What a moisturizer is trying to do
Healthy skin holds water in its outer layers and keeps it from escaping too fast. When that balance is disturbed, by dry air, hot showers, frequent washing or simply individual skin type, skin can feel tight, rough or flaky. A moisturizer helps in a few distinct ways, and understanding them makes it easier to choose ingredients rather than just choosing a jar.
Most moisturizing ingredients fall into three roles: occlusives, emollients and humectants. Many products combine all three, and some ingredients do more than one job.
Occlusives: seal the surface
Occlusives form a thin layer on top of the skin that slows the evaporation of water. They are the heaviest feeling of the three groups.
Natural examples that people often use for this purpose include:
- Beeswax, which forms a protective film and adds firmness to balms.
- Shea butter, a rich plant butter that has both occlusive and softening qualities.
- Cocoa butter, a firm, rich butter that can feel heavy.
- Some heavier plant oils, such as castor oil, which is thick and sticky. Beeswax is an animal product, so it is not suitable if you avoid those.
Petroleum jelly is a well-known occlusive too, though it is not a plant ingredient. Occlusives tend to work best on damp skin, since they hold in the moisture already there, and they are often a good fit for very dry areas such as hands, elbows, heels and lips. They can feel too greasy for some faces, and heavier ones may not suit skin that breaks out easily.
Emollients: soften and smooth
Emollients fill the tiny gaps between skin cells and leave skin feeling soft and flexible. Many plant oils and butters act as emollients, often with some occlusive effect as well.
Common examples include:
- Jojoba oil, which is technically a liquid wax and is often described as feeling light.
- Sweet almond oil, a mild, commonly used oil. It is not appropriate for anyone with a nut allergy.
- Sunflower oil, a light, widely available oil.
- Olive oil, which is richer and heavier, and which some people find too heavy for the face.
- Coconut oil, a solid at cooler temperatures that feels rich, and which some people find does not suit their face.
- Mango butter and shea butter, which sit between oil and wax in texture.
Which emollient suits you depends on your skin, the climate and personal preference. There is no universally best oil, and a material that one person loves may feel greasy or cause breakouts for another. Different oils also vary in how quickly they go off, which the page on oil shelf life explains.
Humectants: draw in water
Humectants attract water. They can pull moisture from the air or from deeper layers of skin toward the surface. They tend to feel light and watery.
Natural or naturally derived examples include:
- Honey, which has long been used in skincare for this reason.
- Glycerin, which can be made from plant oils and is common in many products. It is also a natural by-product of soap making.
- Aloe vera gel, which is water-rich and soothing for many people.
An important point is that humectants work best when something else keeps the water from evaporating. In very dry air, a humectant used on its own can leave skin feeling no better, or even drier. That is why humectants are often paired with an occlusive or emollient layer.
A caution for makers: humectants usually come with water, and water-based products can spoil. Honey and aloe gel do not make a product safe from bacteria and mold. The notes on skincare preservatives and why water based DIY products spoil are worth reading before you make a lotion rather than a balm.
Putting the roles together
A simple way to picture it:
| Role | What it does | Typical feel | Natural examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humectant | Attracts water | Light, watery | Honey, glycerin, aloe |
| Emollient | Softens and smooths | Silky to rich | Jojoba, almond, sunflower, mango butter |
| Occlusive | Seals in water | Heavy, protective | Beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter |
In practice, a light lotion might lean on humectants and emollients, while a balm made of oil and wax leans on emollients and occlusives. A rich butter product such as a body butter is mostly emollient and occlusive, and firm lotion bars lean even further in that direction.
Choosing what suits you
- Oily or breakout-prone skin often does better with lighter oils and lighter products, applied sparingly.
- Dry skin often benefits from richer butters and a sealing layer, especially applied on damp skin. The tips for dry skin moisturizing go deeper.
- Sensitive skin usually benefits from fewer ingredients and no added fragrance.
- Allergies matter. Nut-derived oils and butters, as well as fragrances, are a common source of reactions.
Patch test any new product on a small area before using it widely, and introduce one new product at a time so that you can tell what causes a reaction.
Realistic expectations
Moisturizers can make skin feel more comfortable and look smoother, and they can help protect it from drying out. They do not permanently change skin, erase wrinkles or treat medical conditions. If you have persistent dryness, cracking, intense itching or a rash, see a doctor, since these can have causes that a moisturizer will not address. Natural does not automatically mean gentler either, so pay attention to how your own skin responds.