The best skin moisturizer is a product that hydrates the skin, and/or protects the skin from dehydration. That is, they are designed to enhance water equilibrium in the skin, specially in the stratum corneum. An equilibrated level of moisture in your skin reflexes an adequate hydration in your whole organism; in the other hand, dry skin could be a signal of dehydration or water regulation problems.

Stratum corneum's unique structure helps to its job as a barrier to external harsh environment and water loss. Dry skin or irritant dermatitis are mainly produced due to loss of water from the skin, produced by the injury to this barrier by common irritants and the environment.

A good skin moisturizing product can help to increase the hydration of the skin and maybe repair/restore the barrier through use of chemicals that are similar to the skin's natural moisturizing factors or blockage of the skin to prevent water loss and skin dryness.

Moisturizer Chemistry

Water: 65-85% (lotions and creams) - Disperses and dilutes ingredients, evaporates from skin surface

Lipids: 5-35% (lotions and creams) Up to 100% (ointments) ( petrolatum, mineral oil, fatty acids, beeswax, lanolin, cholesterol, vegetable oils, fatty alcohols, ceramides) - Prevent water loss and dry skin, repair lipid layers, restore barrier thanks to an occlusive effect

Emulsifiers: 1-2% ( fatty alcohols, triethanolamine, quaternium 15, stearic acid) - Allow lipids and water to stay in suspension as a lotion form

Active Ingredients: 0.05-15% ( urea, glycerine, lactic acid, dimethicone, allantoin, sunscreens/sunblocks, petrolatum 30-100%, alpha hydroxy acids) - Attract water to the skin, block UVA/UVB, skin protectants, fill in spaces between cells, lubricate

Preservatives: 0.1 to 1% ( alcohols, parabens, quaternium 15, disodium EDTA, methylisothiazoline, imidazolidyl urea) - Avoid proliferation of microbes in the solution

Fragrance: less than 0.25% - Mask the odor of the lipids or give the product a fragrant scent

Moisturizer Terminology

Anti-aging: A product containing sunscreen/sunblock.

Barrier Cream: Interaction of the cream ingredients with the stratum corneum alter the penetration of substances such as water and chemicals into the skin. Evaporation of water can continue even when a protective water-repellent film may form on the skin.

Dermatologist Tested: Does not mean anything of importance. Can use the term even if only one dermatologist tested the product.

Hypoallergenic: Not a reliable term that may imply reduced amounts of chemicals that have an allergenic potential, like fragrance or preservatives.

Non-comedogenic: The ingredients do not block the pores on the face, chest or back, thus avoiding comedones (blackheads). These products may have been tested on rabbit ears.

Oil in Water Emulsion: Oil is dissolved in water. This is a water-based product. These products are usually lotions or light creams and dissolve readily into the skin without leaving a greasy film.

Sensitive Skin Formula: There is no definition for this term. The product may have reduced fragrance or preservatives.

Therapeutic Effect: Restores the natural skin barrier to help the skin heal, a helpful ability of effective dry skin treatment products.

Unscented: No fragrance used in the product. The product may actually have a masking fragrance to decrease the odor of the oils in the products.

Water in Oil Emulsion: An oil-based product ( mineral oil, petrolatum, natural plant oils) that contains a small amount of water dissolved on it. These mixtures are usually heavier ointments or creams and can form a film on the skin, acting as occlusive agents.

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