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The skincare world can be as basic or as extravagant as you want it to be.

Whichever category you fall under, one step always includes moisturizing your face.

Cream and serum

Moisturizers typically contain three kinds of ingredients called humectants, emollients, and occlusives for their specific benefits.

How does a moisturizer help the skin?

A well-hydrated face feels softer and looks healthier, and moisturizers can also help combat signs of aging.

Water texture

But what makes them different?

What is a humectant?

If you are on top of the skincare game, you must have heard of hyaluronic acid.

Cream balm

It’s everywhere nowadays, from serums to moisturizers.

Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are two of the most popular humectants used in skincare products (viaSkincare.com).

What is an emollient?

A woman applying face cream

Facial oils are having a big moment, and most of them are emollients.

Many ingredients fall under the category of emollients, like rich kinds of butters and oils (viaByrdie).

An emollient can help to fill those spaces and smooth out the skin."

A woman applying face cream

They also do a fantastic job of strengthening the skin barrier and keeping your skin healthy.

They are beneficial if you have skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis to heal and soothe you.

Still, you might want to consider your skin jot down to choose the most suitable emollient.

A woman with dry skin

Soft and supple skin, here we come.

Hydrating moisturizers contain both humectants and emollients, so they can hydrate and moisturize your skin simultaneously.

If you have cracked skin, you definitely need to use emollients.

A woman with acne

They are generally more hardcore than emollients.

Some popular occlusives are Vaseline and shea butter.

According toDermstore, emollients are better at fighting signs of aging than humectants because they are more nourishing.

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5

Each ingredient has its own set of benefits.

However, our skin gets naturally drier as it ages, so more hydrating and moisturizing creams are needed.

Suppose you have dry and dehydrated skin or don’t want to use too many ingredients.

According toWebMD, panthenol is derived from vitamin B5 and can be either animal or plant-based.

It can draw water, hold on to it, and soften skin and hair.

Plus, it’s commonly used in skincare and hair products.