Most of us have been moisturizing our faces for a few decades, but that doesn’t mean we actually know what’s happening when we slap a product across our face. If we did, there wouldn’t be so much confusion around one particular category of moisture-boosting skincare: face oils. Face oils have been around but exploded in popularity recently as the clean beauty movement swept through our collective consciousness. One question that always comes up is whether or not face oils actually moisturize. And if they do, are they just for dry skin?
The short answer is yes, oils are part of the moisturizing process. But the long answer is a little more complicated. First, one must understand the difference between an occlusive and a humectant, the two main types of skin moisturizers. An occlusive is a heavy cream or oil that seals moisture just like plastic wrap but for your skin. Because what good is moisture if it evaporates right off your face? A humectant is an ingredient that draws in water from the environment or the lotion itself, like glycerin or hyaluronic acid.
“In order to be a really effective moisturizer, you need to have both the occlusive to lock in the moisture and the humectant to draw in that water. That’s what really makes a proper moisturizer,” says says Dr. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, dermatologist and founder of Entière Dermatology in NYC. So while oils can condition the skin, they only retain water content not add it, which means they are moisturizing but not hydrating.