JULIET:
“…What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title…”

-          Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, 1600

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Lotion, butter, crème, oil, balm, salve, serum… These product names may sound like just what your dry, flaky skin is looking for, but ‘tis not the name that matters, but rather what’s in the product that makes the difference between soft, healthy, truly moisturized skin and a temporary fix that seems to work, only to leave your skin feeling even worse later on.

Now, I’m not the first greenie to tout the importance of reading a product’s ingredient label, but it’s a meaningless act if you don’t have a basic knowledge of the different types of moisturizers and how they work with your skin. This way, when you’re label-reading, you know exactly what to look for to gain the most benefit for your skin.

There are three types of moisturizing ingredients: humectants, occlusives, and emollients. It is also possible for an ingredient to serve more than one of these functions.

Humectant ingredients attract moisture (i.e. water) to the skin. Some draw it from the air, and others attract the water that is in our bodies already. The important thing to remember is that your body is designed to maintain its own balance. A humectant may help attract water to your skin, but if you’re dehydrated and the humectant is simply pulling that moisture from other cells in your body, then you’re really just robbing Peter to pay Paul. If you find that products rich in humectants result in dramatic improvement in the appearance of your skin, try increasing your daily water consumption and/or decreasing caffeine intake; betcha that helps too.

• Humectants to look for: Aloe Vera, glycerin (not for breakout prone), hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed wheat protein, vitamin E
• Humectants to Avoid:  urea, PCA, propylene glycol.

Occlusive ingredients form a physical barrier in order to prevent water loss. When the water content in your skin is too low (below 20% it’s called xerosis), its ability to repair and heal itself is impaired. While replenishing hydration itself does not heal skin, it helps restore the balance that allows skin to function properly and heal itself. This type of ingredient can be particularly helpful to people who live in harsher, drier climates or who are regularly exposed to drying elements like frequent temperature changes, airplanes, etc. Occlusives are most effective when applied immediately after bathing so that they can trap remaining moisture in the skin before it evaporates. While occlusives do aid in preventing water loss, they can also trap impurities (found in sweat and sebum) against the skin sometimes leading to plugged pores and hair follicles. Again, healthy skin produces its own natural barrier so the use of occlusives should be fairly limited. Those who find extraordinary benefit from occlusive ingredients may want to examine their soaps and other body products for ingredients that may be stripping your skin of this important layer of lipids.

• Occlusives to look for: plant derived oils (the more viscous the oil, the more occlusive), silicones (for extra-dry skin only; should not be the exclusive occlusive), natural waxes
• Occlusives to avoid: mineral oil and petrolatum (except in extreme cases), paraffin, basically anything petro-based

Emollient ingredients (the best kind, in my opinion) can provide some occlusivity as well as help soften skin. In skincare products emollients tend to be either lipids or silicones. The barrier our skin produces and maintains naturally is a hydrolipid film which is made up of sebum, water, salts, and metabolic products. When emollient ingredients are chemically and functionally similar to the ones our skin produces-like jojoba oil- they can also increase the rate of barrier repair.

• Emollients to look for: plant derived oils and butters (jojoba, coconut, shea, etc.)
• Emollients to avoid: animal fats and oils (I’m torn here- I’m ok with a little beeswax, but Lanolin grosses me out. It’s basically the sebum of sheep. ‘Nuff said), silicones in large quantities

You might have noticed that I don’t get into the frequently mentioned ability of many of these ingredients to “fill in” the spaces between skin cells, essentially pasting them back down to promote a smooth, silky look and feel. If that’s the reason you’re picking a moisturizer then it’s not really doing its job, is it? By taking care of your skin – gently exfoliating on a regular basis, using gentle cleansers that don’t strip your skin, using a light moisturizer when necessary and getting plenty of water and good fats in your diet – you can achieve soft, smooth, supple skin without slathering it with a chemical band-aid. Why pick an all-natural moisturizer?

Which would you rather have: a soup of silicones, mineral oils and glycerin with other “beneficial” ingredients added to it, or a combination of natural oils, butters and extracts that are naturally antimicrobial and rich in vitamins and antioxidants?

Next time you’re experiencing a skin conundrum, identify what the symptom is, then read the ingredient labels on your products. You might be surprised to find the culprit right there in front of you.

It’s also important to remember that the FDA requires every product ingredient be listed in descending order of predominance. Any ingredients that comprise 1% or less may be listed in any order, as long as they are listed after the ingredients of greater predominance. The exception to this is proprietary fragrance composition, which can be listed as “fragrance” or “parfum.” A good rule of thumb is this: the top third of ingredients tend to make up over 70% and the middle third around 20% and the bottom third about 10%.  Remember, though, certain ingredients don’t need to be present in large quantities to be effective. Essential oils for example often need only a few drops to be effective. Moisturizing ingredients like aloe and natural oils, on the other hand, aren’t going to do you much good if they only make up 10% of your moisturizer!

The FDA also requires that any ingredient classified as a drug/”active” (like retinoic acid, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide) be identified as such and be listed before, and separately from, the rest of the ingredients, including its concentration. For the full list of FDA cosmetic labeling requirements, click here: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/CosmeticLabelingLabelClaims/CosmeticLabelingManual/ucm126444.htm#clgl

The bottom line is, the healthier you live, the healthier your skin will be. The healthier your skin is, the less you need to put on it. And for those of us who aren’t quite perfect (like me), there are great natural products to help us when we need it.

Other Sources:

http://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/research/chemistry/57787362.html

http://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/formulating/ingredient/moisturizer/51344297.html

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/default.htm

http://dermnetnz.org/treatments/emollients.html

http://www.dermnetnz.org/doctors/principles/functions.html

http://www.makingcosmetics.com/cosmeticdictionary5-77.html

http://www.skinandaging.com/article/2766

Shayna Teicher

After nearly three years managing a bath and beauty boutique, Shayna decided to go out on her own and open Butterfly Effect, a holistic, eco-conscious beauty boutique located in Sarasota, Florida. Our very own “Beauty Chick”, read Shayna’s other intriguing articles and product reviews here.