Ingredients To Look For In Moisturizers

Moisturising our skin is essential when it comes to skincare. It provides the necessary moisture for the adequate functioning of our skin and helps to make our skin soft and smooth. Moisturising allows us to lock in all the goodness and hydration from the previous products applied in our skincare routines such as serums, essences and toners. It helps to plump the skin and increase the cell turnover rate. Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients that you must notice while buying moisturisers.

Read on to know more.

Humectants:

Humectants are chemicals which allow moisture from the deeper layers of the skin to come to the surface in order to hydrate the skin. They act as magnets and attract moisture to the areas that need moisture. They may even pull moisture from the environment into our skin. They increase the amount of water the epidermis can potentially hold. Humectants also repair dry and damaged skin by hydrating and reducing irritations. Synthetic humectants bring up moisture from the deeper layers without replenishing those layers and generally should be avoided. Natural humectants are more skin friendly, and allow the replenishment of moisture in our skin.

1. Hyaluronic Acid:

Hyaluronic acid is one of the main ingredients in a moisturiser. It is already present in our skin and acts as a humectant. But due to the harsh climate, it may not be enough to restore the skin to a healthy state. Many products contain hyaluronic acid which is a great ingredient, especially for anti-aging.

2. Glycerine:
Glycerine is a natural humectant and is found to be cheaper than products that contain hyaluronic acid. It helps in restoring the normal hydration levels and skin elasticity. The moisturising effects of glycerine are also long lasting.

3. Honey:

Honey is used as a naturally available humectant in hair care products. It is an excellent ingredient in encouraging the growth of new tissues and repairing the old tissues. It attracts and retains moisture from the surrounding environment. Other humectants are the much simpler compounds like amino acids, sugars and collagen.

Emollients:

For people with eczema or psoriasis, emollients are a must. They help to fill in the dry cracks and patches that form on our skin, making our skin look healthier and moisturised. They also decide the thickness of Moisturisers.

1. Vegetable Oils:

Vegetable oils help to soothe and soften the skin. It is a must have ingredient for people with dry skin. Oils also help in the absorption of other ingredients present in the moisturiser. They also have antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

2. Ceramides:

Ceramides are a kind of lipids found in the outer membrane of our cells. It also helps to prevent the loss of moisture from cells. They also act as antibacterial agents and protect our skin against environmental pollution. Over time, the level of ceramides in our cells decreases, and such products help us to make up for that loss.

3. Butter:

Butter are just like oils, except they are thicker and richer as they contain a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids. Butter like shea butter and cocoa butter are excellent emollients. They provide a thick texture to the product and melt into the skin with the warmth of our body temperature. Other substitutes for such butter include mango butter, kokum butter etc. Butter are quite heavy, and may not suit oily skin. Other emollients include lanolin, paraffin etc.

Occlusives:

Occlusives help in the moisturization process by forming a film on the surface of our skin and preventing water loss. It does not contribute to moisturisation but, helps in preventing the further loss of existing moisture in our skin.

1. Petroleum Jelly:

Petroleum jelly is widely used as an occlusive agent in skincare products. It is capable of blocking 98% of water loss from our skin. In its purest form, it is one of the most important occlusive agents used in skincare and cosmetic products.

2. Beeswax:

A common ingredient in lip balms and body butter, beeswax is a wax ester. It acts as an occlusive agent as well as a stabiliser. It is a gelling agent, and unlike petroleum jelly, is a natural ingredient. Along with other ingredients such as olive oil, the increasing effects have amazing benefits for our skin.

3. Olive Oil:

Olive oil is especially great for normal skin types. Olive oil also helps to smoothen out and nourish our skin as it is a great source of antioxidants. Other occlusive agents include zinc oxide, squalene, lecithin etc.

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