Humectants- How they help your skin

Humectants- How they help your skin

Humectants may or may not be something you have heard of. Either way they are an important part of your skincare routine. So what are they?

Humectants are a substance that helps to draw and retain moisture. As far as your skin is concerned, retaining moisture is a good thing! Humectants draw water from the air. So, for instance, if you use an eye cream containing a humectant under your eyes, you will draw moisture to the area you applied the cream.

A word of caution, humectants are water magnets, if there is no water to draw from the air, it will draw it from below the surface of your skin, which could leave your skin feeling drier than before. This is why it is recommended to use them on moist skin, it will help lock in and preserve that moisture. By keeping the top layer of your skin, the epidermis, moist, thus helping to prevent cracking and flaking skin.

When purchasing a product that says it is moisturizing and hydrating, there is a really good chance that it has a humectant in it. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are two humectants that are very common. Glycerin is a common soap ingredient, part of the reason it is so popular is it can reduce the greasy feel of soap and it's non-comedogenic so it won't clog your pores. But did you know that it is also common in lotions, many skin care & beauty products, hair care and even in sun tan lotions? It's pretty versatile. 

One trait that makes glycerin a powerhouse in the beauty industry is its ability to offer a “plumping” effect. Back to that eye cream we mentioned before, as glycerin pulls water onto your skin, it can have a smoothing and plumping effect which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines in your skin. 

Where glycerin is known for being in soaps and cleansers, Hyaluronic acid is known for its ability to improve the appearance of skin. It reduces the ashy look we can sometimes get in the dead of winter, you know the dull, dry, my skin is aching look? Hyaluronic acid holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water which in the right form and combination with other products, hydrates your skin and makes it look healthy and smooth. Dehydrated skin shows fine lines and wrinkles more than hydrated skin, this is why Hyaluronic acid works so well at reducing the appearance of them. 

There are many other natural humectants out there too. Aloe Vera, and cucumbers come to mind. Just be sure if you are putting cucumbers on your eyes that you follow up with something to lock that moisture in.