How do emollients work?
Your skin holds moisture within it, and within your body. Many moisturisers aim to supplement our skin’s natural function with ingredients that help the skin hold moisture. In addition to this, emollients also aim to make a complete barrier between the skin and air, preventing moisture from leaving. This is particularly useful for dry or damaged skin.
Where emollients are used
Emollients are traditionally used for eczema, psoriasis and other dry skin conditions. Newer research show emollients are particularly useful for mature skin, where they can help prevent dry skin conditions. According to a study*, applying emollients twice a day can also reduce the risk of skin tears—wounds that are more likely in mature, drier skin—by almost 50 percent.
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*Carville K. et al., (2014), The effectiveness of twice-daily skin moisturising regime for reducing the incidence of skin tears.
