by instructor pei qi

Hydration is the basic step of skincare routine; it keeps skin beautiful and healthy. However, with all sorts of hydrating ingredients in the market, which one is right for you? Before purchasing any skincare product, do you really understand your skin type and skin condition? Skin type and skin condition are dynamic; it changes due to growing age, different environment, or a shift in daily routine may trigger the change. So, it is recommended to observe your skin condition regularly to take timely action on the most suitable skincare routine!  

There is a very simple trick to test your skin type. After cleaning your face at night, do not put on any skincare product and observe your skin condition next morning. 

• Dry skin type: less sebum production and weaker skin barrier comparing with other skin types; hence, it is more susceptible to be influenced by the outside environment. The skin may be dry, tense, or scaly, even with signs of wrinkles. Besides more effort on moisturization in daily routine, over cleansing should be avoid. On top of the general skincare routine, layering cream or oil-based product to emphasize on hydration.        
• Normal skin type: The sebum production on T zone and cheeks is normal. Cover the basic daily hydration skincare and adjust the routine based on the changes of seasonal weather. Test skin condition regularly and maintain the healthy skin.
• Combination skin: Excess sebum production on T zone and is prone to acne and pimple, but dry and lack of moisture on the cheeks. It is recommended to follow skincare routine area by area or choose hydration product that’s with less oil formula.         
• Oily skin type: Excess sebum production with skin often appears greasy, enlarged pores and with acne, pimple problems. Also, it is easily to get dusts sticks to oily skin, so thorough cleansing is a must to prevent clogging the pores. It is recommended to select oil-control hydration products that’s moisturizing and light; it provides the needed moisturization and shrinks the pores, also balances sebum production.     
• Sensitive skin: The skin is prone to show redness and feels itchy; easily influenced by the stimulation from outside environment and shows Rosacea problems. People with eczema issue is also categorized as sensitive skin type and the skin is susceptible to have stinging, burning, and scaling problems. It is recommended to use products that’s simple, mild, non-irritant, alcohol-free, and free from controversial preservatives. 

Hyaluronic acid: The best ingredient to hold and retain moisture, sitting at the crown among all other hydrating ingredients.

Hyaluronic acid can attract moisture like a sponge, it has the best ability to hold moisture comparing to all other hydrating ingredients. Its most incredible strength is trapping water against the body and skin's surface, holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water; its hydrating power is 16 times more than collagen. High molecular hyaluronic acid consists of larger molecules, so it forms a water molecule layer on the muscle surface to strengthen the moisture retention power of the stratum corneum. The low molecule hyaluronic acid is about 15~25nm in size, which is 1/40 of the skin cell gap. It can easily penetrate the keratinocyte gap and reaches the bottom layer to replenish moisture, achieving the best moisturizing effect from both inside and outside. It is highly recommended to incorporate hyaluronic acid to skincare routine for all types of skin to reach replenish moisture from within and locking in moisture from exterior.

However, it does not mean that the more hyaluronic acid, the better. Purity is also a key indicator to evaluate the quality of hyaluronic acid. Higher purity means less impurities after fermentation and is less likely to cause skin irritation.

Ceramide: The guardian for repairing the keratin barrier, the savior for dry and scaling skin
Ceramide is a component of the human body, which accounts for about 40%-50% of the lipids between stratum corneum. Its hydrophilic and lipophilic properties form a unique lipid bilayer structure. The hydrophilic end strengthens moisture absorption, and the lipophilic end maintains the acidity of sebum membrane, which can help the skin fight against external stimulation, assist keratin to regulate metabolism, and tightly lock the moisture in stratum corneum. Simply put, hyaluronic acid is good at holding moisture; ceramide is about strengthening the skin barrier to lock in moisture. Don’t over look this ingredient if you have aging, dry, dehydrated, sensitive and fragile. If you want to have healthy stratum corneum, replenish ceramide, which is the most important component in the intercellular lipids. It is also very effective for repairing eczema and damaged skin.

Vitamin B3: the most versatile ingredient! Soothing, brightening, and smoothing fine lines

When used for skin care, it is called niacinamide. Besides being a common moisturizing ingredient, niacinamide is a versatile and all-around ingredient, whether for soothing, brightening, and regulating sebum, even smoothing fine lines, anti-aging...etc. It is a great aid and enhancement for soothing eczema or seborrheic dermatitis. It can promote the production of keratin and increase the concentration of ceramide and free fatty acids in the keratin tissue, enhancing skin barrier. When the skin has resistance, it can withstand external stimulation, and will not be affected by dry or dirty air during season changes. The capability of Vitamin B3 is boundless, and it’s also highly effective and safe, so it can improve skin’s ability to protect itself.

Provitamin B5: anti-inflammatory, anti-sensitivity, calming and soothing effect

Vitamin B5 is one of the most common moisturizing ingredient, because it has anti-sensitivity, anti-inflammatory effect, and promotes skin repair. It mainly boosts fibroblast proliferation and assists collagen growth. At the same time, it inhibits inflammation, helps to repair aging skin, and strengthens the sebum membrane function. In addition, its small molecular weight can penetrate deep into the skin to increase skin moisture, improve roughness and refine skin texture. As a single ingredient, its moisturizing effect is not as good as hyaluronic acid, so it is usually combined with other ingredients.

Squalane: the first choice for dry and aging skin

The sources of Squalane are mainly derived from animal (ex: shark liver) and plant (ex: olive, sugar cane) through hydrogenation reaction. Squalane is found naturally in human sebum that has the same properties. Its similarity of skin properties allows it to penetrate effectively and improve dry fine lines and roughness. It can also form a protective membrane to prevent the loss of moisture, strengthen the epidermal barrier structure, and achieve long-lasting hydration and moisturizing repair effects. Because it is easier to lose moisture in winter than in other seasons, applying oil-based products to seal moisture is a must. It is recommended to increase the frequency of usage. If you have the oily skin type, choosing Squalane essence oil that has a light texture and can be absorbed quickly; very easy for the skin.

Know your skin condition and choose the right ingredient at the right moment. It can help with skin hydration and achieve a more effective skincare routine. Apply the wise method to stay healthy and pretty, always keep skin in the best condition!  

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