How the Skin and Moisturisers Really Work

Normal healthy skin has a high water content (this water is provided internally by the body) and is flexible and elastic. There are layers of oil in the surface layer of skin, and these prevent water from evaporating from the deeper layers of skin.

The outer layer of skin cells contain a natural substance that retains water and holds it in the cells. This will make them swell and press tightly against one another, and therefore there are no cracks in the skin.

The skin provides a barrier function, by preventing foreign substances entering and stopping excessive moisture being lost. Various things, such as washing with hot water will strip the skin of its surface layer of natural oils. This means that unless you replace the oil by using a moisturiser, water evaporation from the skin increases and the skin becomes drier. Frequent washing or stripping your skin of its natural oils will make the skin drier and drier. So can certain products (e.g. like acne products and moisturizers that contain alcohol).

So what we do is to provide a moisturiser (oil) which is as close to the body's own as possible. These oils work by adding the layer of oil on the surface of the skin that prevents water evaporating from the skin surface. This increases the water content of the cells in the surface of the skin. The oils may also penetrate into the skin where they act like the natural oils found in healthy skin and prevent water evaporating from the deeper layers of skin.

Most companies mix oils with water, as this makes the creams and lotions cheaper to produce, but in actual fact it is the oils that moisturise (or help keep the water in), and the water evaporates on skin contact.

Many moisturisers contain alcohol and many other ingredients as preservatives, but these ingredients can also strip the skin of its natural oils. We would always recommend using products without alcohol.