Ingredients · Beginner ·
Humectants, emollients and occlusives: how a moisturizer really works
Three ingredient families do three different jobs. Learn what each does and how to balance them.
Key takeaways
- Humectants pull water in, emollients soften, and occlusives seal water in.
- A balanced moisturizer usually uses one or two ingredients from each group.
- Too much of one type causes stickiness, greasiness or heaviness.
- Comedogenic ratings are a rough guide for acne-prone skin, not a rule.
Almost every moisturizer is built from three kinds of ingredients. Knowing which does what makes any formula much easier to read, and to improve.
The three families
| Type | Job | Examples | Feel and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humectant | Attracts and holds water | Glycerin, propanediol, sodium PCA, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, urea | Hydrating; sticky above about 5% in leave-ons |
| Emollient | Softens and smooths the skin surface | Jojoba oil, squalane, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hemisqualane, cocoyl caprylate/caprate | Defines the skin feel, from light and dry to rich |
| Occlusive | Forms a barrier that slows water loss | Shea butter, candelilla wax, beeswax, cocoa butter, dimethicone | Protective; heavy if overused |
Why you need all three
Humectants draw water toward the skin, but in dry air that water can evaporate away. Emollients make the skin feel smooth, and occlusives hold the moisture in. Together they hydrate, soften and protect.
Building a balanced moisturizer
- Humectants: 2-5% total. Pair glycerin with a lighter one such as sodium PCA or propanediol to reduce stickiness.
- Emollients: the bulk of your oil phase. Use a light one (squalane, hemisqualane) with a richer one (jojoba, avocado).
- Occlusives: 2-5% for a light lotion, more for a rich night cream or balm.
Choosing for your skin and climate
- Oily or acne-prone skin: light emollients (squalane, caprylic/capric triglyceride) and fewer butters.
- Dry skin or cold climates: more occlusives such as shea butter, plus humectants.
- Humid climates: go easy on humectants, which can feel heavy and sticky.
A word on comedogenic ratings
The comedogenic scale runs from 0 (unlikely to clog pores) to 5. In the library, cocoa butter and coconut oil score 4, wheat germ oil 5, jojoba 2 and squalane 0. These numbers are rough guides: the amount used and the rest of the formula matter as much as the single ingredient.