Common Lotion and Moisturizer Ingredients

Millions of women apply moisturizers and lotions to their bodies each day. There are hundreds of products to choose from, and it can be confusing as to what really helps. Companies advertise certain ingredients as being helpful to your skin, but how much do you really know about each ingredient?

My daughter has very sensitive skin and I have to keep that in mind as I buy products she may be using. I have found the less expensive products make her break out, so there is something to be said for paying a little more. The question is, what should you pay extra for and what is just a gimmick?

Many of these products will list water as the first ingredient. The first ingredient is always the most prevalent. A common second ingredient is mineral oil. After those two, things get more complicated.

Collagen

One product I have boasts ‘collagen’ as it’s selling point. Collagen is a component within your skin that keeps it firm. Contrary to what a company may claim, you cannot replace collagen by applying it to the surface of your skin. However, collagen is a great at helping your skin retain moisture. It does produce soft and supple skin; just not in the way they’d like you to believe.

Green Tea

A body lotion I own has ‘green tea’ as a selling point. We’ve all heard about the medical benefits of drinking green tea, but what will it do for your skin? Most often green tea extract is used as a preservative, nothing more. This also goes for grape seed extract and other like ingredients. They are considered to be antioxidants, but are rarely high enough in quantity within your product to have much affect on your skin’s health. Sadly, though my product boasts ‘green tea’ as a selling point, I don’t find it anywhere in the actual list of ingredients.

Lanolin

Lanolin is a common ingredient and is otherwise known as an emollient. Emollients leave your skin feeling soft by depositing moisture into your skin. These tend to be a bit greasy but definitely have a great benefit for your skin. Another common emollient is mineral oil.

Lathers

There are quite a few lathering agents found in body washes and other bathing products. These include ammonium lauryl sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate. Don’t let the fancy names scare you, these are quite tame and simply allow your product to bubble as you use it. Many professional or salon quality shampoos will feature sodium laureth sulfite. This is the gentlest of lathering agents. It does not produce a lot of lather but is better for your skin and your hair.

Vitamins

Vitamin E and C are common lotion and moisturizer ingredients and are generally used as an antioxidant. However, much like green tea, there generally is not enough in the lotion to do you much good. Look on your particular brand to see where it ranks among the ingredients. The higher on the list, the more there is in your product.

Glycerin

Glycerin is popular in soaps, body washes and some lotions. It also goes by the name glycerol, and is more commonly known as a humectant. These are known for attracting outside moisture into your skin. Glycerin is also used as a lubricant to help the lotion go smoothly onto your skin.

Other

Ingredients listed close to the end of the list tend to be scientific sounding and may contain the word ‘acid’ at times. These are generally nothing more than a preservative. They also may be colorings or fragrances.

Final Thoughts

While some lotions will work better than others, the main ingredient should be water. Whatever else you should look for in a lotion is up to you and your skin type. The most useful ingredients, other than water, will be humectants and emollients. These are the main ingredients that help retain, add, or draw in moisture. The very best way to keep your skin moisturized is from the inside. Don’t forget to drink your water; it’s the best moisturizer available.