Difference between Effective Moisturizing and Not Effective moisturizing.

by Tatsuya Inoue

In this article, I will introduce you to Effective moisturizing which has been tested for 20 years by thousands of people concerning skin trouble.

Actually, we receive a lot of questions and consultations like the following every day.

HELP ME!!!

No matter what I do, my skin never gets moisturized.

I’m using skincare products that are famous to contain high moisturizing ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid.

I use multiple skincare products generously, and continue moisturizing my skin every night and day.

But… my skin still doesn’t feel moisturized at all.

On top of that, recently my skin has become dull, and I’ve noticed more spots and wrinkles.

The application of makeup is also getting worse day by day.

Despite doing everything I can, there’s no effect…

What should I do to moisturize my skin and improve these skin problems?

Should I just give up?

I truly sympathize with this kind of worry because I also had extremely sensitive and dry skin before. That is why I founded the company. I tried to understand the true meaning of moisturizing and then developed a skincare product which can maximize moisturizing. Through this process, more than a hundred thousands of users are still using Aqucrio Aquatect everyday. This was possible because we are focusing not only on the contents of products but also the way to have moisturized skin by using our products and giving advice. We are still working to conduct programs to maximize moisturizing everyday. So, please read this article carefully. It must surprise you and be helpful for our skin.

What is Moisturizing?

moisturizing= condition of skin which has an appropriate amount of water in it.

Many people misunderstand that moisturizing is applying water to the skin. However, that is not moisturizing. This is because water evaporates when it touches skin so that it cannot keep moisturized. It is hard to say moisturized skin when water flies away. It is just wet skin. True moisturization occurs when moisture is retained within the skin for a certain period without evaporating quickly.

What is moisturizing effect

Moisturizing Effect= Making moisturizing artificially.

The definition of Moisturizing Effect depends on the fields. In the Field of Skincare, You can understand the Moisturizing Effect as above.

To be specific, It means ways and actions to retain appropriate water within the skin. In many cases, the effect occurred by skincare products.

Is it possible to achieve effective moisturizing with skincare products?

Oil is needed to prevent evaporation and retain water within the skin. In the case of our body, sebum is oil. It is not favored because it can cause oily skin, however, It is necessary to retain water within the skin.

In other words, Moisturizing is a condition of skin which is retaining moisture in it with oil to prevent evaporation. Thus, If you want to moisturize your skin, water and oil is needed. Actually, skin care products are made up of water and oil. This is why skincare products made up of water and oil have Moisturizing effect. However, the effect varies depending on the skin care product. Then what is What are some skincare products that come to mind for expected moisturizing effects? Speaking in terms of the order of use, the first thing that comes to mind is “toner,” wouldn’t you agree?

Do not expect Moisturizing effect from toner.

Purpose of toners is not moisturizing

Purpose of the toners is supplying water to your skin, not moisturizing. Thus, There is no moisturizing effect in toners. When you use toners, the skin is supplied with water. Although the skin gets hydrated, it is temporary. It evaporates by factors such as temperature and body heat. Moisturizing effect stands for “creating the skin condition which maintains moisturized skin”. Temporary hydrated skin cannot be called a moisturizing effect.

Toner dries the skin

Something more, water on the surface of skin takes moisture away from inside the skin as well when it evaporates. It refers to “over drying”. Therefore, using just toner alone, you can’t expect moisturizing effects; instead, it may even lead to dryness.

It is easy to understand if you imagine household chores involving water. When someone does household chores such as washing dishes, cooking, and cleaning the bath, People with sensitive skin may experience roughness and, in severe cases, even develop cracks in their fingertips. These kinds of household chores cause

the hands become dry and rough, the skin hardens, and areas that have lost flexibility may crack, causing bleeding.” It implies that just supplying water to the skin does not improve skin troubles. So, if you’re only using toner, it’s better to do nothing at all.

Someone who always lives heavy days and comes back home late at night may have applied only toners until today. Others who want to be refreshed do not want to apply creams either. However, Applying only toner is not enough for your skin. There are some cases.

Cosmetic industry misleads you to believe that toner can moisturize your skin enough.

from some years ago, tons of cosmetic brands are advertising “moisturizing toners”. The name of the products and the instructions seems like it can perform moisturizing effects, so someone trusts it and applies only a toner on the skin, However, when you read the contents…

“Misleading tactic 1: Contains ○ times more of the existing product.”

A certain ‘moisturizing toner’ advertises that it contains high-moisture beauty ingredients compared to existing toners, but the amount of moisturizing ingredients in the so-called ‘existing toner’ is unknown. This is a common tactic in the cosmetics industry. First, in “Toner A” 150ml, 0.001ml of a popular moisturizing ingredient is included for its moisturizing effect.

Then, “Moisturizing Toner B,” containing 0.01ml of the moisturizing ingredient, is released as an upgraded version of Toner A, advertised as “Toner A upgraded, now with 10 times more famous moisturizing ingredient!”

When it’s claimed that the famous moisturizing ingredient is ten times more concentrated, it might give the impression that Moisturizing Toner B has ten times the moisturizing effect of Toner A. However, in reality, there isn’t much of a difference. Regardless of whether 0.001ml or 0.01ml of a highly moisturizing beauty ingredient is included in a 150ml bottle, the practical moisturizing effect won’t vary significantly.

That’s why I am highly skeptical of the sales tactic of “○ times more than the existing product.”

“Misleading tactic 2: Change Texture.”

Another tactic to make customers feel as if their skin became moisturized is changing texture. Commonly, toner is liquid, so it has a watery texture.

If it remains the same consistency, people may perceive it similarly to before, so the makers alter it to have a slightly slippery texture. As people tend to feel that a slightly slippery texture has higher moisturizing effects compared to a watery one. In reality, the moisturizing effect doesn’t change much.

Caution for Sensitive, Dry skin.

For those with healthy skin conditions and active sebum secretion who understand their own skin condition, choosing to use only toner for skin care should be fine. However, if individuals with dry or sensitive skin continue their skincare routine solely relying on the belief that “moisturizing toner can provide moisturizing effect,” they might encounter significant skin problems later on.

Therefore, when products like these emerge, leading people to misunderstand that “toner alone can provide hydration,” I feel bad for those who continue their skincare routines under this misconception. Since “moisturizing toners” are still being introduced, negating the purpose of toners as mere “hydration replenishment,” and manufacturers jumped on the trend, It is important to judge whether the product is truly helpful to you.

Do Not Expect Moisturizing Effect from Milky Lotions or Skin Creams

Next, Milky Lotions and Skin Creams. The purpose of these is supplying oil.

Thus, It is impossible to make our skin moisturized with milky lotions or skin creams.

Even if you apply plenty of oil to prevent evaporation, it won’t moisturize if your skin lacks water in the first place. If you want moisturizing effects, make sure to hydrate your skin properly.

Diminishing pain≠Moisturizing

Covering the skin’s surface with oil helps to prevent external irritations, thus reducing the pain caused by skin irritation. For instance, when doing tasks involving water, applying oil (hand cream) can alleviate the pain from skin roughness. Feeling relief from such pain may give the impression that the skin’s condition has improved.

At first glance, it may indeed seem like moisturization is occurring. When washing, the skin receives moisture, and applying oil (hand cream) afterward helps prevent moisture evaporation, potentially offering moisturizing effects. However, reality differs.

Firstly, attempting to apply hand cream directly onto water droplets after washing becomes challenging due to the conflicting properties of water and oil, making it very difficult to spread the cream evenly. Therefore, it’s customary to dry the hands with a towel before applying hand cream. While it’s better for the skin to be dry to ensure thorough cream application, this condition doesn’t necessarily mean that the skin has the appropriate moisture. Instead, it’s more about preventing over-drying rather than moisturizing effects. On the other hand, applying cream before washing creates a barrier against water. This barrier can alleviate pain in cases of wounds, but it is hard to say it provides moisturizing effects.

Softer skin ≠ Moisturizing

Furthermore, oil has the ability to soften the skin’s surface. This softening effect may give the impression that the skin’s surface is “moisturized,” making it less prone to feeling dry and reducing the appearance of dryness-related flakiness. This can create a sensation and visual appearance of moisturization.

Some people believe that moisturization can be achieved solely through creams or lotions due to two reasons:

Preventing external irritations.
Softening the skin’s surface.

I’ll reiterate that moisturization refers to the state where the skin retains adequate moisture within it. Unfortunately, moisturization cannot be achieved solely through creams or lotions. Both water and oil are necessary for moisturization.

This raises a question: Water and oil have opposing properties and do not mix or blend. When you apply hand cream to your hands, it repels water, right? That’s true. So why is it that toner mixes well with lotions or creams?

toner and milky lotion blend well thanks to the indispensable “THIS”

To repeat, the Moisturizing Effect needs both water and oil, despite they are incompatible matters. Oil repels water. Even if they mix temporarily, they will eventually separate. However, Moisturizing Effect cannot occur when those are separated. Thus, It is essential to let them have each other’s features.

Features of oil to toners
Features of water to milky lotions and skin creams

Through this process, water and oil blend together and a moisturizing effect occurs.

To blend incompatible matters, Skin care products use a “Surfactant”.

Surfactant has features of both water and oil so that including it allows it to maintain a blended condition. It is an essential ingredient to lead Moisturizing Effect.

Surfactants exist in our real life. Milk and mayonnaise includes it too. In that meaning, Milk and mayonnaise also have Moisture contents although the effect is very weak and separates quickly from blended condition. By using Surfactants, toners and milky lotion, Skin cream can be blended in one. Then, Is it necessary to separate toners and milky lotion, skin cream from each other?

Reason why there are such various types of Moisturizing cosmetic products.

Why do we use toner, emulsion, or cream separately? The aim is likely to increase effectiveness by focusing on one goal. Toner, emulsion, and cream each have different characteristics and purposes. By separating them, the effectiveness of each goal is increased, and as a result, we can expect high moisturizing effects.

This sounds like it makes sense. It might make us think, ‘Ah, so that’s why toner, emulsion, and cream are separate. We can expect high moisturizing effects!’ But is that really the case?

Let’s take a closer look at toner first.”

Is Using Toner Necessary?

The purpose of toner is to replenish moisture to the skin. It’s the first step in moisturizing. Providing moisture to the skin is easy. All you need to do is wet the skin with water. Providing moisture to the skin is not as difficult as specializing in it; it’s quite straightforward.

Next, let’s take a look at emulsion and cream.

Is Using Milky Lotion, Skin Cream Necessary?

“The purpose of milky lotion and cream is to replenish oil to the skin. It’s the second step in moisturizing. Providing oil to the skin is easy. All you need to do is apply it to the skin. Even with hand cream, just applying it is enough. While removing moisture is necessary for oil alone, both toner and cream contain surfactants, so there’s no issue. It’s a very easy task. In other words, both moisturizing and oil replenishment are goals that can be easily achieved.”

Thus,the hypothesis “increase effectiveness by focusing on one goal.” does not hold. Then why are those products separated into various kinds?

“Ignoring the ‘moisturizing effect’… The hidden truth of the cosmetics industry that is not generally known.”

As someone who makes cosmetics, I honestly can’t find a reason. If I were to say, it might be because “having a lot of varieties is profitable ” In reality, I was surprised when I first made toner in a cosmetics company’s laboratory. To put it simply, to make 100ml of toner, you just need to mix 95-99 ml of purified water with 1-5 ml of glycerin, which has moisturizing effects, and it’s done. Of course, other ingredients such as preservatives and moisturizing agents, as well as beauty components, are added, but even so, it can be made very easily and inexpensively.

At that time, I felt like, “There’s not much moisturizing effect, it’s too wasteful to spend money on something like this.” But in reality, toner is just the beginning. it’s on the cheaper side. Creams, Serums, Whitening Creams, etc., can cost not just some dollars but hundreds of dollars, or even thousands of dollars if bought as a set. Of course, if they have high moisturizing effects, it’s understandable to pay a high price. But the contents of cosmetics priced from tens of dollars and thousands of dollars don’t differ much. Naturally, the moisturizing effects don’t differ much either. And from this, it struck me. Especially with basic skincare products, many people use them as a series. So, the more types of items there are, the higher the average purchase amount per person increases. By offering types of products that other companies haven’t, even if it’s forced, it’s a two-fold advantage in terms of differentiation. This is just my personal speculation from when I entered the cosmetics industry, but looking at the cosmetics industry now, 20 years later, I think it may be true.

The Way to Maximize Moisturizing Effect

Using the typical skincare routine of toner, cream, serum, and so on, it’s not accurate to say that there is “absolutely no moisturizing effect.” However, one might wonder, “Isn’t there a better way?” As mentioned earlier, cosmetics are becoming increasingly specialized.

For example, the single product category of “cream” has been forcibly divided into products like “eye cream” for the eyes and “neck cream” for the neck. While it would be ideal for these specialized products to enhance moisturizing effects, in reality, their effectiveness remains largely unchanged. It seems like the only reason behind this trend is that “cosmetics companies are making profits.” It makes one wonder if they’re even considering moisturizing effects anymore.

From the perspective of users, the increasing variety and complexity of usage make skincare routines more time-consuming and costly. It seems to be full of downsides. Moreover, there are many drawbacks from the standpoint of moisturizing effects.　Let me explain specifically.

Drawbacks of toner, milky lotion, and skin cream from the perspective of moisturizing effects.

Drawback 1:If not applied immediately, it can have a “reverse effect.”

Because cosmetics are divided, after using toner, you must immediately apply milky lotion or skin cream. If time passes and over-drying occurs, it can lead to not just a lack of moisturizing effects but actually drying out the skin instead.

During hot summer seasons, applying toner while being exposed to the fan or air conditioning will cause immediate evaporation. The same applies to the warm air from heaters during cold winter seasons. It can be considered an act of self-sabotage of moisturizing effects.

Drawback2: Balance of water and oil is not good. hard to apply uniformly

Furthermore, the ratio of water to oil is also unstable.

To maximize moisturizing effects, it’s essential to balance the ratio of water to oil. Equally important is applying it uniformly to the skin. For example, if your entire face is dry and you apply toner to moisturize, can you be sure it’s applied uniformly across your entire face?

When you take toner in your hand, the area first touched by your hand has the most moisture, which gradually decreases as you continue to apply. Then, when you replenish and apply again, the initially applied area may become saturated, but the cycle repeats. Moreover, since toner is colorless, once applied, it’s difficult to determine how much moisture is applied and where. Additionally, over time, some of it evaporates. Despite human fingers being sensitive, it’s nearly impossible to apply toner uniformly in a short period. The same applies to emulsion and cream. In most cases, both toner and emulsion or cream are unevenly applied. Since they’re transparent and not noticeable after application, it might not be a concern. However, moisturizing effects are significantly compromised.

In some cases, there might be areas where only toner or only emulsion/cream is applied. Naturally, these areas have zero moisturizing effects.

Effective Moisturizing skincare

Using toner enables moisturizing.
Using skin cream or milky lotion enables moisturizing.
If well-known beauty ingredients are included, moisturizing is possible.
Multiple skincare products are necessary for moisturizing.

Not bound by such common knowledge, I began developing skincare products that can provide “effective moisturizing” for people struggling with their skin.

Finally, Thanks to our efforts, we finally completed a skincare product that I confidently recommend to those with sensitive and dry skin.

“AQUCRIO AQUATECT GEL.”

Aqucrio Aquatect Gel

Texture

Gel formulation is a resilient formulation like below.

This gel formulation minimizes friction on the skin when applied, elasticity of gel acts as a cushion between the face and hands. By creating it in gel form, we made it safer by reducing friction so that people who have sensitive skin can use the product without worry.

Exclusion of four ingredients to Prevent Irritation.

We also formulated it without the four major ingredients that may potentially irritate the skin, while adhering to seven strict rules.

These four ingredients are completely excluded from all products:

Synthetic surfactants derived from petroleum
Alcohol (ethanol)
Synthetic colorants
Synthetic fragrances

Furthermore, we conducted tests through third-

party organizations and cleared the following four examinations:

Four safety tests conducted:

Patch tested ※
Allergy tested ※
Sting test ※
Non-comedogenicity tested ※

Note: While these tests indicate that the product is less likely to cause allergies, skin irritation, or acne for most individuals, it doesn’t guarantee that it won’t cause such reactions for everyone.

Two Preservatives to enhance safety.

We use two types of preservatives to reduce the Total amount.

Preservatives are essential in cosmetics to prevent them from spoiling, but they do not directly contribute to moisturizing. Reducing total amount of preservatives help improve the effectiveness of products. By including two types of preservatives, we can achieve a synergistic effect, allowing us to use less amount than if only one type were used. While there might be a misconception that using multiple types means using more overall, we were committed to minimizing the amount used.

moisturizing.

This was a struggle until the very end.

Dry skin causes skin problems such as wrinkles and spots. When the skin lacks moisture, its functions weaken, leading to various issues. If the skin is adequately hydrated, it becomes more resilient to problems.　In other words, my goal was to transform dry, flaky skin into plump, hydrated skin. Moisturizing involves providing ample hydration to the skin and maintaining it with oil. I repeatedly experimented to find out the most effective ratio of hydration and oil. Eventually I concluded the ratio of 80:20 (Strictly speaking, there are even finer ratios.)proved to be the most effective. By coincidence, it turned out to be the same ratio as the moisture content found in a baby’s body.

Selecting Oil

When selecting oils, I referred to the sebum film. The sebum film, known as the “natural beauty serum,” is closely related to moisturizing effects. The “sweat” and “sebum” naturally secreted from our bodies combine to form a film. Naturally, since it’s secreted from our bodies, it’s safe and non-irritating.

This sebum film protects the skin from external irritations and prevents moisture from evaporating from the skin. Therefore, ideally, when sweat and sebum are moderately secreted, they moisturize the skin.

On the other hand, those with dry or sensitive skin often have low secretion of sweat and sebum, or an imbalance that results in an extremely reduced sebum film.

Especially as we age, the secretion of sweat and sebum decreases, causing the skin to become drier and more sensitive over time. That’s why I considered supplementing the role of the sebum film with cosmetics as an essential factor in enhancing moisturizing effects. To achieve this, it’s necessary to include oils suitable for forming the sebum film.

Animal-derived oil components, as you may know, pose concerns about safety due to issues such as “mad cow disease” in cattle and avian influenza in birds. Fish can carry koi herpes virus. None of these issues have been fully resolved. Therefore, I decided to choose effective ingredients from plant-derived components.

Initially, I planned to use two or three types. Honestly, it’s simpler and easier to make this way, and it’s cheaper because it requires less effort. However, just as it is with food, there’s no excuse for eating only one thing, no matter how good it is for the body. A healthy diet involves consuming a variety of foods in balance. The same applies to the skin. Therefore, regardless of cost, I selected the following 14 carefully chosen plant-derived ingredients:

[14 plant-derived ingredients]

Avocado oil, arginine, squalene, olive fruit oil, jojoba seed oil, macadamia seed oil, rosa canina fruit oil, ginkgo leaf extract, Artemisia capillaries extract, arnica flower extract, peach leaf extract, Aloe leaf extract, thorn-back seaweed/Mitsui rockweed/green sea lettuce extract, rice bran sphingolipids.

Basic skincare completes only by this product

As mentioned at the beginning, we didn’t focus on the variety or number of basic skincare products, but rather on researching and developing highly moisturizing basic skincare products. And guess what? We’ve managed to create a basic skincare product that requires only one item! When we asked those who tried the prototype, almost everyone said, “This gel alone is enough for basic skincare.” So, you don’t need toners, lotions, makeup primers, or any other creams.

This received much more positive feedback than expected from users, especially from working women and older individuals.

From working women: “When I’m busy in the morning, using multiple skincare products feels like a waste of time. I’ve been looking for a product that can do it all in one.”

From an elder: “Having too many products is confusing and hard to remember how to use. If it’s just one product to apply, it’s simple, and there’s no need to remember multiple steps.”

They were delighted that “reducing the time spent on skincare gave them more personal time.” (We were truly surprised by how many people spend 1-2 hours on skincare.)

We received many other comments, and here are some of those.

“I suddenly found that my toner didn’t suit me anymore, but now I’m fine!”

“I’m thrilled to finally find skincare products that suit me!”

“Better cost-effectiveness and actual results than high-end cosmetics!”

“My desert-dry skin has become soft and supple!”

One limitation

To be honest, usability is still a limitation.

Especially those who have been using various skincare products may say, “I feel uncomfortable with the feel of it.” Simply put, what used to be several products have now been condensed into one. So, some may feel like it’s “not enough.”

By adding petroleum-based surfactants, we could eliminate this feeling of inadequacy and create a product with a better feel. However, that would violate our “seven rules.” Therefore, we deliberately ignored the “usability.”

If you’re really concerned about the feel, please try an experiment.

If you have your current skincare products, keep a little bit aside.

Then, try using “AquaTect Gel” for just one month.

After that, go back to using your previous skincare products.

You’ll then notice, “Wow, it’s strange!!!” You’ll feel the same discomfort you felt when you first used Aquatect Gel.

This is only about whether your skin is used to the sensation, not about the effectiveness of the skincare product.

“Double Cleansing Gel”

Additionally, thanks to feedback from customers, we have successfully developed a “Double Cleansing Gel” that does not contain foaming agents and can be used as both a makeup remover and a cleanser.

The concept of the Double Cleansing Gel is the same as AquaTect Gel. To protect the skin’s moisture, it has a mild cleansing power. To make it suitable for dry and weakened skin, we’ve minimized irritation through trial and error. After much trial and error, it’s now complete. When used together with Aqua Tect Gel, it achieves even more effective moisturizing through synergistic effects.

Special Offers

Since we want to ensure they have no allergies beforehand, We offer a 30 days money- back guarantee. Both AquaTect Gel and Double Cleansing Gel are made from carefully selected safe ingredients. However, occasionally, some people may have allergies to natural plant-derived ingredients such as aloe or avocado. In severe cases, there are even individuals allergic to water.

As an appreciation we prepared a special offer exclusively for first-time customers.

Please feel free to try it! If you have any questions, contact us by Email. Your voice is always welcome.

After you try, if Aquatect satisfies you, the Subscription System is always available.

We ship the product according to your request if you want so that you do not have to order it every single time you need it.

Recommend to these concern

trouble by skin problems such as spots and wrinkles
feel stinging and pain after washing face
makeup does not apply well because of extremely dry skin.
hoping that there might be skincare products that suit better
never encountered skincare product just for you
currently dissatisfied with the skincare products using
want to improve your skin problems and say goodbye to gloomy days
like me, sensitive or dry skin.”.

“Let’s start skincare to achieve ‘high moisturizing’ and ‘low irritation,’ and regain healthy and beautiful skin!”

How to use

“After washing your face, just apply it♪

It’s so simple yet effectively moisturizes your skin♪”

Take about one and a half to two cherry-sized amounts in your hand.”
Gently spread it over the entire face using the pads of your fingers. Apply an additional layer to areas where easy to dry, such as around the eyes and mouth.
Apply the gel to the chin, neck, and chest as well.
Finally, use the palms of your hands to cover the entire face and let it permeate.

Q&A

Q:Is it helpful for reducing Aging Signs?

A: Yes. In simple care, we approach dry fine lines by suppressing frictional irritation and providing high moisturizing power. (Tested for efficacy in reducing the visibility of dry fine lines.) For areas of concern, layering Aqua Tech Gel is an effective skincare routine.

Q:Is it possible to apply on oily skin?

A: Yes please use it on oily skin. excessive secretion of sebum is also related to dryness. Moisturize your skin with Aqua Tech Gel and perform care with Double Cleansing Gel to avoid removing too much sebum, balancing the moisture and oil content of your skin.

Q: Is it possible to apply even if I extended my eyelashes?

A: Yes, It’s oil-free because it reduces irritation from strong cleansing. You can use it even if you have eyelash extensions.

Q:Can it remove heavy makeup?

A: It usually works, but in the case of highly water-proof cosmetics, it may not come off completely. About foundation, Many foundations can be removed with one wash of the Double Cleansing Gel, but some may require a double wash