Keep reading to understand the difference between oil based and water based skincare, and how MASK Skincare can help soothe your skin into a peaceful state of being.
If you’ve just had a chemical peel, or if your skin is just in need of some serious hydration, water based skincare may be the answer to your skin’s prayers.
From skin serums and lightweight lotions to heavier creams to keep skin glowing, water based skincare can help address your skin’s needs, even after a harsher chemical treatment.
Keep reading to understand the difference between oil based and water based skincare, and how MASK Skincare can help soothe your skin into a peaceful state of being.
What is water based skincare?
Water based skincare refers to skincare that has water at its base (instead of oil). Depending on the amount of water used in the product, water based skincare comprises different textures and weights that include cleanser, serum, lotion, gel, or cream.
Turn over your favorite skin moisturizer or cleanser and read the ingredients. If the first ingredient is water—or ingredients blended with water like green tea, coconut water, or aloe vera juice—you’ve got water based skincare.
Water based skincare is often blended with other ingredients that adhere to water and draw more moisture to skin. These ingredients are known as “humectants,” and include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and amino acids.
What’s the difference between oil based and water based skincare?
You may use the term “moisturizing” and “hydrating” interchangeably when describing your favorite natural moisturizers, but in the beauty and skincare industries, they mean different things.
“Moisturizing” refers to more emollient, oil based skincare ingredients that actually work to repair and rebalance the skin barrier—that invisible layer of naturally occurring sebum that keeps our skin looking supple and prevents water from escaping out while preventing bacteria and germs from penetrating in.
Skin that has a weakened barrier function, is showing noticeable signs of aging, or tends to be dry most of the time often benefits from oil based moisturizing products. To achieve a more healthy skin barrier, lessen signs of aging, or combat ongoing dryness (especially in harsh winter months), moisturizers with an oil base are a brilliant and highly effective choice.
And, contrary to popular belief, oil based skincare actually doesn’t make your skin more oily; if anything, it helps to balance skin to prevent it from overproducing sebum that may lead to clogged pores, breakouts, and excess oil.
The term “hydrating,” however, refers to ingredients that quench skin’s thirst. These are water based ingredients that target skin that’s dehydrated. Water permeates the skin and helps plump it up, resulting in less noticeable fine lines and wrinkles.
Perhaps your skin is a little dehydrated from changes in weather, a long flight, or a late night; water based ingredients offer an ideal antidote. Live in a hot, humid climate or need a lightweight solution for summer months? Water based moisturizes are a highly effective option.
“Water based skincare offers instant relief to dehydrated skin and a lightweight option for those humid summer days,” notes Sarah Mirsini, founder of MASK Skincare.
“Not only does water based skincare help to relieve dehydration, but it can be ideal in situations where skin has undergone treatments that leave skin sensitized, like a chemical peel. Reaching for a water based option formulated with only natural and organic ingredients, like those found in MASK sheet masks and MASK skin serums, can help soothe skin and calm irritation.”
The skin benefits of water based skincare
Water based skincare offers instant skin benefits. Just as your body can function at its best when you’re well hydrated, so can your skin. If you’re noticing very fine lines, crepiness, or an overall lackluster appearance, using water based skincare may instantly perk your skin up and make it look more plump and healthy.
“Water based skincare that contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid (HA) make it a favorite among those with dehydrated skin,” explains Mirsini.
“One of the reasons we used it in our MASK Skincare products is because HA holds 1,000 times its weight in water. It’s a humectant, so it draws moisture onto the skin and holds the molecules onto skin’s surface to keep it hydrated, plump, and more youthful looking.” Mirsini continues,
“Because our water based products pair powerhouse HA with plants, our customers report noticeable results in the improvement of their skin after chemical peels, along with fewer fine lines, wrinkles, and overall better skin appearance after using MASK water based products. ”
What skincare should you use after a chemical peel?
After undergoing a harsh treatment like a chemical peel, skin needs a gentle hand to heal. Treating it to natural and organic ingredients that have a water base can help to calm irritation and redness, encourage cell turnover for healing, and deliver much needed hydration.
MASK Skincare products are gentle enough to use after chemical peels, and with their high water content, they can soothe irritated skin on contact. Gently applying MASK serums like Luminouss before your moisturizer delivers to help minimize inflammation, aloe vera, coconut water, and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate, and anti-bacterial manuka honey to aid in healing.
Several times a week, apply MASK sheet masks to post-chemical peel skin to deliver a potent dose of these and other beneficial organic ingredients that will leave your skin feeling calmer, plumper, and more radiant after just 20 minutes.
Are you ready to take the plunge and try water based skincare?