What is a Moisturizer?
Moisturizer have been used in skin care for several decades. They are topical applications that protect the skin by increasing moisture levels and restoring the skin's natural protective barrier function. Moisturizers are thus used to serve as a sealant for the outer layers of skin. Other benefits to the skin include the formation of a seal on the surface of the skin, which helps to lock in moisture and nutrients, and protect the skin against irritants found in the environment. This is also a vital area in dermatologist's management of skin health and the treatment of many skin diseases associated with dryness, such as atopic disorders and several dermatitis conditions.
How to Choose Moisturizers for Different Skin Types
- Dry skin: A cream would best suit dry skin; it is thick, heavy, and slow to absorb into the skin. Creams contain both water and oil ingredients-humectants to draw in moisture and oils to retard evaporation.
- Normal/Combination skin: Any type of moisturizer will work best for this skin type. Normal on the dry side may require a thicker moisturizer like a cream; if it's on the oily side-normal an oil-free gel or gel cream or a water cream would be ideal.
- Oily skin: The best choice for oily skin would be a water-based gel free of oil. Gel moisturizers are mainly humectants with added rejuvenators for rehydration. These are ideally suited for moderate skin and can help in controlling acne.
- Sensitive skin: Look for fragrance-free moisturizers that are paraben- and irritant-free.
4 Benefits of moisturizing you need to know:
- Absence of Hydration: Your skin must be dry, dull, rough, and itchy without hydration. The deep Face moisturizer is a powerhouse when it comes to hydration. The moisture floods the skin, and it traps moisture within the skin so that it evaporates. It also promotes the elasticity and softness of the skin while reducing chances of flakiness and dryness.
- Moisture Sealing:: The environment can get harsh on our skin and suck moisture out of it. But a moisturizer seals in natural moisture, which is produced by your skin, and forms a protective barrier over the skin. A moisturizer carries moisture with it in the skin and prevents trans-epidermal water loss. It forms a soothing protective film and also strengthens the natural skin barrier against problems like hyperpigmentation, acne, redness, and sensitivity.
- Help Fight Acne: Many people think that moisturizers are only for dry skin people. But that is not true. A good moisturizer will help to control sebum production in the skin. When your skin dries up, your glands produce more and more oil to hydrate the skin. The excess will clog pores and results in acne outbreak. So, the right moisturizer for you binds the moisture in the skin without oiliness, which results in healthy skin without any acnes.
- Anti Aging: Age has its marks and marks out in the form of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots, which can sometimes add to the premature aging of the skin. Dehydrated skin is highly susceptible to loss of its skin barrier and protection, resulting in irritation and early aging. Moisturizers should be on your list because well-moisturized skin is softer and appears to be younger.
How to apply moisturizer
Step 1: Wash Your Face
Washing your face comes first in preparing for best moisturization. Use a mild and nourishing cleanser to take good care of the sweat, dirt, oil, and makeup remnants as well as all those ghost skincare remnants. When looking for face washes for oily skin, look for anything that clarifies the pores and gently exfoliates the skin.
It is important to always make sure to moisturize skin after it has been properly cleansed, as you want to make sure you are applying product to a surface that is free of bacteria, makeup, and other buildup.
Gently pat dry, but don't remove all moisture.
Step 2: Then Apply the Other Skincare Products in Lightest to Heaviest
The other products that you use, such as toners, serums, essences, and even treatments, should also fall in line. For wet skin, apply them from lightest to heaviest consistency.
For the application of sunscreen or makeup does not come into this. Also, any wash off skincare treatment, like face masks or peels, should be done after cleansing and rinsing, leaving one to use the other products accordingly.
If you do not use any other skincare products, this step may be omitted.
Step 3: Application of Moisturizer
Next to slapping on moisturizer would be after all other skincare products are applied. Aim for the quarter size amount and then ensure that you are reaching every area such as your ears, hairline, neck, and decolletage.
Step 4: Application of Sunscreen and Makeup
Complete your skincare routine with sunscreen in the morning and then makeup if you wish to. This is not necessary at night.
What is the difference between lotion and moisturizer?
Moisturizers and lotions are both hydrating products for skin, but they are different from each other. Here are a few major differences between the two:
Application: Moisturizers are mostly face creams; lotions are moisturizing agents that are usually the main topical skin application type-mostly intended for the body's skin.
Thickness: A face cream is usually thicker than lotion for the body. Because of the high water content, this type of lotion is easier to spread over a bigger area and is more readily absorbed by the skin.
Ingredients: Lotion often includes oil-based formulas to appropriately moisturize the body's thicker skin. Thick formulations of body lotion would probably block pores of the face and worsen the occurrence of breakouts. In addition, it is scented and can trigger irritation to sensitive skins. While moisturizers have ingredients specifically designed to address the skin needs of the face, such as anti-aging, acne, or sensitivity needs.
Three Types of Moisturizer
Different moisturizers will do diverse things for different skin. These three types of moisturizer are the basic ones; the active substances normally employed are those that promise multiple benefits in a single product:
1. Emollients: Oil and lipid (fatty acid)-based ingredients, such as ceramides, cocoa butter, collagen, dimethicone, lanolin, mineral oil, shea butter, or jojoba oil. These ingredients fill in little pits and crevices of the skin, thus rendering a smoother texture and better appearance for the skin. Some emollients, like collagen, have anti-aging properties that help reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Ceramides are other emollients used for eczema treatment.
2. Humectants: Humectants are yet another widely utilized ingredient in any moisturizing product. Humectants can grab and hold water from externally available sources, which include from the dermis, and - under proper environmental conditions - moisture from the surrounding air. Thus, it is the moisture that is brought in from that to hydrate the skin, so ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and urea are considered humectants.
3. Occlusives: Occlusive serves as one type of an ingredient in sealing moisture, preventing its loss from the skin. It is like a protective layer that helps in the hydration of the skin and protects it from external factors that may irritate. Petrolatum, silicones, and lanolin are some examples of occlusives.
What to Avoid When Choosing a Moisturizer
Additives and fragrances: To avoid unnecessary and potentially irritating fragrances and dyes, most specialists advise using products as moisturizer-dehydrators for particularly dry skin, sensitized skin, or anything else in between. Harsh antiseptics may also leave the skin too dry by stripping it of essential oils.
Body-friendly ingredients: Every good body substance is not good for the face. Cambio discourages facial moisturizers that contain such existence in the body products like lanolin, mineral oil, waxes, or shea butter.
Too many acids: Persons suffering from dry or sensitive skin should beware of using alpha-hydroxy acids, glycolic acid, retinoic acid, and salicylic acid. These chemicals are likely to penetrate the skin and reach sensitive skin. Try not to purchase alcohol-containing products.
Over-exceeding the steroids (for Itchy skin): It's best to use the steroid ointment or cream for just one to two weeks until recommended by your physician to continue using it. Overusing these creams can thin down the skin and even cause lots of other skin issues.
Urea or Lactic acids (for the eczema or fissured skin): Do not buy any moisturizer with these dry-skin friendly ingredients, as they can aggravate the already irritated skin.