Occlusive emulsions help seal in skin moisture and prevent excessive transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Personal care emulsions contain various substances, such as water, emollients, fats, waxes, polymers, perfumes, preservatives, and humectants. Depending on the specific application, they may also include functional ingredients such as UV filters, antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins, plant extracts, essential oils, or peptides.
Occlusive ingredients create a barrier on the skin to prevent moisture loss. They are ideal for very dry skin or skin prone to dehydration.
Here are some examples:
- Petrolatum: One of the most effective occlusives; it seals moisture into the skin.
- Lanolin: Extracted from sheep’s wool, it is highly emollient and protects the skin.
- Mineral oils: Form a barrier on the skin that prevents water loss.
- Beeswax: Creates a natural protective layer and helps retain moisture.
- Shea Butter: Has nourishing properties and forms a gentle barrier on the skin.
- Squalane: Works as a light emollient with occlusive properties.
- Dimethicone and other silicones: Form a light barrier without clogging pores.
Occlusives are often combined with humectants and moisturizers to enhance their effect, ensuring that the skin remains soft and protected.
What Are Emulsions and How Do They Work?
Multiple emulsions are vesicular systems used for the sustained release of active ingredients.
The O/W/O type of multiple emulsion is used in cosmetics because its high oil content is able to maintain an occlusive film (barrier) on the skin’s surface.
What is an occlusive?
Occlusives are fatty, waxy, and oily substances that help seal in skin moisture and prevent excessive transepidermal water loss (TEWL). While TEWL is a normal process for maintaining skin health, excessive TEWL is what inevitably leads to skin dryness.
In fact, measuring TEWL is one of the most common testing methods for assessing skin condition.
Occlusive emulsions
An occlusive is an ingredient that forms a protective layer on the skin that remains in place for a specific period of time and prevents it from losing water through evaporation.
In this way, occlusives help the stratum corneum stay hydrated with the body’s own water, which comes from the deeper layers of the skin. Occlusive substances are usually dissolved in oils.
Occlusives tend to have a greasy feel, so people with oilier skin may not find products containing these substances comfortable.
The term “occlusive” has caused confusion because some websites mistakenly claim that occlusives clog pores and prevent the skin from breathing, like a waterproof plastic layer. However, the layer formed by occlusives is not permanent and sloughs off with friction from air and clothing, and is completely removed when cleansing the skin. Some occlusives:
- Animal-derived: lanolin and waxes.
- Of plant origin: vegetable oils and butters, such as shea butter or avocado oil, and semi-synthetic oils such as caprylic/capric triglyceride.
- Of mineral origin: petrolatum, liquid paraffin, mineral oil, and various silicones.
The best occlusive ingredients for skin care
Petrolatum is the star ingredient, simply because of the wealth of clinical evidence. Other traditional occlusive ingredients include beeswax, dimethicones, and butters.
The best product for occlusion depends on your skin type and condition.
From a chemist’s perspective, the best way to consider this is to shop based on the appropriate occlusion level:
- Very Light Occlusion: This can range from a cream with a high wax content to facial oils. Sleeping masks could also fall into this category, but we recommend checking the ingredient list to ensure waxes and butters appear at the top. This category may be sufficient for those with oily skin. However, if you have dry, flaky skin, this category probably won’t offer you the full benefits of occlusives.
- Medium Occlusion: These products often come in petrolatum blends. This can be anything with 30% or more petrolatum. The advantage of this category is that its textures are generally lighter and more absorbent than Maximum Occlusion. Most skin types benefit from this category. Plus, you can choose products based on secondary benefits beyond occlusion.
- Maximum Occlusion: Petrolatum, also known as 100% petrolatum. This can be a great budget-friendly first choice in the occlusion category, especially for sensitive skin, as it’s a single-ingredient product that has been repeatedly proven to be an effective skin protectant and reducer of transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Using Occlusives in Your Skin Care Routine
Since occlusives work by sealing everything in, this should definitely be the last step in your routine. Occlusives should be considered an ideal tool for addressing skin concerns. It’s not a product you need every day, but it’s incredibly useful to have on hand when your skin becomes dry.
Although occlusives are very useful, they are only one of the three main categories of hydrating ingredients. An occlusive balm is a complement to your routine, not a substitute for moisturizer.
What is slugging?
In recent years, “slugging” has become one of the most popular skincare trends on social media.
The term has been coined online as the process of covering your entire face with an occlusive balm to seal in moisture and achieve optimal hydration. While the slugging method may not be suitable for all skin types, the key word is “occlusive.”
Slugging is the act of applying a thick layer of occlusive to the skin before bed, and is essentially an intensive way to lock in moisture for the night. Consider it an emergency, in-a-pinch method to recalibrate parched, dry, and irritated skin. It can be helpful when skin is going through a dry phase, for example, right after a flight.
Slugging can be an excellent last step for dry skin, especially in winter. The frequency with which the product is applied also varies.
Some people need to apply it every night during extremely dry and hot winters, while others do it once a month.
For oily and acne-prone skin, it’s much more common to treat dry areas (especially when incorporating retinoids and topical acne products) than to apply the product.
What are the risks of using too many occlusive ingredients in a formulation?
Excessive occlusion: The formation of an overly dense barrier can impede skin respiration and disrupt the skin’s natural balance.
Comedogenic acne: Some occlusives, such as mineral oils or lanolin, can clog pores and promote the formation of comedones, especially in acne-prone skin.
Miliaria (prickly heat): Excessive occlusion can clog sweat ducts, resulting in the formation of small inflammatory vesicles.
Heavy or greasy feeling: Formulations with a high concentration of occlusives can feel uncomfortable on the skin, especially in hot and humid climates.
Decreased natural lipid production: Chronic use of occlusives can decrease the body’s endogenous lipid production. Of course!
Are there natural and synthetic occlusive ingredients?
Yes, there are both natural and synthetic occlusives:
Natural Occlusives:
Plant lipids: Oils (coconut, olive, jojoba), butters (shea, cocoa), and waxes (beeswax, carnauba).
Lanolin: Obtained from sheep’s wool.
Synthetic Occlusives:
Petroleum derivatives: Petrolatum (Vaseline), mineral oil, paraffin.
Silicones: Dimethicone, cyclomethicone, other silicone polymers.
Synthetic waxes: Polyethylene waxes, silicone waxes.
How do occlusives differ from humectants and moisturizers?
How do occlusive ingredients combine with other active ingredients to maximize their effects??
This barrier reduces the rate of transepidermal water loss, which is crucial for optimizing results:
Humidifiers + Occlusives: This combination is essential. Applying a humectant (such as hyaluronic acid) and then sealing it with an occlusive (such as a vegetable oil) provides deep, long-lasting hydration.
What level of occlusivity is recommended for very dry or irritation-prone skin?
What skin types benefit most from occlusive ingredients?
Dry skin (xerosis): Individuals with deficient sebum production (lipids such as mineral oil) are very effective in reducing TEWL and protecting the skin.
However, it is important to consider individual tolerability and avoid excessive occlusion.
Some specific recommendations:
- Severe xerosis: Use petroleum jelly or mineral oil as a night treatment or in children with elevated TEWL. Occlusives help restore barrier function and reduce water loss, relieving dryness and scaling.
- Sensitive and/or irritated skin: Skin with a compromised skin barrier may experience localized areas of extreme dryness.
- Atopic dermatitis: Apply mild emollients and occlusives (such as vegetable oils or shea butter) several times a day, especially after bathing.
- Sensitive skin: Choose non-irritating, non-comedogenic occlusives, such as dimethicone or squalene.
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