I have to admit, a soft spot for gel-like hydrators. When I was sixteen years old, I was starting to get massive breakouts on my forehead. I did everything I could to get rid of them — salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, alternated retinoids and AHAs — but it left me with dry, red, irritated skin. Because I was already a skin care fanatic, my mother knew this was an issue, so she took me to the Clinique counter and got me the Clinique Moisture Surge product, which I believe was new at the time.
It hydrated, it softened, it cured me. And so I never go without having a jar in my medicine cabinet.
I also don’t go without reviewing gel-like hydrators for too long. I particularly like the H2O+ Oasis Skincare Duo because it provides a fair degree of antioxidant protection along with lightweight hydration. For anyone with oily, acne-prone, combination, or easily-irritated skin, the H2O+ Oasis Skincare Duo is perfection. I especially recommend it over top of a retinoid, AHA, or another concentrated treatment that can cause irritation.
For more, read on.
Panthenol is a Very Effective Moisturizer
Like many ingredients ending in “-ol,” panthenol is an alcohol (don’t be frightened by that!) that helps other ingredients penetrate skin and hair.
[Read More: Why Alcohol in Skin Care is Safe]
Panthenol coats skin and hair as a humectant moisturizer — which means that it draws in moisture from the environment (International Journal of Cosmetic Science). But because these moisturizers can also pull moisture from the lower levels of skin, it’s beneficial to use them in combination with an occlusive moisturizer.
Several studies done on mice show that panthenolic acid, the active ingredient in panthenol, increases the production of cell fibroblasts. It’s effective in aiding wound healing and for this reason has been shown to work well in anti-aging products (Drug & Cosmetic Industry). In a study on 30-60 year old women, a combination of panthenol and niacinamide improved signs of aging, such as hyperpigmentation and redness (Indian Journal of Dermatology).
“Phospholipids” are Natural Hydrators Found and Produced Within the Skin
Our body’s cells are protected by a plasma membrane consisting of a number of proteins, cholesterols, and most importantly fats. These phospholipids are an integral part of many processes within the body, many of them dealing with cell processes and DNA.
Phospholipids attract water from the surrounding air and hold water where an increased level of hydration is needed. They are also occlusive agents, so they hold water in and prevent it from leaving the skin.
Collagen has a very different function when it is produced by the skin (i.e., firming and plumping up the skin) from when it is topically applied (i.e., hydration only, some mild wrinkle-filling action). However, phospholipids have been shown in studies to have the same function when they are produced by the skin as when they are topically applied.
Several studies have demonstrated the value of phospholipids in skin care – it is found that environmental factors (sun, wind, pollution) and the detergents and solvents, found in many non-natural skin cleansers, actually stripped the natural phospholipid content from the top layer of skin. This loss resulted in a rough feel and a pitted appearance under a microscope.
Remarkably, the study showed that topically applied plant phospholipids restore the barrier function of the skin, protecting it from substances such as bacteria and harmful chemicals. Natural phospholipids contain relatively high amounts of linoleic acid, which play an important role in the human skin`s own synthesis of Ceramide 1, a lipid that is important for intact barrier function. As a result, skin care products can leave the skin soft, hydrated and protected (Pravada).
Bottom Line
I really like the H2O+ Oasis Skincare Duo because it provides a fair degree of antioxidant protection along with lightweight (yet effective) hydration. For anyone with oily, acne-prone, combination, or easily-irritated skin, the H2O+ Oasis Skincare Duo is perfection. I especially recommend it over top of a retinoid, AHA, or another concentrated treatment that can cause irritation.
H2O Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment Ingredients
Aqua/Water/Eau, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth 7, Dimethicone, Glycosaminoglycans, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Phospholipids, Panthenol, Fragrance (Parfum), Zinc PCA, Tocopherol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Potassium Sorbate, Benzophenone 4, Trisodium EDTA, Maris Sal/Sea Salt/Sel Marin, Magnesium Nitrate,Disodium EDTA, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Ulva Lactuca (Sea Lettuce) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone,Magnesium Chloride, Retinyl Palmitate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben,Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Linalool, Blue 1 (CI 42090)
H2O Face Oasis 24 Hydrating Booster Ingredients
| Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Squalane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Parfum/Fragrance, PEG-8, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Benzophenone-4, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate, PVM/MA Copolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Maris Sal/Sea Salt/Sel marin, Glucosamine HCL, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Ulva Lactuca Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Algae Extract, Faex/Yeast Extract/Extrait de levure, Phospholipids, Magnesium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Plankton Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Lecithin, Urea, Propylene Glycol, Magnesium Nitrate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Linalool, CI 42090/Blue 1 |