Butters, oils & waxes: moisturising is key

Our skin deals with constant misfortunes. From daily life damage to sun exposure to product irritants, one thing is always needed: moisturisation. According to a 2020 survey published by Statistica, using data from a Simmons National Consumer Survey, 25.45 million Americans use a moisturiser on their face at least 14 times a week.1 With this type of constant usage, it is important for us to make sure the ingredients in our moisturiser are doing the proper job.  

We need to moisturise. It keeps our skin hydrated and protected from the outside environment and all the daily struggles our body experiences. Moisturising is a crucial step in everyone’s skin care routine and is a staple that will only continue to prove its importance. The overall goal of moisturiser is to keep the skin soft, protected, and promote healthy skin elasticity.2 But what really is a moisturiser and what goes into it that allows our skin to feel soft and refreshed?

The key categories of moisturiser ingredients are emollients, occlusives, and humectants which can sometimes include others such as cationic surfactant/polymers and silicones. Moisturisers can coat the skin, limit transepidermal water loss, or attract water to the skin, making them an important ingredient in skin care. Emollients and occlusives can be added to creams, lotions, gels, and balms which allow our skin to experience greater benefits in multiple ways. In this article, the focus will be on emollients, such as shea butter and oils, and occlusives, such as a vegetable alternative to lanolin wax.