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 water

The most widely used cosmetic ingredient; water is almost always listed first on an ingredient label because it is usually the ingredient with the highest concentration. Yet, despite claims of the skin’s need for hydration and the claims regarding special types of water used, it turns out that water may not be an important ingredient for skin. Only a 10% concentration of water in the outer layer of skin is necessary for softness and pliability in this part of the epidermis (Source: Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, November-December 1999, pages 344–351). Studies that have compared the water content of dry skin to that of normal or oily skin do not find a statistically significant difference in moisture levels between them (Source: Journal of Cosmetic Chemistry, September/October 1993, page 249). Further, too much water in the skin can be a problem because it can disrupt the skin’s intercellular matrix, the substances that keep skin cells bonded to each other (Source: Contact Dermatitis, December 1999, pages 311–314). The most significant aspect of the skin’s health is the structural organization of the intercellular lipids and the related materials that keep skin intact and prevent water loss (Sources: Trends in Cell Biology, August 2002, page 355; and Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, August 2002, pages 198–208). See natural moisturizing factor (NMF)