The Best Moisturizer in the World Is Already on Your Face

That oil on your skin isn't the enemy. It's called sebum, and it's a remarkable, custom-made blend your body produces to keep skin soft, supple and protected. It's so complex that scientists are still working to understand it fully.

What's in your skin's oil

Human sebum is a mix of lipids, some found nowhere else in the body:

• Triglycerides and fatty acids (about 57%): the nourishing base that keeps skin soft and flexible
• Wax esters (about 26%): a protective layer that helps hold moisture in
• Squalene (about 12%): a lightweight lipid that helps skin stay supple
• Cholesterol and cholesterol esters (about 4.5%): support for your skin's natural barrier

Together, these lipids do far more than add shine. Researchers credit sebum with helping protect skin from the sun, defending against microbes and carrying antioxidants to the skin's surface.

Why stripping backfires

Harsh cleansers don't know the difference between the day's grime and the oil your skin needs. They take it all. That squeaky-clean, tight feeling is your skin telling you its protection is gone, and dryness, flaking and irritation often follow.

Healthy skin isn't about removing everything. It's about removing the right things, every day, for years.

How our cleansers are different

Instead of harsh detergents, we cleanse with plant oils and gentle, plant-derived cleansing agents. Many plant oils are made of the same kinds of lipids your skin produces: botanical oils are rich in triglycerides, and jojoba is a liquid wax ester, so similar to the wax esters in sebum that researchers use it to make synthetic sebum.

The result: oil dissolves oil, buildup lifts away, and your skin's own moisture stays put. Skin feels clean and comfortable, never tight.

Every Cocoon cleanser is Ecocert COSMOS Natural certified and made in our lab in Kitchener, Ontario.

Not sure which one is right for you? Take our skin quiz or browse our cleansers.