When looking for the correct moisturizer, one has to keep in mind that maintenance and hydration of a healthy skin is the result of a multifaceted masterpiece. In this article, I intend to give a general overview of ingredients – what ingredients have been found to be beneficial and what ingredients we should avoid.

Before we dig in, there are a few comments I wish to share….

When looking at moisturizers and ingredients, it is good to keep in mind that:
 You should especially check the first few ingredients because these ingredients are present in larger concentration in the product. Often the most important ingredients are at the bottom of the list, which means that there isn’t enough of it to have any impact on your skin or to make a difference of any kind.
 The list of ingredients below is just for your information, because in the end it is all about the combination of ingredients of the moisturizer. Add an extra ingredient and you might end up with a state-of-the-art moisturizer, or add too much of an ingredient and end up with a moisturizer which does more harm than good.
 It’s best to buy products from a skin treatment therapist or a dermatologist, who is able to analyse your skin and prescribe the right product for your skin type, needs and budget. In my opinion, it’s useless either off the shelf, just grabbing the product which says anti-wrinkle, and you think that that is what you need because you just turned 30, or buying from a department store where your skin’s needs are analysed with a mask of makeup on.

Moisturizer Agents

Moisturizers’ structure and function are surprisingly complex and sophisticated; many are halfway between cosmetics and drugs. Most moisturizing products are mainly combinations of humectants and emollients. Thousands of possible blends exist, which cause the differences between moisturizers, and the difference between creams, lotions and fluids. Other ingredients may be added to these moisturizing bases.

Modern-day moisturizers include agents that mimic natural ingredients and function as botanicals, including:
 Vitamins – when applied topically, they reduce skin’s damage from UV light and inflammation.
 hydroxy acids (AHAs such as glycolic, lactic, malic, tartaric and citric acids. BHAs such as salicylic acid) – exfoliate, attract water to the skin, and have a normalizing effect on the skin, increasing its plasticity and flexibility.
 and retinoids – shown to be beneficial on photoaged (sundamaged) skin.
 Other common ingredients include elastin, collagen, DNA, RNA (ribonucleic acid), lecithin, sodium hyaluronate, PCA (sodium passive cutaneous anaphylaxis) and ceramides.

Humectants are substances that attract water when applied to the skin. They include glycerin, sorbitol, urea, AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) especially lactic acid, and sugars.

Occlusive ingredients prevent the loss of water, as they physically block the surface of the skin, thus producing a state of hydration. Lanolin was used for many years, however it has been replaced by petrolatum, because, of lanolin’s reputation of being an irritant.

Emollients fill in gaps in the skin, smoothing over wrinkles and helping to soften the appearance of dry patches by lubricating the surface. They provide a smooth surface for makeup application. Emollients act as vehicles – they help place, spread, and keep other agents on the skin. For example, in suncreens, emollients help spread the sunscreen agents across the skin and hold it in place. Emollients also act as performance ingredients – they lubricate the skin’s surface, act as a guard for the barrier function, and lie on top of the skin to prevent dehydration by trapping water. The type of emollient and the water-to-oil ratio determines for which skin type the moisturizer is.
Emollients are almost always fatty agents:–
 oils of various sorts – mineral oil and petrolatum (oils from the earth), cetyl alcohol, oleic acid, stearic acid and octyl palmitate are heavier oils, while safflower, sunflower, canola and jojoba oil are lighter and less comedogenic natural oils (oils from plants)
 fatty esters, which are derived from triglycerides which are fats from plants or animals (usually ingredients which end in ‘–ate’ such as tridecyl stearate, propylene glycol dicaprylate, octyl palmitate, isopropyl palmitate
 fatty alcohols such as stearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol. Fatty alcohols are fatty acids that have been exposed to hydrogen, they are not drying alcohols like isopropyl alcohol or SD (specially denatured) alocohol.
 fatty acids and waxes.

Ingredients to Avoid

FDA is not so strict on creams – because they are not considered drugs, so some products with harmful ingredients are not taken off the shelf.

The most frequent ingredients liable for skin sensitivity and irritation are:
 fragrances (mainly cinnamic alcohol, hydroxycitronella and isoeugenol),
 preservatives, especially formaldehyde-releasing preservative systems, (notably quaternium-15, imidazolidinyl urea and bronopol),
 lanolin (an occlusive agent),
 sunscreens.

Among the plethora of ingredients, according to eMedicine Dermatology, which are capable of producing adverse effects are:
 Citral
 Cinnamic aldehyde
 Benzyl salicylate
 Phenylacetaldehyde
 Balsam of Peru
 Lemon oil
 Methyl heptane carbonate
 Methyl anisate
 Jasmine oil
 Cananga oil
 Ylang-ylang oil
 Balsam of tolu
 Bergamot oil
 Lavender oil
 Cedar wood oil
 Neroli oil
 Petigrain oil
 Beeswax
 Spermaceti
 Essential oils
 Hexachlorophene
 Bithionol
 Parabens
 Almond oil
 Sesame oil
 Olive oil
 Corn oil
 Peach kernel oil
 Peanut oil
 Imidazolidinyl urea
 Sorbic acid
 Stearamido diethylamine
 Triethanolamine
 Surfactants
 Vitamin E
 Alcohols
 Sulfated alcohols
 Sodium lauryl sulphate
 Phenylmercuric acetate

Source: Milady’s Standard: Comprehensive Training For Estheticians
eMedicine Dermatology
Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me by Paula Begoun

Moisturizers Part 1: The Benefits of Moisturizers

Moisturizers Part 2: The Best Moisturizer for My Skin Type