Humectant vs. Occlusive vs. Emollient

You’ve heard of them sure, but are they working as hard as they should be for your skin? These three types of moisturizing ingredients - humectants, emollients, and occlusives - should all be present throughout your beauty routine to keep your skin healthy, radiant, and plump. 

Depending on your skin type, age, the climate, season and water hardness where you live, your skin will need a different concoction of the trio that makes moisturisation and hydration happen, as it should. 

An introduction to those three divine beings below: 

Humectants attract water to themselves and help prevent water evaporating from your skin.

Read: Humectants bring water from the dermis (the deepest skin layer) up to the epidermis (surface layer) where dehydration happens. They’re basically the Swiss Army Knife of skin care ingredients (i.e. they’re incredibly useful).

Such as: Hyaluronic acid or glycerin. (The latter of which you can find in Pregame Primer.)

Emollients soften the skin and smooth everything out.

Read: Emollients smooth and soften the skin by filling in the gaps between skin cells with hydrating oils and lipids. Think of your skin like a crossword, emollients help fill in the blanks. They stay on the skin’s surface and also help your skin hold onto those hydration-hoarding humectants you use. Humectants are exquisite on their own, but alongside an emollient - you’ll be perpetually radiant.

Such as: Vitamin e, ceramides, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, avocado along with a whole host of the brilliant oils in BYO Blush and Dewy Gloss. 

Fun fact: Being an emollient is what makes Pregame Primer so perfectly protective, it acts as a barrier to keep the hydrators in (your skincare) and keep the gunk out (pollution and makeup irritants, 

Occlusives lock in moisture and stop water from evaporating.

Read: Occlusives have large molecules, so rather than attracting water they repel it. Like emollients, they too will seal moisture into your skin where it belongs, the difference is that occlusives are heavyweight, so while emollients work best for those with oily, combo and sensitive skin - really desert-dry skin calls for an occlusive too.

Such as: Beeswax, lanolin, shea butter, and avocado oil is an emollient with occlusive properties!

Smoothing, hydrating and locking down your skin care investment with makeup that understands these skin functions? You’re in the right place.