Hi ,
Moisturisers play a key role in adding water to the skin and keeping it hydrated. The right moisturiser will soothe and protect the skin, enhancing the natural functions of our skin’s ability to renew and protect itself. The wrong moisturiser, on the other hand, can compromise the skin’s ability to function properly. Since we use moisturisers every day, selecting the right one is one of the most important choices we’ll make in keeping our skin happy, healthy and glowing. Moisturisers come in all sorts of different colours, ingredients and fragrances and we know they’re meant to moisturise the skin but how do they do so, and what do they actually do?
Choosing a good moisturiser, and understanding how it works for your skin type is extremely important, as choosing a poor moisturiser can do more harm than using nothing at all.
Moisturisers use ingredients which fall into three key groups;
1: Humectant ingredients work by attracting water to the skin and keeping it on the skin. Many mainstream moisturisers use propylene glycol, a petroleum byproduct whilst at Four Cow Farm we use natural vegetable glycerin. The right amount is key as too much can make a moisturiser feel sticky and uncomfortable, as well as interfere with the skin’s ability to moisturise itself, which is a very important part of its ability to heal and renew.
2: Occlusive ingredients increase moisture levels by providing a physical barrier on the skin which prevents water loss. The most commonly used occlusive ingredients are synthetic, such as petrolatum and silicones, most of which are chemically processed byproducts derived from crude oil, not the sort of thing you want to be applying daily on your or especially baby’s skin! We use only richer natural vegetable oils such as castor and macadamia oils, as well as beeswax in our range, and only in the right amounts as too many occlusive ingredients can interfere with the skin’s ability to ‘breathe’ or interact with its environment, a key factor in keeping skin healthy, and in ensuring young skin’s ability to adapt to its environment.
3: Lastly, emollient ingredients are what we commonly think of as the main function of moisturisers. They improve the appearance of the skin by filling the spaces between skin cells, moisturising the upper layer of the skin and smoothing flaky skin cells. The most commonly used emollient ingredient in moisturisers is mineral oil, another byproduct of crude oil. We use light natural vegetable oils such as olive, almond, camellia & rose hip. Selecting the right emollient ingredients which match the skin can increase the rate at which the skin repairs and renews itself which is why at Four Cow Farm, we take not just the selection of natural oils, but the right natural oils very seriously.
Some moisturiser ingredients such as keratin, elastin and some proteins, claim to replenish and renew the skin but they are simply too large to be absorbed into the skin. Others, such as alpha hydroxy acids, are too harsh on the skin and can thin the skin dangerously, making it sensitive to UV light and more prone to sun damage or worse. We think it’s just as important that your skin should work well as well as look good! That’s why every product in our skincare range is carefully crafted from Nanna’s traditional recipes & ingredients to ensure it enhances the skin’s own ability to soothe, protect & defend itself.
From all of us at Four Cow Farm,
xxx
