There are countless preparations on the cosmetic market that describe their action through the term "hydration" . In reality, "hydration product" is mostly a simplified marketing term, and what cosmetics manufacturers actually refer to when describing their product is the prevention of transepidermal moisture loss from the skin.
Transepidermal moisture loss is caused by drying of the skin . Any form of facial cleansing, such as washing the face with plain water in the morning or removing makeup at the end of the day, will lead to transepidermal moisture loss. City water is usually full of minerals that dry out the skin, in the winter months we shower in hot water, every morning we prepare our face for make-up using skin cleansing gels, etc. All these actions remove the protective hydrolipid film of the skin, possibly visible in the form of excess sebum, which it protects the skin from pathogenic bacteria and irritation by natural mechanisms, prevents pruritus (itching), and even has an anti-inflammatory effect. With constant, daily practices of cleaning the face and body , which are actually more of a cultural heritage than a biological need, we remove that surface protective layer that the so-called "hydrating" preparations restore by smoothing the skin, softening it and making it more elastic to the touch.
All hydration products on the market will have this subjectively positive effect on the skin to a greater or lesser extent, but not all products are created in an equally intelligent way that will ultimately supply the skin with the necessary skin-related lipids and humectants, protective antioxidants and restorative ceramides, peptides and amino acids . It is a mistake to evaluate the ability of a cosmetic product only by the subjective feeling of softness of the skin immediately after applying the product and the pleasant smell, and unfortunately, for a large number of cosmetic consumers, this is the only essential prerequisite when choosing a product.
Moisturizing creams are composed of several components: emollients (i.e. lipids) that nourish the skin, humectants that moisturize the skin, and occlusives that create a barrier to the transepidermal evaporation of moisture from the skin .
Although occlusive ingredients such as mineral oil are not comedogenic in themselves, the rule applies that as the occlusive ability of the cream increases, so does its comedogenic potential in some skin types. Oily and acne-prone skins tend to have clogged pores due to weak cell desquamation and excess sebum secretion, so it is better to avoid creams with a high occlusive potential, i.e. it is a better option to use texturally light products and apply them in layers, adapting the products to needs from day to day own skin.
The main difference between moisturizing creams and serums or fluids is that creams are usually thicker in consistency, with a higher proportion of fatty components (lipids) and thickeners, which is why watery, serum textures are usually used in formulations aimed at maximum absorption of active ingredients. The oilier and thicker the cream, the slower the absorption of the active ingredients, or less (if the product is not completely absorbed), and most of the active ingredients work optimally only in the deeper layers of the dermis.
Dry skin, especially dry and dehydrated skin, will greatly benefit from creams with a high percentage of lipids and occlusives due to the prolonged feeling of comfort on nourished skin. Long-chain fatty acids such as linolenic and linoleic acid, lauric acid, fatty alcohols, cholesterol, ceramides and squalane are popular nutritious cosmetic ingredients that are well tolerated by the skin. Additionally, ingredients such as petrolatum and its derivatives and heavier silicone occlusives such as dimethicone are occlusives that the skin usually tolerates well (provided it is not prone to clogging), while lanolin is not recommended for sensitive skin due to its allergic potential. Petrolatum in a concentration of at least 5% protects the skin from as much as 98% of transepidermal moisture loss and is therefore a very useful addition to creams for extremely dry skin.
A quality care product has a whole spectrum of benefits for numerous dermatological conditions that manifest as dryness and dehydration. These conditions are mainly caused by various contributing factors such as aging, physiological stress and various forms of eczema and dermatitis, winter environmental conditions, low levels of humidity in the air, exposure to chemicals and microorganisms. We also call dry skin the state of xerosis. Xerotic skin is tight, sometimes painful, itches, stings, cracks in small sores, causes a sensorially unsatisfactory feeling that can affect low self-confidence and reduced quality of life. The application of a good care product increases the level of moisture in the surface layer of the epidermis, smoothes scaly skin and even helps to normalize abnormal desquamation and strengthen the hydrolipidic barrier, which means that the skin becomes more resistant to external stressors.
Proper skin care includes finding a quality product that moisturizes and softens the skin without feeling heavy, and proper application. Products that contain appropriate emollients and occlusives, and components that bind to water (such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid) are best applied to damp skin - for example, our combination Hydra B serum emulsion + Naro booster .
The way the products are applied is also extremely important. The application should be gentle and should not involve aggressive rubbing of the cream, which can cause irritation and consequent inflammation of the follicles on the skin.
An ideal hydration product should have the following features:
• reduction and prevention of transepidermal moisture loss from the skin
• imitation of the hydrolipidic barrier similar to the skin
• hypoallergenicity and non-sensitizing subjective impression
• complete and satisfactory absorption accompanied by a feeling of comfort on the skin
• content enriched with nourishing and reparative components (oats, allantoin, vitamins, polyphenols, etc.)
What if there is a reaction to the cream?
A subjective feeling of irritation and allergic or irritant contact dermatitis can occur when using any product due to personal hypersensitivity to an individually sensitizing ingredient that is not problematic for the general population (remember peanuts, which cause suffocation in some people, but most people can consume them without problems). However, the immune reactions of the skin are particularly pronounced and very likely when using products that contain internationally declared allergenic components (among which are some types of essential oils and naturally occurring fragrance ingredients such as eugenol, geraniol, isoeugenol, linalool, limonene, etc.). For this reason, we advise that hypoallergenic preparations be used at least on the sensitive and thin skin of the face (and especially in the areas near the mucous membrane of the eyes and lips). In the case of atopy, psoriasis and other chronic skin diseases, which are manifested by weakened skin barrier function, this warning applies to both the skin of the face and the skin of the body, and also applies to preparations that are in contact with the skin for a very short time, i.e. preparations that are washed off (eg shower gels).