The Basics: How Skin Stays Healthy

3 min read

Healthy facial skin starts with understanding what your products do. Here we'll cover the difference between hydrating and moisturizing, the three pillars of moisturization and what your skin type may need to thrive.

Hydration Vs. Moisture - What's The Difference?

Hydration refers to water content in the skin. When skin is dehydrated it's lacking water. It can feel tight, look dull and fine lines become more visible. Only a humectant can address this by drawing water into the skin.

Moisture refers to the skin's oil content and barrier integrity. Our products are deeply moisturizing. They nourish the skin with fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants, and seal the barrier to prevent water loss. But they don't add water. No oil or fat can.

This is why the order matters. Humectant first to bring water in. Our plant oil and tallow-based products second to nourish and seal it there.

1. Humectant

2. Emollient

3. Occlusive

3 Pillars of Moisturization

1. Humectants - The Water

A humectant is an ingredient that draws water into the skin and helps it stay there. Common humectants include hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe vera. This is the first step of your routine and your dedicated hydration step. No oil, no matter how good, can do what a humectant does. They work at a molecular level inside the skin tissue itself, drawing water in rather than sitting on top.

For some people (particularly those with normal or balanced skin) simply applying our products to a damp face is enough. The water on the surface acts as a light humectant layer and our daily face oil or tallow cream seals it in. If that works for your skin, it's a perfectly complete routine.

If your skin feels dry or tight, apply your favourite humectant to damp skin first, wait 30 to 60 seconds to let it absorb, then apply our daily face oil or tallow cream on top to seal it in.

2. Emollients - The Nourishment

An emollient softens and smooths the skin by filling in the tiny gaps between skin cells. Oils and fats are emollients. Common emollients include plant oils, tallow, shea butter and squalane. They make skin feel soft, supported and comfortable, while delivering fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants that feed the skin barrier. This is what our daily face oil and tallow cream do best.

More about plant oils →

3. Occlusives - The Seal

An occlusive forms a protective layer over the skin that slows water loss. Common occlusives include tallow, shea butter, beeswax and petroleum jelly. Tallow is one of the most effective natural (non-synthetic) occlusives. When applied as your final step (especially over a humectant and a face oil) you're sealing everything underneath in and giving your skin the best possible environment to repair and maintain itself.

More about tallow →

Do you actually need all three? It depends on your skin.

  • Dry or Dehydrated Skin →

    This skin almost certainly needs a dedicated humectant step. If your skin feels tight after cleansing, looks dull or gets worse in winter, a humectant underneath your oil or tallow cream will make a meaningful difference. Oil alone will soothe but won't fix the underlying problem.

  • Oily or Combination Skin →

    This skin still benefits from a humectant. Oily skin can be dehydrated too and when the skin is short on water, it often overproduces sebum (the skin’s natural oil) to compensate. A lightweight humectant like glycerin or aloe vera gives oily skin the water it needs.

  • Normal, Balanced Skin →

    This skin may genuinely thrive without a separate humectant step at all. Applying a face oil or tallow cream to damp skin (while there's still a little water on the surface) gives the oil something to seal in immediately. For skin that isn't struggling, that can be enough. Simple and effective.

  • Sensitive Skin

    This does best with a gentle humectant option, like aloe vera. It's anti-inflammatory, unlikely to cause reactions and pairs beautifully with both our daily face oil and tallow cream.

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The Application Rule: Apply oils and fats to damp skin every time regardless of skin type. What you put underneath (if anything) depends on what your skin needs.

Everyone's skin is different. If you're unsure what your skin needs, a dermatologist or licensed esthetician can help you figure out the right routine for you.

Browse fats + oils →