Hydration is essential in maintaining soft, plumped skin that looks its best. Skin hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid (which holds 1,000 times its weight in water) and glycerin help increase moisture content in skin and help it remain at an optimum level.
Maintaining optimal skin hydration requires consistency and products tailored to your individual needs. A skincare routine consisting of gentle cleanser, toner and moisturizer will be key in helping keep your complexion healthy and vibrant.
Humectants
Humectants are moisture-retaining ingredients found in cosmetic and personal care products with hydration claims such as conditioners, lotions, cleansers or lip balms.
Glycerin, a natural substance found in human and animal tissues as well as food sources like plants and food sources, is the go-to humectant. An effective moisturizer for dry skin, it also strengthens the barrier function. Glycerin often comes paired with other occlusives like urea to help prevent water evaporation by adding an oily layer onto skin surfaces to keep moisture locked into cells.
Another form of humectants are alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic and lactic acids, which serve as natural exfoliators to remove dead skin cells from the surface, leaving skin feeling smoother and softer. Other humectants include sugar alcohols sorbitol and mannitol; polydextrose; propylene glycol; salts of ortho-, di- and tri-hydroxy fatty acids; as well as carbohydrate thickeners like agar and carrageenan.
Emollients
Emollients are an integral component of treating dry skin. By helping break the cycle of itching and inflammation, emollients can break free from its grip on us all while preventing cracking and infection from the inside out. Available in various formulations – such as thick ointments, oily creams or lighter gels and sprays – they offer relief without harming or breaking apart your complexion.
Emollient bath and shower oils (such as cetomacrogol and glycerine) can hydrate skin by coating it in an oil film and trapping moisture in its core, while specifically-formulated products may even offer antimicrobial and anti-itch benefits.
Leave-on emollients can be used as soap substitutes during showering and bathing (although during the Covid-19 pandemic it was advised only water be used). Apply it while your skin is still damp before drying off completely – lotions, creams and gels have a light occlusive effect lasting 1-4 hours, while heavier occlusives (ointments and sprays) have up to 8 hour effects; both should be smoothed on evenly rather than rubbed into the skin for optimal effects.
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid, a type of glycosaminoglycan, is an endogenous component in human skin and other tissues, possessing great water-retaining capacity and known to contribute to skin hydration, tissue repair, wound healing, cell migration/proliferation/proliferation as well as immune responses. It has also been demonstrated to play an integral part in tissue healing processes as well as immune reactions.
Hyaluronic acid can be found in many beauty products, from topical serums and moisturizers to oral supplements and injectables. Your dermatologist can suggest one that best meets your skin type and needs.
Hyaluronic acid can act as both a humectant and an enhancer, stimulating collagen and elastin production to make skin firmer while simultaneously decreasing fine lines and wrinkles.
Topical application of sodium hyaluronate, more commonly found in serums and creams as sodium hyaluronate, can aid in healing wounds by moisturizing damaged skin. To ensure maximum effectiveness of treatment it’s advised that skin be cleansed and debrided prior to applying HA directly onto wound. Excessive rubbing must be avoided; instead sterile dressings should then be applied around it for support.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a powerful humectant that can hydrate your skin by drawing water from its lower layers of the dermis and drawing it to its surface, thus slowing evaporation of moisture from your surface and helping prevent dehydration. This can be especially helpful for dry skin because glycerin helps slow evaporation from your surface as well as dehydration from happening so quickly, relieving dehydration symptoms faster.
Cleansers containing charcoal powder can be beneficial to individuals with acne-prone skin as it won’t clog their pores or cause irritation, while as a moisturizer or body lotion it provides all-around moisture without leaving oily patches behind.
For optimal results, apply products containing glycerin on slightly damp skin so that its humectants have something to bind onto. Studies have demonstrated that applying both glycerin and hyaluronic acid together significantly increased hydration for up to 24 hours more than creams that contain only one. Glycerin also strengthens skin barrier protection ensuring your outer layer remains resistant against environmental stresses or irritations.
