Dr. Denese HydroShield Face Emulsion

Based on the ingredient list, "Dr. Denese - HydroShield Face Emulsion" can work well for skin moisturization. The formulation is based on a combination of good humectants and emollients. Both are needed to increase the skin hydration level. Humectants in this product (acetyl octapeptide-3, urea, alanine, arginine and betaine) help to increase the water content in the upper layer of the skin. (These ingredients do so by "capturing" water molecules from the outside air or from within the deeper layers of the skin). Caprooyl tetrapeptide-3, ceramide 2, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, glycine soja sterols and arginine in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.

Ingredient callouts

• As a plus, this moisturizer also contains ceramides (ceramide 2 0.20% - 0.40%). Ceramides are a type of lipids that our skin produces itself. They are a building block of the skin's barrier. Ceramides used in skincare are synthetic or extracted from plants. They work well for softening the skin surface and "patch holes" in the skin's barrier.
• This moistruizer also contains peptides (caprooyl tetrapeptide-3 0.25% - 0.50%, acetyl octapeptide-3 0.25% - 0.45%, palmitoyl oligopeptide 0.40% - 0.60% and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 0.30% - 0.60%). Peptides is a very big group of ingredients. They all consist of a different combination of amino-acids. Our skin produces peptides naturally. Some of them work as natural anti-biotics, promote wound-healing and production of collagen. The scientists are still studying how effective the topical application of peptides is, but it is very likely that peptides in skincare are helpful. They might be able to support skin barrier restoration and even have an anti-aging benefit. At the very least, they certainly help attract water to the skin and support the hydration in this way.
• Adenosine 0.15% - 0.25% in this product adds an anti-aging property to it. Adenosine is a chemical present inside our skin cells. A clinical trial confirmed that topical application of adenosine in a low concentration reduce dynamic wrinkles (these are the wrinkles that appear with age in a places where we our mimic is the most active, for example, in the corners of the eyes or on the forehead).

Irritation risk

This formulation includes some common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide a benefit for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be high. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here

You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.