601032 A cosmetic method and apparatus (100) are disclosed for increasing the moisture content of a skin surface and improving moisture retention of a dermis. The method comprises irradiating the skin surface simultaneously with both positive ions and negative ions. The ions are generated by an ion generating apparatus (180) from electrical discharge in atmospheric air (110a) creating ions which are blown onto the skin surface. The method has the advantage of creating H30+ and OH- ions without increasing the overall moisture content of the atmosphere in the surrounding area.
