Hyaluronic acid, panthenol and glycerin: three different approaches to moisture

Moisture is more than hyaluronic acid

Going by social media alone, you could get the impression that there is only one ingredient for moisturised skin: hyaluronic acid.

The real story is considerably more interesting.

Good formulations often bring together several kinds of moisturising and nurturing ingredients.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is well known for its ability to bind water.

In cosmetic products it can help keep moisture at the surface of the skin and contribute to a smoother, fresher look.

But more is not always better.

More important than chasing the highest possible percentage is the quality of the whole formulation.

Glycerin

Glycerin may not have such an appealing name, but it is one of the most proven humectants in cosmetics.

It is a humectant that helps hold water at the surface of the skin.

You will find it in a huge number of products, and for good reason.

Sometimes the most effective ingredients are not the ones given the most space in advertising.

Panthenol, or provitamin B5

Panthenol is another well-known ingredient in skincare products.

It is used above all for its moisturising and nurturing properties, and it is especially welcome in formulations for skin that feels dry or uncomfortable.

Why combine them?

Because skin does not need only one thing.

OSLEA therefore holds a combination of 1.5 % panthenol, 0.1 % hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The formulation is then completed with lipid, softening ingredients such as squalane and shea butter.

That way we are no longer talking about one single star ingredient, but about a system.

Let the formulation work as a whole

Next time you look at the ingredient list of a cream, do not search for one familiar word alone.

Look wider.

The way ingredients complement one another is often what makes the biggest difference to how a product behaves and how it leaves the skin feeling.