04.05.22
Dr. David Orentreich, Clinique’s guiding dermatologist, answers our questions about hydration and moisturization and what materials benefit skin.
HAPPI: What is the difference between hydration and moisturization from a clinical perspective?
Dr. Orentreich: Hydration is the water content of the epidermis, and to hydrate your skin, you must increase its water content. Moisturization is the process of helping the skin trap, seal, and lock in water, which is done through the active process of applying moisturizing products to the skin.
HAPPI: How does a lack of hydration and moisturization impact skin’s appearance and overall health?
Dr. Orentreich: A lack of hydration often leads to skin concerns, such as dullness, itching, discomfort, fine dry lines, or cracking in severe cases. When your skin is dry due to destabilized hydration, it becomes harder for it to maintain flexibility and even perform key functions, such as providing a natural defense from environmental aggressors and irritants.
HAPPI: What external factors impact skin’s moisture levels?
Dr. Orentreich: External factors like sun, wind, pollution, and seasonal changes can destabilize skin’s hydration. It is more difficult to protect yourself from some aggressors than others because some are visible, or you can sense them. For example, we can easily detect the sun’s rays or dry climate, but pollution is harder to measure.
HAPPI: How can a consumer tell if her skin’s hydration is destabilized?
Dr. Orentreich: Consumers can tell if their skin’s hydration is destabilized when they feel an itching and drying sensation in the skin, as well as the appearance of cracking, flaking, the progress of fine lines and overall dullness.
HAPPI: Are there specific ingredients that are workhorses or problem solvers when it comes this issue?
Dr. Orentreich: Key ingredients that can help keep skin hydrated include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, cocoa butter, dimethicone, petrolatum and cetyl-alcohol. Ingredients like these can help alleviate dry skin and make skin feel and look better. For example:
• Humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid draw water into the top layer of your skin.
• Emollients like shea butter help fill in tiny cracks in the epidermis and can help your skin “seal in” the moisture.
• Occlusives like petrolatum form a protective barrier over your skin to prevent it from losing moisture.
HAPPI: What are some products from Clinique that consumers should use? What makes them great options?
Dr. Orentreich: Clinique’s MS100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator provides soothing, deeply penetrating hydration thanks to its aloe bio-ferment and hyaluronic acid formula that locks in moisture over 10 layers deep for 100 hours. Made for all skin types, MS100 penetrates and plumps skin from within to retain moisture and a youthful look, and provides the skin with a multitude of benefits, including protecting the skin against blue light damage, stabilizing the skin against dehydrating aggressors, and creating that dewy, glowing look that consumers are looking for.
HAPPI: What is the difference between hydration and moisturization from a clinical perspective?
Dr. Orentreich: Hydration is the water content of the epidermis, and to hydrate your skin, you must increase its water content. Moisturization is the process of helping the skin trap, seal, and lock in water, which is done through the active process of applying moisturizing products to the skin.
HAPPI: How does a lack of hydration and moisturization impact skin’s appearance and overall health?
Dr. Orentreich: A lack of hydration often leads to skin concerns, such as dullness, itching, discomfort, fine dry lines, or cracking in severe cases. When your skin is dry due to destabilized hydration, it becomes harder for it to maintain flexibility and even perform key functions, such as providing a natural defense from environmental aggressors and irritants.
HAPPI: What external factors impact skin’s moisture levels?
Dr. Orentreich: External factors like sun, wind, pollution, and seasonal changes can destabilize skin’s hydration. It is more difficult to protect yourself from some aggressors than others because some are visible, or you can sense them. For example, we can easily detect the sun’s rays or dry climate, but pollution is harder to measure.
HAPPI: How can a consumer tell if her skin’s hydration is destabilized?
Dr. Orentreich: Consumers can tell if their skin’s hydration is destabilized when they feel an itching and drying sensation in the skin, as well as the appearance of cracking, flaking, the progress of fine lines and overall dullness.
HAPPI: Are there specific ingredients that are workhorses or problem solvers when it comes this issue?
Dr. Orentreich: Key ingredients that can help keep skin hydrated include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, cocoa butter, dimethicone, petrolatum and cetyl-alcohol. Ingredients like these can help alleviate dry skin and make skin feel and look better. For example:
• Humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid draw water into the top layer of your skin.
• Emollients like shea butter help fill in tiny cracks in the epidermis and can help your skin “seal in” the moisture.
• Occlusives like petrolatum form a protective barrier over your skin to prevent it from losing moisture.
HAPPI: What are some products from Clinique that consumers should use? What makes them great options?
Dr. Orentreich: Clinique’s MS100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator provides soothing, deeply penetrating hydration thanks to its aloe bio-ferment and hyaluronic acid formula that locks in moisture over 10 layers deep for 100 hours. Made for all skin types, MS100 penetrates and plumps skin from within to retain moisture and a youthful look, and provides the skin with a multitude of benefits, including protecting the skin against blue light damage, stabilizing the skin against dehydrating aggressors, and creating that dewy, glowing look that consumers are looking for.