Humectants

Humectants at a Glance

• Ingredients that draw and bind moisture to skin
• Keep skin’s water levels balanced
• Can give skin a plump, dewy, smooth look
• Commonly found in moisturizers and serums

Humectants Description

Humectants are ingredients that attract water to skin. They include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, sodium PCA, various glycols, amino acids, glycolic acid, various plant sugars known as polysaccharides, honey, and the B vitamin panthenol.

Humectants draw and bind this moisture to skin, then help evenly distribute it within skin’s water channels, known as aquaporins. This can give skin a plump, dewy, smooth look, which is why humectants are commonly used in moisturizers and serums.

Along with attracting water from the ambient air, humectants can also pull it from skin’s lower layers. While that may sound like it would make dry skin worse, in reality humectants (and the ingredients paired with them) form a flexible film on skin that keeps the water that’s drawn from skin’s lower layers from evaporating. In essence, humectants are smart ingredients that attract moisture in the areas that skin needs it the most, and act accordingly to keep skin’s water levels balanced.

Today’s best skin care products artfully combine humectants with emollients, replenishing fatty acids, peptides, and hydrating antioxidants to help skin get the most from them. At the same time, such blends work with humectants to minimize water loss and keep skin soft, smooth, and comfortable.

Humectants References