Moisturizers do more than hydrate; they protect skin, keeping harmful aggressors out and essential moisture inside. The best moisturizers contain humectants to hydrate; barrier repair ingredients, such as ceramides and butylresorcinol; and occlusives like petrolatum that seal in moisture for maximum effectiveness.
Many products contain soothing ingredients to ease redness and irritation, so to find the ideal option for yourself it is essential to consider your skin type and concerns when making your selection.
Moisture
Water makes up two-thirds of skin tissue, so its role in keeping it hydrated is essential to maintaining skin hydration and improving appearance while treating symptoms like dryness, itchiness or oiliness.
Moisturizers are topical skin products designed to hydrate the skin. Available as lotions, creams and ointments they often include rejuvenating ingredients that improve both the look of the skin and help manage specific skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.
Moisturizers come in two varieties – occlusives and humectants. Occlusives use oils or waxes that create a barrier on the skin surface to block out water loss while humectants act like sponges absorbing it from air or underlying layers to help retain hydration for the skin.
Moisturizing skin care products often include additional minor ingredients like emulsifiers, penetration enhancers, antioxidants and preservatives to bolster functionality and ensure safety. While these may not directly influence its functionality directly, they can have cosmetic and safety impacts.
Sensitive Skin
However, unlike dry skin which is caused by factors such as dehydration or using harsh cleansers too often, sensitive skin is an internal response. It refers to skin which reacts negatively to external stimuli (allergens or chemicals) with redness, itching, flaking or other symptoms triggered by these stimuli; often this includes reddening, itching flaking rash. A compromised barrier may allow these substances into deeper layers of the epidermis, leading to further irritation.
When caring for sensitive skin, using a moisturizer that’s as gentle as possible is key to avoiding further irritation and strengthening its barrier functions. Vanicream offers a hydrating cream free from dyes, fragrances, lanolin and formaldehyde that will ensure optimal moisture levels while soothing inflammatory conditions such as rosacea or eczema with its hydrating formula.
Dry Skin
Moisturizers are one of the mainstays of every dermatologist’s arsenal for maintaining skin hydration. A lotion, cream or ointment containing moisturizing ingredients helps combat dryness while strengthening the barrier function and improving iterative healing for people of all skin types. In addition, some moisturizers also contain rejuvenating ingredients to combat visible signs of aging and restore firmness to the skin.
Dry skin is caused by trans-epidermal water loss. This occurs when water leaves deep layers of the skin to evaporate, although usually enough oil and moisture remain to balance this process. Excessive evaporation or other factors may lead to skin becoming dry.
Age, climate and harsh soaps or detergents that strip the skin’s oils can all play a part. Dry skin may also result from medical treatments like chemotherapy, dialysis or medication prescribed to you; to combat dry skin use moisturizer and drink plenty of water!
Skin Conditions
Moisturizers can provide patients with relief for various skin conditions. Lotions and creams formulated as moisturizers contain ingredients like occlusive agents that create an airtight film on the skin to reduce moisture loss, emollients that soften it further, humectants which draw water into stratum corneum layers, penetration enhancers, fragrances and preservatives; some moisturizers even feature additional functions like anti-inflammatory agents or sunscreens!
Emollients in these formulas work by filling the space between cells, according to Cleveland Clinic, making your skin feel smooth and soft. Moisturizing products such as these are helpful in replenishing oils that have been stripped from skin due to soaps and cleaning products, managing dry skin diseases like psoriasis or eczema, balancing the microbiome of skin microbes, lowering inflammation levels and acting as preventive therapies that could potentially lessen prescription medication needs or topical steroids usage.
