HUMECTANTS AND EMOLLIENTS

Do you know what the difference is between a humectant and an emollient (softener)? And which raw materials fall into which category? Not sure? Then this topic is intended just for you.

Probably the main goal we want to achieve thanks to natural cosmetics is beautiful, radiant, silky and hydrated skin.

How can humectants and emollients help us with this?

Humectants are substances that we call humectants in cosmetics. A humectant attracts and retains moisture from the air and absorbs it (in contrast, drying products also attract water but do not absorb it, and through condensation they create a film on the surface). This general theory is not too far from the truth in actual cosmetic practice. Except that in cosmetic products humectants do not primarily draw water from the air, but rather from the deeper layers of the skin in order to hydrate the surface.

What, however, happens if through regular use it keeps pulling water “from below”?

This question is more than appropriate. When the wrong humectants are used, this really does happen over time and the result is that the lower layers of the skin are deprived of hydration, the skin dries out and “buckles”, which merely causes wrinkles – exactly what you basically wanted to avoid by using a humectant, or you even started using a humectant specifically to fight pronounced wrinkles.

View of a woman’s hands in water, the whole photo has a pale blue tint and bubbles all around.

How to choose the right humectant for your formulations?

Whether you want to make your own product using a humectant or you are just a “consumer” of natural cosmetics, it is important that you know how to navigate the offer or read the contents of the label of the purchased product to see which humectants are beneficial for your skin.

Synthetic humectants

Synthetic humectants are cheaper than natural ones, and that is precisely why manufacturers of cosmetic products like to use them so much. However, their initial WOW effect of hydrated skin is over time replaced by damaged and dry skin. These humectants draw water from deeper layers; to some extent they do prevent water loss, but ultimately they do not supply the skin with any nutrients, and therefore, in the long run, the skin starts to age and sag.

Let us give a few examples of synthetic humectants:

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

A water-based raw material that can retain moisture, but at the same time dries out the lower layers of the skin and in some cases can irritate sensitive skin and cause rashes and redness.

PEG

We wrote in detail about polyethylene glycols – petroleum-based compounds used in cosmetic products – in our blog article What is PEG free?

SILICONES

They are present in almost all products, precisely for the effect of soft and smooth skin, but they also prevent the skin from “breathing” and over time can result in dry and irritated skin with possible acne.

Natural humectants

Natural humectants help not only to draw water to the surface of the skin, but also to deliver hydration and nutrients to deeper layers, which helps the skin to stay regularly hydrated.

ALOE VERA GEL

Whether in the form of juice, a ready-made gel or the fresh gel-like part of the plant itself, it penetrates deep and quickly into the skin, hydrating it on the surface and at lower levels.

HONEY

Honey has a natural ability to retain water and hydrates without creating a greasy feeling.

HYALURONIC ACID

It has a natural ability to retain water and can act according to the level of moisture (low molecular weight, medium molecular weight and high molecular weight). You can find out more about this popular raw material in our article Hyaluronic acid.

GLYCERIN

It occurs naturally in every living cell, so it is easily absorbed by the skin. It can retain water really well and works in such a way that it finds a balance between the water content in the air and in the skin. In addition, the structure of glycerin is perfect for skin care, because it glides smoothly and evenly over it.

So what is the fundamental difference between humectants and emollients?

While humectants have the task of “attracting” moisture, emollients create a protective film that traps it – so primarily they prevent water loss.

They are also called emollients and are applied topically to the skin in order to soothe, hydrate, treat and protect skin cells affected by various skin problems such as redness, burning, itching, irritation, flakiness. They are also used to alleviate longer-term skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or ichthyosis.

BODY AND FACIAL LOTIONS AND WATERS

These products are an excellent choice for providing hydration to large areas, whether of the hair, face or whole body. The negative aspect is that they do not provide exceptional moisturisation of the skin.

CREAMS

An excellent choice for daily hydration, suitable for those who find a greasy feeling unpleasant – most creams no longer have an undesirable greasy texture.

OINTMENTS

They are an excellent choice for extra dry skin or parts of it, with the negative aspect of a greasy feeling being balanced by an extra dose of hydration. They are therefore recommended to be applied at night.

SPRAYS

The spray effect is a great gentle option for applying a hydrating component, especially in cases where the condition of the skin is so severe that it is not recommended to introduce the component by rubbing in or other contact.

SOAP SUBSTITUTES

Here we include various skin care products that are an alternative to daily care in the form of soaps, which can dry out or worsen the condition of damaged skin.

All these products are rinseable, therefore, to ensure all-day hydration you can apply them 4–5 times a day, and you can alternate their use. They are not medicinal products, such as corticosteroid ointments which contain an active substance with a specific dosage. In the case of softening products you do not have to worry about dangerous adverse effects from “overdosing”. If it happens by mistake that you apply an excessive amount, you simply wash the product off.

The best-known emollients (softeners) are:

- shea butter
- cocoa butter
- beeswax
- lanolin
- squalane – olive or sugarcane
- cosmetic oils – for example olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil

In principle, plant waxes and other vegetable oils and butters with a high content of oleic acid are also an excellent choice. Their hydrating effect is very effective; however, as stand-alone ingredients they create a heavy and greasy feeling on the body due to their high “fat content”, so the best choice in formulations is to combine them with products that have a lighter form, especially with regard to your skin type.

All these substances, together with humectants in your formulations, prevent so-called transepidermal water loss, thereby helping to keep the skin hydrated, soft and radiant.

The article was prepared for you by

Martina Oboňová

Please send us any observations and suggestions to marketing@handymade.sk