In pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations, humectants may be used in topical dosage forms to increase the solubility of the active ingredients of the chemical compound, increase the ability of the active ingredients to penetrate the skin, or the duration of its activity. This moisturizing property may also be needed to suppress dehydrating active ingredients (eg soaps, corticoids and some alcohols), which is why humectants are common ingredients in a wide range of cosmetics and personal care products that create moisturizing requirements (e.g. hair conditioners, body lotions, face or body cleansers, lip balms and eye creams).