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Sensible Beauty Solutions for Dry Skin: Top 5 Super-Hydrating Skincare Ingredients

November 24, 2010 Health and Beauty Tips

How skin cells maintain moisture

First, before we delve into some of the best ingredients to look for in a moisturizer, let’s begin with a skincare lesson on how skin cells hold onto water – and why this is essential. Understanding this process will help you better understand skin-quenching ingredients and why you need a moisturizer in the first place.

A skin cell’s membrane locks in water, which is necessary for restorative and reparative processes. Young cells in lower skin layers – like the dermis – are round, plump and hold onto water easily. However, as cells age and move to outer skin layers – such as the epidermis – cells “flatten and die. As they do, they slowly release their contents, the water and structural lipids inside them,” explains dermatologist Howard Murad, M.D., in his book, The Murad Method: Wrinkle-Proof, Repair and Renew Your Skin with the Proven 5-Week Program.

When cells move outward and age, they break down and are less able to retain water. It evaporates from cells into the air, an event called transepidermal water loss, or TEWL. Dr. Murad compares the process to heat escaping from a cracked, shabby roof.

Plus, as skin cells age, skin’s protective barrier becomes compromised, making water retention more difficult. With a weakened barrier, dry skin becomes increasingly susceptible to environmental damage, free radicals, bacterial infection and other problems. So using a good moisturizer is key. And it comes with countless benefits!

1. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)

• What they do. AHAs get rid of dead, rough, dry, flaky skin that builds up on skin’s surface, revealing fresh, new, smoother skin. AHAs “enhance the skin’s exfoliation process so it feels exceptionally silky,” notes Jennifer Tung in InStyle Getting Gorgeous.

Exfoliation also helps the skin absorb products more effectively, so moisturizers are able to sink into the skin and deliver hydration. Because they slough off skin’s top layer, AHAs increase your vulnerability to UV damage. Be especially diligent about using sunscreen!

2. Antioxidants

• What they do. These specialized molecules protect skin from harmful free radicals, produced by sun exposure, pollution, chemicals and other environmental assaults. Free radicals can cause dryness, skin damage, pigment changes and other signs of aging. Some antioxidants are included in moisturizers because of their hydrating effects. Antioxidants are carried via oils and waters, which are common moisturizer bases. They play a role in protecting skin cell membranes.

Because dry skin is more vulnerable to environmental damage, antioxidants are especially important ingredients in moisturizers for dry skin considering their free radical-fighting powers.

3. Emollients

• What they do. Emollients strengthen skin’s protective barrier – especially skin’s lower layers – allowing better moisture retention. They also lubricate. Emollients fill in the spaces between rough, dead cells to achieve a soft, smooth look and feel.

4. Humectants

• What they do. Humectants direct moisture from the air into your skin. But, in order for this to occur, the air’s humidity must be at least 70 percent – humectants can’t draw moisture from the air into your skin if the air doesn’t have enough moisture in it. They also help “attract moisture from the dermis into the epidermis,” according to Heather Brannon, M.D., About’s dermatology guide. Plus, humectants are helpful “for skin damaged by sun and dehydration,” explains dermatologist Charles Lynde, M.D., professor at the University of Toronto Canada. In addition, humectants soften thick, rough, scaly skin often found on feet, knees and elbows.

5. Occlusives

• What they do. Occlusives work “by slowing the evaporation of water from the surface of the skin,” notes Dr. Brannon. They form a thick barrier film over skin’s outer layers to prevent moisture from evaporating. Occlusives work best when they’re applied to damp skin. Unfortunately, occlusive ingredients can be greasy or sticky. And they can clog pores, contributing to acne. So, unless you have super-dry skin on your face and you rarely break out, you might want to consider these ingredients for use on your body only.

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