Body and hand lotion are staple products for most of us. We use lotion to keep our skin feeling moist and comfortable and to prevent itching, flaking, and dryness. Since we use lotion so often, it’s good to know how it works and which lotion will work best for our skin profile.
How Lotion Works
Lotion works not only by delivering moisture to the surface of your skin but also by reinforcing your skin’s outer barrier layer — the stratum corneum — to protect and preserve your skin’s natural hydration. In fact, this is your stratum corneum’s main job: to protect your skin from transepidermal water loss.
Since your skin’s external barrier is made of dead skin cells, it is easily damaged through dryness, friction, skin diseases, or exposure to chemicals in soaps and cleaning compounds. Such damage leads to cracks and gaps in the stratum corneum, and these cracks are what lead to transepidermal water loss. Lotion helps fill the gaps in the barrier layer and make it supple and less prone to further damage, while concurrently preventing further water loss from your living layers of skin underneath.
Preserving the skin barrier is why staying moisturized is important for those with eczema, psoriasis, and TSW, as it keeps out irritants and protects against inflammation and itching which can trigger a flareup.
The Difference Between Water and Oil-Based Lotions
Lotions can be either primarily oil or water-based. Most lotions have both oil and water in their ingredients; the key factor is whether oil or water makes up the higher proportion. (Some products are truly “oil-free” and use gels to maintain their creamy texture and thickness.)
An easy way to check whether a lotion is primarily oil or water-based is to look at the label and check which ingredient comes first – water or one of the many different types of oil such as mineral oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, etc. If the product is “oil-free” it will normally be prominently labeled and advertised as such.
A higher proportion of water or oil can make a difference in how the lotion looks and feels on your skin, how well it supports your skin’s protective barrier, and how well it delivers active ingredients to deeper layers of your skin. Below are key differences, plus advantages and disadvantages, when comparing water to oil-based lotions:
Water-Based Lotions:
- Feel and look less greasy on your skin, giving your skin a more natural look.
- When combined with humectants, can actually give skin a plumper look and feel.
- With less oil underneath your make-up, these may help other cosmetics absorb and stay on longer.
- Evaporate and wear off easily, so you may need more frequent applications to stay moisturized.
- Some feel that lighter water-based products can penetrate more deeply, delivering active ingredients that promote benefits more effectively.
Oil-Based Lotions:
- Harder to wash or wear off, therefore can protect the skin barrier longer
- Replenishes oils and fatty acids in the outer layers of skin lost due to aging or skin damage
- Gives skin a bright, vibrant look.
- Thicker creams and ointments have more staying power than lotion and can help provide even more barrier protection.
- Some feel that by staying on the skin longer, oil-based products keep active ingredients in contact with the skin longer, thus increasing their effectiveness.
Are Oil-Based Products More Likely to Clog My Pores?
Often, those who suffer from acne believe that a water-based lotion won’t clog their pores and an oil-based lotion will. That’s not quite true.
Some oils are “noncomedogenic,” meaning they are light enough that they will not clog pores. Natural oils that are noncomedogenic include neem oil, sunflower seed oil, hemp seed oil, grapeseed oil, and almond oil. Clogged pores can be the result of inflammation from other ingredients in your lotion such as fragrances, colors, waxes, and chemicals – not necessarily the oils.
No matter which type of lotion you use, your skin will still perspire, secrete its own oils and sebum, and shed dead cells, making a regular cleaning regimen equally important for those who use either water-based or oil-based products.
So Many Different Lotions
Everyone’s skin is different. That means the lotion that feels and works well for you may not be the best choice for others. It takes some time, testing, and care to find a lotion product that keeps your skin moisturized and has no ingredients that pose a problem for you in terms of skin sensitivities and allergies. The good news is that there are lots of formulations and lotion choices out there. As with any product that comes in contact with your skin, be sure to test any new lotion on a small patch of skin first, to make sure you can tolerate it.
Since skin is a living and dynamic organ, your skin’s needs can often change. That means the lotion that felt and worked best last year or last summer might not work as well for you this year or in a different season. If your favorite lotion just isn’t doing its job for you anymore, try a different product.
Conclusion
Lotion is not the only factor in keeping your skin hydrated. Skin hydration is largely a factor of how well you keep your entire body hydrated through drinking enough water and eating water-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, teas, and soups. No matter how wonderful it may be, lotion can’t make up for systemic dehydration.
With that in mind, we hope this information inspires you to choose and use the best lotion and moisturizer for your skin, so your skin can stay radiant and healthy.
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About the Author
Olivia Hsu Friedman, LAc, Dipl.OM, DACM, Cert. TCMDerm, is the owner of Amethyst Holistic Skin Solutions and treats Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, and TSW. Olivia treats patients via video conferencing using only herbal medicine. Olivia is Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Acupuncturists, serves on the Advisory Board of LearnSkin, and is a faculty member of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Group sponsored by the National Eczema Association.