Water is essential to healthy, vibrant complexion. There are various methods available for hydrating skin; some yield better results than others.
Hydration can be achieved through drinking plenty of water, applying hydrating masks or serums, and using occlusives such as petroleum jelly or beeswax on your skin.
Emollients
Emollients are oil-based skin healing ingredients, used to soften dry, flaky skin and make it feel softer and smoother. Emollients form a healing film composed of natural fats (technically called lipids), which seal in water while simultaneously maintaining skin hydration levels – unlike occlusives which form barriers against moisture entering the body. They can be found in numerous products including lotions, ointments, and sprays.
Research indicates that using emollients can help the skin stay moisturized, alleviate eczema symptoms and diminish signs of aging, while also serving to prevent and treat skin irritation like radiation treatment burns and diaper rash. When selecting an emollient it’s important to choose one suited to your lifestyle – for instance a hand cream may be most appropriate for someone who frequently washes their hands. For optimal results use it after bathing/showering while your skin is still damp then rub it in gently before repeating throughout the day as needed.
Occlusives
As the body’s personal moisture lock, occlusive ingredients create a protective barrier over the surface of skin to reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). They’re particularly beneficial in soothing dry or dehydrated complexions since they help stop water from leaving their bodies through transepidermal water loss (TEWL). These skincare ingredients provide ideal solutions for dry or dehydrated complexions – helping stop it escaping out through its pores!
Occlusive ingredients such as shea butter, mineral oil and petrolatum are examples of occlusives; when combined with humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid they work even better as an effective solution. Occlusives can be found in products ranging from ointments to sleeping masks – particularly during winter months when your skin can be particularly parched due to cold weather, indoor heating systems or air pollution.
Occlusive products are great at moisturizing dry or dehydrated complexions, but their thick consistency can make it challenging for oily or acne-prone skin types, as it tends to clog their pores. To minimize product buildup and enhance absorption, apply moisturizers on slightly damp skin in order to increase absorption and prevent product accumulation.
Humectants
Your skin fights an invisible battle each day to remain hydrated, and if this fight goes undefeated, your complexion may suffer as a result. Rough patches appear, fine lines become more evident, and that healthy glow dissipates away. But there is hope in humectants: they provide powerful solutions.
Humectants are essential moisture-retaining agents that will help you attain that youthful, bouncy complexion you have been striving to attain. These agents play an integral part in making sure other ingredients like antioxidants and vitamins penetrate the skin as well.
Honey, aloe vera, glycerin and propylene glycol are among the more commonly known humectants; however, some of the best humectants come directly from your own cells such as hyaluronic acid which has the ability to hold 1000 times its own weight in water molecules! Hyaluronic acid also known for plumping up skin texture and tone – you’ll often find products targeting dry skin that contain this ingredient.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a type of polymer molecule with long and complex chains called polymers, and as such offers plenty of spots where other chemical compounds, like water molecules can attach. Because of this ability to hold onto other substances like water molecules a quarter teaspoon of hyaluronic acid can hold roughly 1.5 gallons of it – making it an amazing hydrating ingredient!
Hyaluronic acid can fill in any gaps between skin cells to make them look plumper and more youthful when applied topically, but only if used regularly; “you need to apply it every day in order for it to really work,” as Rebecca states.
Hyaluronic acid can also be taken orally in the form of dietary supplements and pills, and as an intra-articular injection to provide pain relief from osteoarthritis of the knee. However, its safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding remains uncertain; please check with your healthcare provider prior to using it as side effects may include allergic reactions and inflammation where applied.
