Replenishing skin with water due to humectants. How to do it the right way?

Hello Girls,

Do you know that humectants, which are moisturising substances, deliver different kinds of action depending on the area applied? If you don’t use them in the right way, you can dehydrate skin instead of replenishing it with the desired moisture. And here comes the question: How to take care of the skin due to humectants? You’re going to find the answer below.

Humectants – When do they moisturise and when do they dehydrate?

Whether humectants deliver water or deprive skin of it depends on two factors: the moment you apply the substance and the state of skin. At the beginning on your humectant journey, take into consideration consistency of the product, its composition and how it ‘behaves’ when it contact with skin. Why is it so important? Because there are such skin types which require just delicate moisturisation; but there are also the ones which like being constantly moisturised and protected under the thick layer of a cosmetic. What’s interesting, the excess of substances responsible for bonding water or improper use of such substances lead to skin dehydration.

Humectants bond water in epidermis, yet to make it possible skin must be hydrated first. When dermis isn’t supplied with the appropriate amount of water and treated with light and non-drying cosmetics, it starts dehydrating and becomes sensitive. Therefore, people who struggle with acne shouldn’t use acids. Acne skin is dehydrated and its microflora is disturbed. When it comes to those people whose skin is significantly dehydrated, they shouldn’t apply humectants as well. The effect? You will experience the feeling of contracted skin, even greater dehydration and excessive epidermis exfoliation.

How to moisturise skin the right way?

Don’t overdo with moisturising cosmetics. Apply them only in small amounts since they can overburden skin, impede upcoming hydration and cause irritations due to their dense consistency. Also, refrain from using, so-called, layer care. Applying a few creams at once is an overkill. Moreover, if you apply products featuring dehydrating substances (alcohol and some acids) then you will gain nothing even if you put on even the best cosmetics. To sum up, if your skin requires watering, immediately resign from using the products which may lead to its dehydration.

Who do I recommend humectants to?

Cosmetics featuring humectants serve people whose skin is oily or overburdened with dense cosmetics. In most cases such complexion is dull, has enlarged skin pores and covered with numerous discolorations. Moreover, humectants are also needed for people whose skin is ageing and is damaged. Such complexion is thin, exposed to harmful external factors and its ion exchange process is disturbed.