Understanding the 4 Key Elements of Skin Moisturization

This chapter begins with a brief explanation of skin physiology. It focuses on the connection with skin, and what is really going on topically when skin conditioners/moisturizers are applied. The skin is in a naturally healthy state when the moisture in the skin's topical layers is optimally modulated. Modulating the skin's moisture content is a key element to achieving a state of healthy skin. Moisturization could be postulated as to how performance property of water modulation enhances the skins barrier and healthiness back to a more normal steady-state condition: occlusivity agents, humectants, keratolytic agents, and emollients. Moisturization is a critical balance between the consumer perception of the change in the skin characteristics and clinical validation of the claims that the product is working in a way to match up with the consumer expectations of the change in the skin's health.