The Chemistry of Moisturisers

How do moisturizers work? Are expensive moisturisers better than cheap ones? And are they really just expensive yoghurt? We look at the five main types of ingredients in moisturizers: aqua, occlusives, emollients and preservatives and see how they help your skin stay hydrated.
Further reading:
Moisturisers - Do they work? www.health.harvard.edu/stayin...
Moisturisers 101: www.popsci.com/story/health/b...
Is there some chemistry you’d like to hear more about? Let me know in the comments!
00:00
00:21 Why skin needs water
02:53 The trouble with water
04:14 The Chemistry of Moisturisers
04:33 Occlusives
05:30 Humectants
06:32 Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)
07:19 Emollients
07:55 Preservatives
08:23 Other stuff
Images used in this video:
Woman washing face: Vitória Santos pexels.com/pexels-vitória-santos-2087954.jpg
Man using moisturiser: Rodnae Productions pexels.com/pexels-rodnae-productions-6724430.jpg
Aircraft interior: Natã Romualdo pexels.com/pexels-natã-romualdo-4606720.jpg
Dry skin: Karolina Grabowska pexels.com/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4046564.jpg
Warm room: Mikhail Nilov pexels.com/pexels-mikhail-nilov-6530551.jpg
Man with soap: Cottonbro Studio pexels.com/pexels-cottonbro-studio-3952248.jpg
Yoghurt breakfast: Polina Tankilevitch Pexels.com/pexels-polina-tankilevitch-4109372.jpg
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Three Twentysix Project Leader: Dr Andrew Robertson
Assistant Editor: Purple Saptari
3D Animations: Es Hiranpakorn
Graphic Design: Maria Sucianto
This video was produced at Kyushu University and supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP21K02904. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Kyushu University, JSPS or MEXT.

Пікірлер: 30

  • @Kalitheros
    @Kalitheros Жыл бұрын

    It's always nice to see videos on cosmetics, however you got a few things wrong. - Washing the skin with water does dissolve some natural moisturising factors (NMFs) which are amino acids, urea, pytollidone carboxylic acid (PCA) degraded from filaggrin, and yes some oils are also removed. Soap removes even more oils and thereby increasing evaporation of water from the skin. - The skin does not really have a pH as there is not a lot of solute that would allow a skin to have a pH (outside the stratum corneum), but it is often referred to as such. - Some expensive humectants reduce the visibility of wrinkles, not by swelling the cells but swelling themselves instead (Hyaluronic acid is a prime example of this). - Alpha-Hydroxy acids added to the product may have a keratolytic affect (that is increasing desquamation) by virtue of denaturing the protein - however this is of course pH dependent. - Beta-Hydroxy acids (most commonly salicylic acid) does the same as above but also have preservative effects. - EDTA is used as a sequestering agent not as a preservative - but adding it can help boost the effect of preservatives. - Preservatives used are often sorbates, benzoates, salicylic acid, parabens, phenoxyethanol and a slew of others. - Rancidity is controlled by adding antioxidants such as BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole), Tocopherols, ascorbates etc. There may be other points I didn't catch in the video in need of correction - however you are completely right that the price is a lot higher than the cost of the ingredients used is.

  • @ThreeTwentysix

    @ThreeTwentysix

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the details.

  • @justayoutuber1906
    @justayoutuber19069 ай бұрын

    I discovered a lot of the waxes make your hands feel smoother without really making the skin any softer. It's just a wax coating.

  • @Chris-op7yt

    @Chris-op7yt

    9 ай бұрын

    many lip-balms are wax based and tend to cover up or make dry lip conditions worse, as the only real way to hydrate skin is by increased (inside) cell hydration complex. speaking of more general hydration, there are newly created overpriced powders that contain mostly sodium..which we already have an overabundance of, and it doesnt help with hydration in all but extreme circumstances.

  • @ChrisJohn-dg8mz
    @ChrisJohn-dg8mz2 ай бұрын

    The structure of the protein in skin is bolted in place by the oxidation of adjacent sulfhydryl groups to make disufide bonds. There is such a lot of skin - manufacture and disassembly - that this process has a significant role in protection (buffering) from reactive oxygen species in the environment. This is a very important subject that you could devote one of your excellent tutorials to.

  • @tenshen20
    @tenshen209 ай бұрын

    Did not know i was so hydrophobic, excellent explanation and a wonderful personality and voice!

  • @wilderf4424
    @wilderf4424 Жыл бұрын

    Video suggestion: Celite! Interesting intersection of biology, (ancient) history and chemistry. What is diatomaceous earth, what is it used for, how does it work, and what are the differences between the different types commercially available? Also what are the dangers/health hazards associated with it.

  • @ThreeTwentysix

    @ThreeTwentysix

    Жыл бұрын

    Ooh, that's a nice one. In fact, porous materials in general would be a great video.

  • @MySquishable
    @MySquishable Жыл бұрын

    Yes i noticed a huge difference using a moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid and a powerful humidifier in my room. It will hydrate your skin so much

  • @ThreeTwentysix

    @ThreeTwentysix

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, a humidifier is a must in some rooms. It reduces static electricity too, as I discuss in the video about static electricity.

  • @olahafs
    @olahafs11 ай бұрын

    One tip for future videos. More text to summary point you have. That way we see list of what you are talking about.

  • @ThreeTwentysix

    @ThreeTwentysix

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks, I'll keep it in mind for my next video.

  • @philkreckel
    @philkreckel Жыл бұрын

    Great video! I use hyaluronic acid and tretinoin. I don’t know if either of these fall into your categories. I don’t know enough chemistry to know if hyaluronic acid is an alpha/beta or neither.

  • @Kalitheros

    @Kalitheros

    Жыл бұрын

    Hyaluronic acid is neither, but it is a humectant used, glycerin often shows better results for transepidermal water loss but hyaluronic acid is often used to reduce the visibility of wrinkles.

  • @josephshaff5194
    @josephshaff51947 ай бұрын

    Trying Vegetable Oil right now. That seems to be working. As itching was interrupting my sleep. Trying to separate it out f/ the hip injury and test anxiety.

  • @Chris-op7yt
    @Chris-op7yt9 ай бұрын

    if you've been handling (dilute) bleach for a short amount of time and want to wash it off your hands--water and soap dont work--use any safe mild acid at hand to neutralize the bleach residue so it can wash off. i guess you could use lemon juice or such but, i have barkeeper's friend next to sink already anyway, and that does the trick, as it's a mild acid cleanser.

  • @ayushmansanjeev5487
    @ayushmansanjeev54873 ай бұрын

    "aqua" had me dying

  • @aspharmyx
    @aspharmyx Жыл бұрын

    Nice video! But i wouldn't give EDTA as an example for preservative. It maybe increase effectiveness of other antimicrobials but it is used more to increase permeability and stability of emulsion in topical formulations. Keep up the good work!

  • @ThreeTwentysix

    @ThreeTwentysix

    Жыл бұрын

    It was listed as a preservative in one of the articles I read but it's hard to find consistency across different accounts, so that detail is nice to know. Thanks for the comment.

  • @fmdj
    @fmdj9 ай бұрын

    is it actually a problem to have dead skin cells at all?

  • @kusy
    @kusy Жыл бұрын

    Egregious marketing? Yes. “Rejuvenated Skin Hydration Supplement H3O Hydration Advanced Formula”

  • @ThreeTwentysix

    @ThreeTwentysix

    Жыл бұрын

    Now THAT"S some quality b******t without being exactly wrong.

  • @skybluskyblueify
    @skybluskyblueify Жыл бұрын

    What about lanolin? Sheep skin grease, right?

  • @ThreeTwentysix

    @ThreeTwentysix

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, but I think it's fair to distinguish the purified product from the raw material.

  • @justayoutuber1906

    @justayoutuber1906

    9 ай бұрын

    Most Welsh never need any lubrication for their sheep

  • @Hei1Bao4
    @Hei1Bao48 ай бұрын

    Humectants vs desicants? Something for me to Google.

  • @Hei1Bao4

    @Hei1Bao4

    8 ай бұрын

    Took a bit, but I learned that humectants are absorbers while desiccants are adsorbers. Collectively known as sorbers. Neat.

  • @triple_gem_shining

    @triple_gem_shining

    8 ай бұрын

    😁

  • @SemenStainsMountTops
    @SemenStainsMountTops Жыл бұрын

    Very nice video! I've learned something new. Would love another one about shampoo and conditioners! Subscribed

  • @ThreeTwentysix

    @ThreeTwentysix

    Жыл бұрын

    Welcome aboard! Conditioners are basically moisturisers for your hair, but it could be interesting to look at different kinds of soap and detergent. Thanks for the idea.