Humectants
Humectants attract and hold water in the skin’s outer layer.
Ingredient example Glycerin
Moisturizer ingredients / a quick reference
Three roles.
A clearer way to read your moisturizer.
Learn what humectants, emollients and occlusives do in a moisturizer, then use the examples below to make sense of your own product’s ingredient list.
Explore the referenceA useful starting point
- 01Humectant
Attracts and retains water
- 02Emollient
Softens and smooths
- 03Occlusive
Reduces evaporative water loss
These roles can work together in one moisturizer.
01 / Understand the terms
What does each role mean?
Emollients
Emollients help soften and smooth the skin’s surface.
Ingredient examples Lanolin · Glyceryl stearate
Occlusives
Occlusives form a surface layer that slows the evaporation of water.
Ingredient examples Petrolatum · Mineral oil · Dimethicone
Definitions and ingredient examples: DermNet, Emollients and moisturisers. The term “emollient” is also sometimes used more broadly for a moisturizer.
02 / Put the roles together
How to use the ingredient list
Your moisturizer may combine all three roles, and one ingredient can have more than one job. Learning these terms does not mean you need to add three separate products to your routine.
Pick a moisturizer you already own and find its full ingredient list on the pack or the manufacturer’s website. Choose a name you recognise, then look up its function in the DermNet guide linked below.
Check whether the page shows the full list or just “key ingredients”. A key-ingredient panel highlights a selection, so it may leave out other ingredients in the formula.
An ingredient’s name or place in the list does not tell you its exact percentage or how well the finished moisturizer will work. Texture alone cannot tell you that either.
03 / Make it concrete
What to look for on a product page
Look for the product name, pack size, ingredients and directions. These two Amplified Glow products show where to start.
Leave-on facial moisturizer
Copper Peptide Renewal Cream
The Renewal Cream page highlights glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, oils and butters. Use these names as a starting point when learning about ingredient functions.
The featured ingredients are a selection. For the complete list, check your current pack or ask Amplified Glow for the full ingredient information.
Follow the product’s directions: apply a small amount to a clean face and neck daily. If you also use a serum, the product page says to let it absorb before applying the cream.
Read the current product information
Leave-on balm
Copper Peptide Tallow Balm
The Tallow Balm product page lists beef tallow, squalane, jojoba oil and other ingredients. Read the full list alongside the product’s directions rather than judging the formula from the jar or its texture.
Compare the website with your own jar. If the packaging or ingredient list differs, use the information for the version you have. Keep the product name, size and date with any notes you make.
Read the current product information04 / Keep the useful part
Keep a printable ingredient guide
Print the card to keep the three roles handy. Use the back to jot down your product’s name and any ingredients you want to look up.
MOISTURIZER INGREDIENT ROLES
- Humectant
- Water attraction and retention Example: glycerin
- Emollient
- Softening and smoothing Examples: lanolin, glyceryl stearate
- Occlusive
- Reducing water evaporation Examples: petrolatum, mineral oil, dimethicone
About this reference
Published by Amplified Glow.
Amplified Glow created this guide to help you understand common moisturizer terms and read product information with more confidence. Reviewed on .
The ingredient definitions and general examples come from DermNet’s emollients and moisturisers reference. Product descriptions and photographs come from the linked Amplified Glow product pages.
For questions about a specific Amplified Glow package, contact info@amplifiedglow.com and include the product name and the wording you are checking.