Skincare Decoded. Victoria Fu
it’s seen some terrible press in
chemophobic groups along the lines of “It causes breakouts and also cancer.”
The reality is, cosmetic-grade petrolatum is highly refined—which means it’s
exceptionally “clean” (free of potentially irritating and harmful residue). It
doesn’t clog pores, but it can cause breakouts by sealing in dirt and grime if you
are lazy about cleansing.
MINERAL OIL
The lighter version of petrolatum is much less occlusive, but feels better in a
cream formula. Fun fact! You’ll be surprised how much these ingredients affect
the feel of the final product. Just a 1% difference in mineral oil or petroleum jelly
content completely changes the feel of the cream.
SHEA BUTTER
Shea in butter form is a great, versatile natural occlusive. With the clean
movement, you may stumble upon “raw shea butter.” People think ultranatural
means ultrasafe and free from scary chemicals. The reality is that plants are
complex. In its raw form, shea butter can be irritating. We recommend sticking
to refined shea; you’ll have a range of options for texture.
Representative Occlusive-Forward Products Balms, butters, salves
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WAXES
More great occlusives that often come from natural sources such as beeswax,
candelilla, carnauba, and others. Their main drawback is that they’re, well, waxy.
And wax́s high melting point makes it unsuitable for high-level use.
SILICONES
This is a vast category, but regardless of the material type, the general unifying
theme of silicones is simply, “These feel awesome!” Silicones can be effective
occlusives without much of the heaviness. If you have oily skin, silicone gel
creams can be a great way for you to boost your hydration game between
seasons—or when your skin goes through changes—without that dreaded
greasy feel. How do you spot a silicone gel cream? Look for terms such as
dimethicone or “dimethicone crosspolymer” fairly high on the ingredient list.
A note about coconut oil
You’ll find a lot of coconut-derived stuff, but not all are created equal. For example, caprylic
and capric triglyceride are light esters derived from coconut oil. These light emollients are
generally friendly to oily skin. Coconut oil—the stuff that a lot of DIY skincare recipes will use,
and the same stuff you use to make coconut shrimp—is much heavier and isn’t very friendly
to oily, acne-prone skin. You also end up smelling like . . . coconut shrimp.
Some believe “it’s like a plastic bag that just doesn’t let my face breathe!”
It’s not completely clear how this rumor came about but silicones are an incredibly broad category.
They can range from light oils to thick waxes, and can even be functionalized to emulsify creams.
While you may come across an article that’s wildly critical of silicones, it’s important to try silicones
out for yourself to really know if your skin likes it or not. Silicones can provide beautiful textures and
can even mattify and blur to even skin tone, making it advantageous for oily skin.
LANOLIN
This is a great occlusive derived from wool. It can be an allergen, though, so look
for medical-grade lanolin and definitely make sure you patch-test before using!
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What about Other Body Parts?
It seems like there are more and more products out there made for very
specific areas of skin—eye, lip, neck, left butt cheek—but is there really a need
for all the different products? Here are some tips about specific areas:
The skin is thicker here, so if you’re struggling with dry hands and feet,
look to occlusive balms to prevent cracked skin. You’ve been warned:
Textures get greasy, so grip will be compromised.
The eye area is more delicate and has a thinner SC—but basically needs
the same ingredients as the rest of the skin on your face. There’s nothing
wrong with extending your facial products into the eye area as long as
they donʼt irritate your eyes. We’re only talking about moisturizing needs
here. Turn to page 211 for anti-aging eye care.
Lips could really use their own products. Not only is lip skin found to have
a thinner SC, but itʼs also completely devoid of sebaceous glands and skin
pigments. Petrolatum, lanolin, and other heavy occlusives help protect
the skin from the elements. Since lips don’t have melanin, consider a lip
balm with SPF during the day!
Treat that precious left butt cheek like the rest of your body with a good
ol’ body lotion. We’ve recently seen luxury body lotions pop up, but you
can save your money here. Body skin is relatively resilient and durable, so
a simple drugstore lotion will suffice. As you get older and your skin cell
turnover slows down, dry skin will become a bigger issue, so look for body
lotions with lactic acid and urea to help the skin barrier.
Face oil This
emollient booster
product will give
you that soft feel
and healthy glow.
Sheet mask A great way
to super-soak your skin
for a big hydration boost.
Many Ways to Moisturize
From so-light-you-barely-know-itʼs-there to
some really heavy hitters, hereʼs an overview
of the moisturizing products youʼll be seeing
out there in the wild. (By which we mean your
beauty store. Or the internet.)
Serums & gels A great way to add a
real concentrated boost of hydration.
Creams These heavier moisturizers really
bring it for dry skin, with higher doses of
occlusives, including petrolatum or butters.
Mists & toners A simple way to
add a smaller,