Active Ingredients in Skincare Moisturizers: Humectants, Emollients, Occlusives, and Ceramides

Keeping skin moisturized involves more than adding water. It also means helping the skin retain that moisture. That is why skincare moisturizers typically combine several active ingredients that work in different ways.

Humectants help attract water into the skin, emollients soften the skin and fill gaps between skin cells, while occlusives form a protective layer that helps reduce water loss from the skin's surface.

Another important ingredient is ceramide, a naturally occurring lipid that helps maintain the skin barrier. When the skin barrier is in good condition, the skin can retain moisture more effectively and stay better protected against external factors.

For this reason, an effective moisturizer formulation should combine ingredients that help hydrate the skin with ingredients that support the skin barrier.

What Is a Humectant and How Does It Work?

A humectant is an ingredient that attracts and binds water, helping increase hydration in the outermost layer of the skin. In skincare formulations, humectants help keep skin moisturized and reduce the feeling of dryness associated with low water content.

Common examples of humectants include:

• Glycerin: Helps attract and retain water in the outermost layer of the skin.
• Panthenol: Acts as a humectant while also helping maintain skin condition.
• Propylene glycol: Helps retain moisture and can also function as a solvent in formulations.
• Hyaluronic acid: Binds water and helps maintain skin hydration.

Humectants work by binding water rather than simply adding moisture to the skin's surface. However, optimal hydration also depends on the condition of the skin barrier.

When the skin barrier is compromised, water evaporates more easily through a process known as transepidermal water loss (TEWL). For this reason, humectants are often combined with ingredients that help retain moisture and support barrier function.

What Is an Emollient and What Does It Do?

An emollient is an ingredient that helps soften the skin by filling the gaps between cells in the outermost layer. It makes the skin feel smoother, reduces roughness, and improves the overall feel of a skincare product after application.

Examples of emollients include various ingredients, such as caprylic/capric triglyceride, dicaprylyl carbonate, and octyldodecanol. Each has different characteristics in terms of spreadability, softness, and after-feel.

In product development, emollients also play an important role in shaping a product's sensory profile. The right combination can create a lightweight feel for serums and lotions or a richer texture for moisturizing creams.

Emollient selection should reflect the target audience, product type, and other ingredients in the formulation. An emollient that feels comfortable in one formula may deliver a different sensory experience in another.

What Is an Occlusive and When Is It Needed?

An occlusive is an ingredient that forms a layer on the skin's surface to help reduce water evaporation, or TEWL. This makes occlusives useful in formulations designed for very dry skin or when more intensive moisture protection is needed.

Examples of occlusive ingredients include petrolatum, lanolin, and certain waxes such as beeswax or carnauba wax. Their level of occlusivity and the skin feel they provide depend on the ingredient type and concentration.

One potential limitation is that some occlusives can feel heavy or greasy on the skin. Their selection should therefore take into account the intended product format and user experience.

Occlusives do not need to be used at high concentrations or included in every moisturizer. Formulators can adjust the type and concentration to balance moisture protection with spreadability and overall skin feel.

What Are Ceramides and What Do They Do for the Skin Barrier?

Ceramides are a group of lipids naturally found in the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin. Together with cholesterol and fatty acids, ceramides form a lipid matrix between skin cells. This structure plays an important role in maintaining skin barrier function and helping limit water loss.

The main functions of ceramides in skincare include:

• Supporting the skin barrier: Help maintain the lipid structure in the outermost layer of the skin.
• Retaining moisture: Help reduce water loss when used in a suitable formulation.
• Supporting skin comfort: A well-functioning barrier helps protect the skin from external factors that may contribute to dryness and discomfort.

When barrier function is compromised, the skin may become dry, feel tight, or become more sensitive. These symptoms are often described as a damaged skin barrier, although they do not always have the same underlying cause. Using ceramides in skincare products can help support barrier maintenance or recovery, depending on the formulation and the skin's condition.

Ceramides work differently from occlusives. Occlusives primarily help reduce water evaporation by forming a layer on the skin's surface, while ceramides are part of the skin barrier's lipid structure. They can be used together because their functions complement each other.

From a formulation perspective, ceramides present some specific challenges. Certain types are difficult to dissolve and may recrystallize if the formulation system is not suitable. Choosing the right raw material form and delivery system is therefore important for maintaining the stability and performance of the finished product.

What Is the Difference Between Humectants, Emollients, Occlusives, and Ceramides?

These four ingredient groups can be used together, but each works differently and comes with its own formulation considerations.

How Can You Combine Hydration and Skin Barrier Support in One Formula?

Skin hydration is not just about attracting water. It also involves retaining moisture and supporting barrier function. When developing skincare products, formulators can consider three complementary approaches.

1. Supporting Water Transport Through Aquaporins

Aquaporins are proteins that form water channels in cell membranes, including skin cells, helping transport water throughout the skin. 

In skincare, active ingredients that support the aquaporin mechanism help improve skin hydration by stimulating the formation of these protein channels. 

They also enhance glycerin’s ability to retain moisture, helping provide instant hydration for up to 24 hours.

2. Binding Water with Humectants

Humectants are known for their ability to attract and bind water, helping maintain skin moisture. Beyond conventional humectants, certain active ingredients can work in a similar way to support hydration.

One example is Hydrasensyl Glucan Green, a beta-glucan-based active ingredient with a triple-helix structure that helps bind water. In addition to supporting skin hydration, Hydrasensyl Glucan Green also helps soothe the appearance of redness caused by sunburn.

3. Supporting the Skin Barrier with Ceramides

Ceramides help support the lipid matrix in the outermost layer of the skin. In a well-designed formulation, combining humectants with ceramides can help maintain hydration while supporting barrier function.

These approaches can be applied to hydrating serums, gel moisturizers, barrier repair creams, body lotions, after-sun products, and even scalp and hair care formulations. Ingredient selection should be based on the product's intended function, emulsion system, stability requirements, and desired sensory profile.

For formulators looking to develop products with additional benefits, this approach can also be combined with other active ingredients based on the product's needs. Learn more in our guide to choosing a multifunctional moisturizer for dry, oily, and acne-prone skin.

What Hydrating Active Ingredients Are Available from Bahtera Adi Jaya?

As demand grows for products that help maintain moisture and support the skin barrier, selecting the right active ingredients has become an important part of skincare product development. Beyond evaluating product claims, formulators need to consider each ingredient's mechanism of action, compatibility, stability, and supporting data.

Bahtera Adi Jaya offers BASF active ingredients to help manufacturers explore different approaches to skin hydration and barrier care.

These four ingredients offer complementary functions. Hydagen Aquaporin supports water transport mechanisms, Hydrasensyl Glucan Green helps bind water, while Ceressence Max and Ceressence Aquax support barrier function through the skin's lipid matrix.

Choosing between Ceressence Max and Ceressence Aquax depends on the formulation system. Ceressence Max is worth considering for suitable oil-based systems and emulsions, while Ceressence Aquax can be dispersed in water-based systems.

Numerical claims, such as increases in hydration, comparisons with hyaluronic acid, or the duration of benefits, should be based on specific supplier test data. Results from testing an active ingredient do not automatically reflect the performance of every finished product.

During formulation development, manufacturers should also consider recommended use levels, ingredient compatibility, manufacturing processes, pH, and stability throughout storage.

Bahtera Adi Jaya supports raw material sourcing with product documentation, such as COAs and MSDS/SDS, where available, along with assistance from its technical sales team. Local stock availability may also help shorten lead times compared with direct imports, depending on stock levels and product requirements.

FAQ: Humectants, Emollients, Occlusives, and Ceramides

What Is the Difference Between Hydrating and Moisturizing?

Hydrating refers to increasing the water content of the skin, while moisturizing is a broader concept that involves helping the skin retain moisture through mechanisms such as binding water, softening the skin's surface, and reducing evaporation. In practice, these terms may be used differently in product communications, so claims should align with the formulation's function and supporting data.

What Do Ceramides Do in Skincare?

Ceramides help support the lipid matrix in the stratum corneum, maintain skin barrier function, and reduce water loss. In formulation development, ceramide complexes such as Ceressence can be considered based on the formulation system and product requirements.

Can Humectants Make Skin Dry?

Humectants do not automatically make skin dry. Their effects depend on the overall formulation and the condition of the skin barrier. To help retain moisture, humectants can be combined with emollients, occlusives, or other barrier-supporting ingredients.

What Are Aquaporins and How Are They Related to Skin Hydration?

Aquaporins are membrane proteins that help transport water across cells. Hydagen Aquaporin is designed to support hydration mechanisms associated with water channels in skin cells.

Is Beta-Glucan Suitable for Sensitive Skin?

Beta-glucan is known for helping maintain skin hydration, soothe the skin, and support skin recovery.

Various studies have also explored the benefits of beta-glucan for sensitive skin and its role in wound healing. These benefits make beta-glucan a promising ingredient for skincare formulations designed for sensitive skin and skin that needs support during the recovery process.

However, a product’s suitability for sensitive skin still depends on its overall formulation, ingredient concentrations, and the results of testing on the finished product.

How Can Manufacturers Source Hydrating Active Ingredients for Skincare Production?

Manufacturers can contact a cosmetic raw material distributor for product information, specifications, technical documentation, and formulation support. Bahtera Adi Jaya can help discuss active ingredient requirements based on the target product and formulation system.

Humectants, emollients, occlusives, and ceramides each play a different role in maintaining skin moisture. Combining the right ingredients can help formulators develop products that provide effective hydration while supporting skin barrier function.

Bahtera Adi Jaya supports the personal care industry's raw material needs with more than 20 years of experience, 800+ products and variants, 50+ suppliers, and 10,000+ transactions. Contact the Bahtera Adi Jaya team to discuss sample requests, active ingredient specifications, and formulation support. Find the right solution with Bahtera here.