The Secret to Glowing, Dewy Skin? Moisturizing.

Mositurizers. The last step in any complete skin care routine. This is the product that stays on your skin, so it’s very important that the one you use is appropriate.

It’s often the product that most people dislike the results of and will base their decision of whether or not they like a line on. This isn’t always an accurate judgement as people sometimes buy the wrong moisturizer for their skin.

So in the interest of you being a better consumer we’re going to go over what to look for when choosing a moisturizer.

What is a moisturizer?

Designed to add, you guessed it, moisture to the skin. Whether they’re called lotions, hydrators or creams they all have the same purpose.

Day creams offer hydration and protection, usually in the form of anti-oxidants and sunscreen. They seal and protect the skin, holding moisture in and protecting the skin from the environment. Night creams are more nourishing, they’ll have more active ingredients and take advantage of the skins hyperactive, repairative night-time activities.

You will notice that most professional moisturizers don’t contain SPF. This because Health Canada requires years of testing and thousands of dollars before they grant the DIN to allow SPF to be claimed by a product. Companies like to keep upgrading their formulas. They would have to go throught that process every single time they release a new moisturizer. It’s much more efficient to develop a seperate, approved SPF product. Also chemical SPF’s absorb into the skin and breakdown after two hours in the sun. So you would have to reapply your potentially pricey moisturizer every two hours to be protected.

It just makes more sense for them to be seperate.

Which one for your skin?

Everyone should be moisturizing, even oily skin. The difference is going to whether you are adding water or oil into the skin.

Water based ones are emulsions. They absorb quickly and are glorious for oily and acneic skin. They  counteract the dryness associated anti-acne products.  Look for humectants (they attract and trap water in the skin) like aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, glycoproteins or sodium PCA. If oily skin dries out too much it over compensates and produces more oil. For those people it may just be best to apply a light moisturizer at night.

Normal skin types can use the basic, no nonsense ones. In the winter you may want to go for a slightly heavier version, or simply introduce a hydrating serum into your routine. What is not a good idea is trying to use an anti-aging cream that is too rich, too soon. It’s often assumed that if you start with those creams early, you’ll be slowing the signs of aging. If it’s too rich, skin will reject the product in the form of irritation, excessive oil and milia (little white bumps) around the eyes. Leave the mature skin products for mature skin, they are meant to repair and won’t work if the skin is still functioning well. Instead focus on anti-oxidants: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Green Tea, Coenzyme Q 10, or grapeseed polyphenols. These are preventative.

Sensitive skin, look for fragrance and color free products. Fragrance free means no perfumes have been added. If the line is botanical it may have a natural scent from the actual ingredients. That’s okay. If you’re sensitive it’s often difficult to find creams that will deal with any other issues than that. Active ingredients can be too much for fragile ingredients. It’s a matter of trial and error in finding the cream that will work with your skin. See if you can identify over time exactly what it is you react to.

Dry skin.  you want heavier creams that contain emollients or oils to soften, smooth and fill in lines and cracks. They deliver the hydrating ingredients and then trap them  under the cream. A good one will comfort and nourish the skin. Even though they’re heavier, it should never feel greasy on the skin. Look for words like ceramides, lipids and peptides as well as sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and squalene.

Mature Skin. At this point you’re wanting to repair and prevent further lines. Look for a combination of anti-oxidants and humectants. On top of that, moisturizers that contain AHA’s, glycolic or Retin A will exfoliate, brighten, smooth and increase absorption of the active ingredients.

Finding the right moisturizer can be daunting at first, so having a good grasp on your skin type and knowing what it is you want to accomplish will help. Skin care consultations can be great, but suggestions can be suspect. FInd a consultant or esthetician that will work with you.

Tags: cream, dehydrated skin, dry skin, glowing skin, lotion, mature skin, moisturizer, oily skin

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