Beauty, Defined: What Are Emollients?

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e·mol·li·ent (eeMOHleeyent) n. A mixture of oils from animal, vegetable, or mineral sources found in most moisturizers and body creams that soothe & soften the skin, protect it from dryness, and even reduce inflammation. Emollients help to restore the skin’s moisture balance by forming a protective film, trapping moisture in the skin so that it can’t escape. (They sound a little evil, don’t they?) These ingredients are a necessity for those with eczema.

It’s especially important to use moisturizers with emollients during the winter months, when skin is the most dry. Examples include: cocoa & shea butter, petrolatum, lanolin, esters, beeswax, sweet almond oil and apricot oil. See? Not every scary scientific-sounding ingredient isn’t all-natural!

Wanna try a great product with emollients? Check out Skinceuticals Eye Balm Rehabilitative Emollient For Aging Skin ($45), which is specifically formulated to counter moisture loss, collagen breakdown, and free radical damage around the delicate eye area.

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  • This is really interesting. I've never really thought about choosing products by ingredients in this way before.

  • Thanks ladies! Going by ingredients is a great way to choose beauty products. It's best to look through your collection and find products that have worked really well for you, then check out their ingredients lists and see what might have done the trick. Then you can look for similar ingredients in new picks.

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