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The Difference Between Hydrating and Moisturizing
Hydrating. Moisturizing. Humectant. Emollient. Aren’t they all essentially the same thing? Definitely not. Though all of these terms tend to get mixed and matched and interchanged, they have very different meanings. Understanding the differences can help ensure you are giving your skin exactly what it needs, when it needs it. First and foremost: hydrating and moisturizing are not the same thing.
Hydrating
You need hydration when your skin is lacking water. Many factors can be to blame: sweat, smoking, excess caffeine, high altitudes, dry climate, lack of sleep, and not drinking enough water are among the culprits.
Moisturizing
You need moisture when you have genetically dry skin. Sebum is nature’s emollient. If your follicles aren’t producing enough sebum and/or your cells aren’t retaining adequate moisture, you have dry skin, a lack of oil.
Both hydration (water) and moisture (oil) are essential to retain elasticity and to keep skin looking smooth and supple. Your skin can be lacking both moisture and hydration, or just one of the two. If your skin is oily, you may not need much in the way of moisturizing, but every skin needs hydration. Here’s where those terms humectant and emollient come in.
Humectant
Humectants are like water magnets. These hydrophilic heroes attract water from the deeper layers of the dermis and also from the environment (think humidity) to hydrate the dermis. Ingredients like honey, urea, glycols, glycerin, lactic acid, and hyaluronic acid, aloe, and algae extract are all humectants.
However, if not sealed in, or if your natural skin barrier is weak or compromised, you can lose that water from your skin through what’s known as transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Water simply evaporates out of your skin similar to the way the earth begins to dry and crack when it has nothing to protect and insulate it.
Emollients
Emollients provide the insulation. Mainly lipids, fatty acids, and oils, emollient ingredients have varying degrees of occlusivity—the ability to act as a hydrophobic barrier over the skin to seal in moisture and improve the skin matrix. The most occlusive include silicones, petrolatum, paraffin and mineral oil. Less occlusive emollients are things like botanical oils including grape seed or olive oil. These ingredients strengthen the skin matrix, seal in moisture, and make skin softer and smoother. (Note that occlusive ingredients can be a bit of a double-edged sword. They are extremely important for sealing in moisture, but some can cross the line to sealing pores. Occlusives that are comedogenic include cocoa butter, synthetic lanolin, myristyl myristate, octyl stearate, and sodium lauryl sulfate.)
At this point, you may be recognizing the importance of properly layering your products. Lighter products intended to penetrate the skin go on first, then the hydrators and finally, the emollient moisturizers. If you’re not sure, remember that thicker, creamier products tend to have more lipid content and occlusivity. They go on at the end like putting on your coat to keep all the other layers protected and cozy.
Our favorite hydrators and moisturizers:
Allantoin Sedating & Hydrating Lotion is a lightweight formula designed to deliver balanced hydration and lasting comfort without heaviness.
Allantoin and aloe help soothe and replenish moisture, while grape seed oil provides lightweight emollient support to soften and condition the skin. Zinc peptides and oat protein contribute antioxidant benefits and help support a calm, healthy-looking complexion.
Suitable for all skin types, including oily and blemish-prone skin.
The ultimate quenching and plumping serum.
A high-performance hydration treatment powered by hyaluronic acid, advanced neuropeptides, signaling peptides, and DMAE to deliver multi-level moisture for skin that looks smoother, fuller, and more supple.
The result? Skin appears refreshed, radiant, and visibly revitalized.
Fortified with antioxidant-rich ingredients, this formula helps defend against environmental stressors while supporting a firmer, more resilient-looking complexion over time.
An advanced moisturizer formulated with a concentrated blend of antioxidants, bioactive marine minerals, amino acids, sea-derived proteins, and grape seed oil to deeply replenish and condition the skin.
This luxurious yet lightweight cream delivers rich hydration while maintaining a breathable, comfortable feel. Creamy and moisture-dense without heaviness, it leaves skin feeling supple, smooth, and beautifully balanced.
Totaloe Calming and Hydrating Gel
A lightweight, oil-free formula designed to deliver refreshing hydration while leaving skin feeling smooth, supple, and balanced.
Aloe—known for its exceptional humectant properties—helps attract and retain moisture. It’s paired with niacinamide, sea algae extract, and green tea extract to support a calm, refined, and healthy-looking complexion.
Fast-absorbing and weightless, this hydrating gel is especially well-suited for oily and combination skin types.
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