We guys don’t always do the best job of taking care of our skin. After all, isn’t shaving and putting on deodorant enough? Jokes aside, men are actually more likely to get dry skin as we age, but few of us do anything about it. The good news is that all men can incorporate a once-daily moisturizer which helps repair, restore, and renew cracked and damaged skin.
But how can you be sure that a moisturizing cream will do the trick? Maybe you’ve bought hand cream from the checkout aisle of the drugstore or maybe you’ve tried whatever your partner has lying on the nightstand. Instead of taking whatever you see first, consider using a moisturizer with potent emollients, occlusives, and humectants.
What are Emollients?
So what are emollients? In the broadest terms, emollients are moisturizing ingredients which penetrate deep into the skin to fill gaps from within. Healthy, fully hydrated skin utilizes the body’s natural sebum (body oil) as an emollient. Yet our skin frequently needs extra help when it has become dry and damaged. Commonly used emollients include:
- Glycerin
- Salicylic acid
- Vitamin D
- Coal tar
- Tazarotene
- Anthralin
- Tacrolimus
- Pimecrolimus
Choosing the right emollient for you comes down to the condition of your skin as well as your daily routine. Many men find that simply choosing a moisturizing cream for hands, feet, and elbows which harnesses the power of emollients works best.
How Emollients Repair, Restore, and Renew Dry Skin
Think of your cracked hands during winter. Hopefully you aren’t looking down right now, but I certainly could. The skin is dry, cracked, split, and even bleeds from time to time. This is important because our skin in this state develops pronounced cracks. These cracks make our skin weak, which may even lead to lessened ability to fight off normal cuts and scrapes or even infections.
To keep skin strong and hydrated, emollients work to fill these cracks. This is why after using a high quality moisturizer your skin may feel smoother and more pleasant to the touch. This isn’t only because a thin layer of product remains on the surface, high quality moisturizers literally fill in rough patches and restore your natural skin strength from the inside out! Many men who work with their hands may even notice that using moisturizers with emollients make their hands more resilient against everyday punishment.
High Quality Ingredients Make High Quality Skincare Products
It is important to understand that the mere presence of emollients does not guarantee a quality product. Some products may use a very small amount of emollients just to make their label look good or opt to use the cheap stuff. Consider a moisturizer with high concentrations of proven emollients like glycerin for best results. Believe us, you will notice a difference.
Other powerful ingredients like amino acids and stearic acid provide a well rounded moisturizing product. It is important to remember that although thus far we have talked about emollients as ingredients, finished skincare products are themselves considered emollients. This means that to get the best possible moisturizing product, we should be looking at both the potency of the individual ingredients and the overall efficacy of the end product.
Emollients, Occlusives, and Humectants in Once-Daily Moisturizing Cream for Men
We have covered emollients, but that is only one third of the total moisturization package. The other two key components are occlusives and humectants.
Occlusives are the familiar skincare ingredients which provide a protective barrier on the outside of your skin. These types of ingredients are often heavier in consistency, and are frequently waxy or oily to the touch. This is due to the fact that occlusives are predominantly hydrophobic. Hydrophobic materials repel water, essentially creating a waterproof barrier on the outside of your skin.
Humectants work by acting as a magnet for water. Our 60 percent water composition is useful when our moisturizing products can harness that natural resource. Humectants are able to draw moisture from within our body to the surface of the skin. This allows your skin to remain moisturized over long periods of time.
The three pillars of moisturizing products: emollients, occlusives, and humectants, work together to create unparalleled efficacy when it comes to moisturizing dry skin. Without any of these three components, your skin would like not recover fully. For men’s skin, there is no reason to accept anything less.
HEFF for Men Delivers Complete Skin Protection
HEFF is a men’s moisturizing cream developed for dry, cracked hands, elbows, and feet. We believe in providing the strongest possible product for men who work hard. Our non-greasy formula harnesses the power of essential amino acids to heal your skin without leaving any nasty residue! Purchases of HEFF support the United States military through Operation Gratitude and our ongoing military donation program.
If you are in need of some serious dry skin relief, look no further! Our products are available in major retailers across the country, online, or you can feel free to contact us directly with any additional questions.