Emollients
Emollients are ingredients in lotions and creams that soften your skin by filling in tiny cracks and sealing in moisture.
Think of it this way
Cracks in dry skin are like gaps between tiles on a worn floor. Oil in a lotion fills those gaps the way grout fills spaces between tiles. It sits in each crack and holds a thin layer of water against the skin. The surface feels smooth because the gaps are sealed, not because new skin grew in.
Explaining emollients by grade level
Your skin has tiny cracks you can't see. When you rub lotion on your arm, it fills those cracks. The lotion also makes a thin layer on top. That layer keeps water inside your skin so it stays soft.