Ahh. Few things are more satisfying than a tasty sandwich, a glass of your favorite hydrating beverage, and of course, glowing skin. But what do these three things have in common? Behold, the term “moisture sandwich”. A moisture sandwich is a technique that is centered around layering your skincare products appropriately in order to most effectively retain moisture. By reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL), this technique leads to happier and healthier skin.
Here at Emogene & Co., we are centered around hydrating skin from the inside out. A moisture sandwich does exactly that in three distinct steps: by first applying a humectant, followed by a facial oil most suited for your skin, and finally, by topping it off with an occlusive agent.
Think of a humectant as a fancy term for a giant sponge. It attracts moisture from its surroundings, and then draws that same water to the surface of your skin, allowing for greater penetration. A great example of a humectant is hyaluronic acid, which is included in our Glow, Prime, and Refine serums. In order for a humectant containing product to work best, you should apply it to clean, damp skin.
Applying a facial oil is our next step, because it has a balance of water and oil and the bottom humectant layer now supports the delivery of the “water” component of this second product into your skin. With our skincare quiz, you have the opportunity to figure out which facial oil is best suited for your skin type.
To top off our sandwich, it is imperative to utilize an occlusive agent. This is a thick, oleaginous barrier which will then act as a “shield”, so the sponge and facial oil can continue to “do its thing”. The best example of an occlusive agent is Vaseline, but this can be highly comedogenic (pore-clogging) for many skin types. Other barrier balms, such as our The Healer All-Purpose Balm, can do the trick and be less of a breakout risk, especially for acne-prone individuals.
All in all, a moisture sandwich is not something you can eat or drink (sorry!), but is in fact a pharmaceutics-backed concept that really allows you to accelerate your personal journey towards rejuvenated, healthy skin. Who knew?
