Humectant is a term that comes from the Latin word humectans which, in turn, derives from humectāre ( "to moisten" ). It is an adjective that refers to that which moistens.
For example: “If you have dry skin, you should use a moisturizing cream,” “The dermatologist suggested I buy a moisturizing lotion to use after shaving,” “This ingredient will act as a moisturizer and will allow the meat to not be dry.”
Moisturizing creams
Moisturizing creams are part of the so-called beauty products. These lotions are applied to the skin to give it greater softness and shine, giving it a younger appearance.
Experts say that moisturizing is essential for maintaining healthy skin. This is achieved by consuming a lot of water , although additional support is often needed. Moisturizing creams not only contain water, but also contain oils and other substances that help combat dryness, superficial blemishes and other factors that affect the skin.
Differences with hydration
Within the beauty sector, on many occasions, what is moisturizing is often confused with hydration. But it must be clear that, although it may be believed that they are the same, in reality they refer to different issues. Specifically, this is what differentiates one term from another:
- Moisturizing cream is one whose clear mission is to protect the skin. How do you achieve it? Preventing the water in its fabric from evaporating and to do so, what it does is act as if it were a protective barrier. Therefore, it must be emphasized that it is common that, to facilitate your work, it is composed of elements such as glycerin or panthenol, among other products.
- The moisturizing cream, for its part, what it does is provide the skin with the water it needs to be in the best possible condition. Specifically, within this type of cosmetic products there are two types: simple creams, which are recommended for people who are 20 years old or older and which are usually made up of vegetable oils; and complex creams, which are for women and men over 30 years old and are made up of ingredients such as minerals or vitamins, among others.
Starting from this difference that exists between both types of cosmetics, it must be clear that aesthetic experts agree that the ideal would be to start the day by applying moisturizer to the face and then, at night, resort to moisturizing.
Choosing a moisturizing product
It is important to note that there are various types of moisturizing creams according to the needs of the skin . Young skin has a greater capacity for regeneration than older skin, in addition to containing a greater amount of water and fat.
Since dry skin is easily irritated, those who suffer from this problem are recommended to avoid scratching, use sunscreen daily, and clean the skin frequently.
It is interesting to mention that the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) also defines humectant as the substance that stabilizes the water content in a material .