydrating properties.
Choosing the Right Products for Your Skin Type
The right combination of hydrating and moisturizing ingredients for your skin will depend on your skin type and the concerns you’re trying to address. Skin that tends to be dry will likely need both hydrating and moisturizing ingredients, whereas with oily skin, more occlusive moisturizing ingredients may cause breakouts. (For the record, all skin needs at least some help with moisturizing.)
The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) recommends that people pick products formulated for their skin type, such as dry or oily.
The AADA advises choosing skin care products based on an individual’s skin type. This involves looking for products that have specific formulations for the following skin types:
- oily
- normal
- dry
- combination
- sensitive
For aging skin, the AADA recommends choosing products that are hypoallergenic. This means they do not trigger an allergic reaction. It also advocates selecting products that are non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic, meaning they do not cause acne.
Tips for Keeping Skin Hydrated and Healthy
Aside from using skin care products, a person can take various steps to keep their skin hydrated and healthy. The AADA encourages people to:
- Apply sunscreen before going outdoors: This prevents sun damage.
- Check skin regularly for skin cancer: If an individual can catch cancer early, it is highly treatable.
- Not smoke: Smoking may accelerate the aging process.
- Not scrub the skin: Harsh scrubs can irritate the skin, causing redness and breakouts.
- Gently cleanse the face: Wet the face with lukewarm water, then apply a mild cleanser with the fingertips, using gentle circular motions. Rinse off the cleanser and pat the skin dry with a clean cloth.
- Wash face upon arising, before going to bed, and after perspiring: This helps remove bacteria, grime, and pollutants.
- Manage stress: Because stress can trigger flare-ups of many skin conditions, engaging in stress-reduction techniques can help.
If a person has dry skin, the AADA recommends they:
- bathe or shower with warm rather than hot water
- limit time in the bath or shower to 5 minutes
- use a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser
- apply moisturizers immediately after washing
- use an ointment or cream containing one or more of the following: shea butter, glycerin, jojoba oil, lanolin, petrolatum, hyaluronic acid
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