Hydrating and Moisturizing Ingredients List and Dictionary
There are several categories of hydrating and moisturizing ingredients found in moisturizers. There is not one best moisturizing ingredient in face and body creams. The best moisturizers have a combination of several types of moisturizing ingredients.
Different types of moisturizers contain various combinations of ingredients from these categories. The best moisturizing ingredients for you depends upon your Baumann Skin Type, so take the skin type quiz before buying any moisturizers so you know what ingredients to look for on the products moisturizing ingredients list.
There are 5 main categories of moisturizing ingredients. The best moisturizers include a combination of ingredients from different categories.
Glycerin and hyaluronic acid are best at hydrating your skin quickly, but results are short-term.
For longer-term results, you need moisturizing ingredients that will repair the skin barrier.
The best moisturizing ingredients for you depend on your Baumann Skin Type. Take the quiz for personalized recommendations.
List of Moisturizing Ingredient Categories
These are the five main categories of moisturizing ingredients:
Emollients
Humectants
Occlusives
Oils
Fatty acids
emollient ingredients
Emollient Moisturizing Ingredients
Emollient moisturizing ingredients coat the skin’s surface. This has several benefits:
Smooth skin
Make skin radiant
Allow skin to reflect light
Coat and hide fine lines and wrinkles
Think of emollients as a Snap Chat filter for your skin- making it look better temporarily.
Emollients can have a dual function and also be humectants and occlusives.
What are humectants
Humectant Moisturizing Ingredients
Humectant moisturizers pull water into themselves. If you are in a humid climate this will have several effects:
The area will swell
Fine lines will improve
Skin will get a dewy appearance
Shiny glass- like skin may result
In a dry climate, humectants can pull water from skin and dehydrate it. Combining the moisturizer with occlusive moisturizing ingredients will solve this issue.
occlusive moisturizing ingredients
Occlusive Moisturizing Ingredients
Occlusive moisturizing ingredients form a protective layer on the skin’s surface. These are usually made of:
Oils
Fats
Fatty acids
Fatty alcohols
Butters
Wax
Petrolatum
Silicone pads, plastic wrap and wound dressings can also provide occlusion and skin protection. Essential oils are not considered occlusives.
Natural Moisturizing Factor
Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) is a crucial element that regulates the hydration of our skin by providing moisturizing ingredients inside skin cells.
NMF is made up of a mixture of low molecular weight and water-soluble substances derived from a protein called filaggrin, which is found inside our keratinocyte skin cells. Filaggrin plays an interesting role in maintaining the skin’s barrier function and hydration. In the lower layers of the skin, it serves a structural purpose, but as it moves higher up, it breaks down into amino acids and is known as NMF.
Natural Moisturizing factor is made up of these amino acids:
Histidine
Glutamine
Arginine
All of these amino acids have hygroscopic properties, meaning they attract and bind water effectively. (They are humectants.) Through specific chemical transformations, these amino acids give rise to compounds such as trans-urocanic acid, pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, and citrulline, which collectively form the NMF.
Can Natural Moisturizing Factor Be in Skin Care Products?
Despite efforts by researchers, it has been challenging to replicate the exact composition of the NMF found naturally in our skin. The NMF’s unique ability to adapt to different environments and its individual variation among people make it difficult to replicate in a skincare product. Nevertheless, the amino acids from which it is derived continue to be used in moisturizers to provide effective hydration for the skin.
While the NMF itself is not found in most moisturizing skin care products, the amino acids derived from filaggrin, such as histidine, glutamine, and arginine, are commonly used ingredients. These amino acids act as humectants, helping the skin retain moisture and remain hydrated.
How to Find NMF on Product Labels
NMF itself is not found in products, but the components it is made of can be. Look for these moisturizing ingredients on product labels:
Pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA)
Urea
Lactate
Histidine
Glutamine
Arginine
The best moisturizing ingredients
What Is the Best Moisturizing Ingredient?
Glycerin is the best moisturizing ingredient to moisturize the skin quickly. Hyaluronic acid is the second best to give fast but temporary results. These are both humectant ingredients. They do not repair the skin barrier and they do not give long-term results. Results may only last one day.
What Is the Most Hydrating Ingredient for the Skin?
Water is the most hydrating ingredient for skin. However, water tends to evaporate off of the skin, so it needs to be combined with humectants to hold it on the skin’s surface, and occlusives to keep it from evaporating away.
Oils are also wonderful hydrating ingredients for the skin. Some oils hydrate better than others. However, using too many occlusive ingredients such as oils and petrolatum can clog pores. Beware of moisturizing ingredients that are comedogenic if you have acne-prone skin.
oils as moisturizing ingredients
Natural Moisturizing Ingredients
Many moisturizers like propylene glycol are chemicals made in the lab. But there are many good natural hydrating ingredient options. The fastest way to hydrate skin naturally is with glycerin, but oils are a natural way to deliver hydrating fatty acids to the skin.
Which natural moisturizing ingredients are best depends upon your skin type. Some skin types need saturated fatty acids, while others need unsaturated fatty acids. Some skin types will prefer light humectant moisturizers, while very dry skin types will prefer greasy oils.
When looking for the best natural oils in moisturizers, remember that essential oils are not good moisturizing ingredients.
What Is an Example of a Moisturizing Ingredient?
Ingredients that you can look for on a skin care product label that are moisturizing include:
Argan oil
Cocoa butter
Evening primrose oil
Glycerin
Glyceryl stearate
Grape seed oil
Hyaluronic acid
Macadamia oil
Shea butter
Squalane
Sunflower oil
There are many more moisturizing ingredients. Learn how to find the best moisturizer for your skin here.
Take the quiz and we will give you examples of skin care brands with the best moisturizing ingredients.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.