Moisturizer: hydration, softness and water retention

Beginner · SESH Academy

Understand moisturizer functions and choose a useful texture, including for oily skin.

Find the stratum corneum at the top and cell renewal below. This is thick skin, such as a palm; its clear lucidum layer is absent from facial skin.

Find the stratum corneum at the top and cell renewal below. This is thick skin, such as a palm; its clear lucidum layer is absent from facial skin.

Image source · OpenStax College: J. Gordon Betts, Peter Desaix, Eddie JohnsonCC BY 3.0Compressed display copy; illustration content retained.
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What you will learn

Understand moisturizer functions and choose a useful texture, including for oily skin.

Core ideas before application

Glycerin is an example of which function?

Attracting and retaining water. Glycerin is a humectant used in moisturizers.

Does every oily skin type need no moisturizer?

No; it may need a suitable moisturizing texture. Oil does not guarantee comfort or adequate hydration.

Oil droplets dispersed in water: a real emulsion example, not a photograph of a SESH formula or proof of cream efficacy.

Oil droplets dispersed in water: a real emulsion example, not a photograph of a SESH formula or proof of cream efficacy.

Image source · Shubha subaCC BY-SA 4.0Existing Academy display copy.
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Which ingredient can reduce water loss through a surface film?

Petrolatum. Petrolatum is an example of an occlusive ingredient.

What does cetearyl alcohol in a moisturizer mean?

A fatty alcohol used in moisturizing formulas. Chemical identity and function matter; the word alcohol alone does not determine drying potential.

Explore the full curriculum in SESH Skincare Academy.

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