How do Moisturisers Help Hydrate Your Skin?

When you read beauty magazines or ask the experts, everyone says that you should use moisturiser on a daily basis to keep your skin looking healthy. But do you actually know how moisturisers work? Well here’s a quick easy-to-read guide.

First of all, most moisturisers contain a significant amount of water, sneakily usually referred to as ‘aqua’ on the ingredients to make it sound more mysterious. When applied to your skin, the water is immediately absorbed, instantly re-hydrating your skin and plumping it a little as the cells retain the moisture. This is why the skin instantly looks a little healthier after you apply moisturiser.

Glycerin is another key ingredient often found in moisturiser which acts in a similar way to the water and adds moisture to the cells. Other ingredients you might see on the ingredients list for moisturisers include Shea Butter, Apricot Kernel Oil and Squalane – all of these help to hydrate the skin. Another common ingredient is Dimethicone. This doesn’t actually add moisture to the skin cells, like the other ingredients, but instead helps to bind moisture to the skin to leave it looking healthier for longer.

Typically the ingredients lists will be quite long on a moisturiser label. Other ingredients to look out for to leave your skin looking radiantly healthy include: Vitamin A, sometimes referred to as Retinol, which stimulates skin renewal, Vitamin E which supports your skin’s natural healing process, Aloe Vera which soothes and cools the skin and natural plant extracts which are antioxidants, helping to protect your skin from environmental pollutants.

It is recommended to use moisturisers with built in SPF to help protect your skin from UV rays which can cause premature aging and dry skin conditions. Key ingredients found in SPF moisturisers include Avobenzone, Oxybenzone and Octinoxate. These will protect the skin from both UVA and UVB damage.

So next time you’re looking for a good moisturiser, take a quick look at the ingredients list to see which active ingredients are present.