Cleansers as well as moisturizers are the key components to maintaining a healthy and a youthful skin. Cleansing helps to remove dirt, grime, as well as dead skin cells. But cleansers have a harmful effect too on the skin as they dry it out. On the other hand, moisturizers not only increase the water content of the skin, but also protect the skin as well as encourage an orderly shedding process, making the skin appear smoother.
There is an amazing number of moisturizers available in the market. Most of these claim to have properties that no other moisturizer would have. The key ingredients in moisturizers include humectants, occlusives, besides emollients, as well as miscellaneous ingredients.
Humectants in moisturizers attract water from the dermis into the epidermis. This increases the water content in the epidermis. These include glycerin. The end effect of this ingredient is more consistent shedding of the outer layer of skin, resulting in smoother-looking skin.
Occlusives are ingredients that increase the water content of the skin. This is done by slowing of the evaporation of water from the skin surface. These ingredients of the moisturizers are often greasy. Thus, they are most effective when they are applied to damp skin. Mineral oil is commonly used due to its favorable texture. Other examples are Lanolin, which is quite expensive and can be potentially irritating.
Emollients are those ingredients in the moisturizers that remain in the skin in order to act as lubricants. They help to maintain the soft, smooth, as well as pliable appearance of the skin. The type of emollient that is used in a moisturizer helps to play a key role in the smooth feeling that imparted to the skin after application.
The miscellaneous ingredients are sometimes added to moisturizers in order to create a special effect on the skin. This includes enhancing the appearance of dry or damaged skin. These include citric acid, tartaric acid, and many more.
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