How to choose a moisturizer? The right moisturizer should be used daily to prevent wrinkles and premature skin aging. Moisturizer is primarily used to moisturize the skin.
However, moisturizing cream has to do even more depending on the skin’s needs. Please read what is essential when choosing a moisturizer and what needs to be considered regarding the application.
Why does our skin need a moisturizer?
Here are some benefits of using a moisturizer.
Reduces the chances of skin problems
A moisturizer helps maintain skin balance. When you are too dry or oily, you can suffer from many problems common to the skin, such as acne. It is best to look for one with exfoliating ingredients or use lotions for oily skin. For dry skin, using those with a higher percentage of oil is recommended.
Reduces the appearance of other imperfections
Well-moisturized skin has a healthy glow, which helps conceal and even out existing blemishes. Some creams even come with shades or self-tanners, helpful in matching any skin or body tone.
Keep the skin young
The most sensitive areas of the skin, such as the face, ears, neck, and chest, suffer from a daily loss of cells, leaving them vulnerable to dryness and free radicals. Moisturizing can help sensitive skin repair itself and stay healthy. Even the most sensitive areas of the body are the most susceptible to skin cancer.
Fight wrinkles
The feeling of firmness on the face after applying your moisturizer is not an illusion. People with properly hydrated skin accumulate fewer wrinkles than those with dry skin.
Helps you relax
A hot shower is relaxing and always comes in handy after a hard day of work or study, but it falls far short of providing the skin’s moisture. What’s more, hot water tends to strip moisture from the skin. So putting on a little moisturizer every day after your bath is relaxing; it keeps your skin radiant and helps you relax.
Different types of the skin
Below, we detail the different types of skin.
Normal skin
It is a skin that presents a regular texture, without imperfections and a soft and clean appearance, without needing special care.
Dry skin
Does your skin feel tight, rough, or flaky? You could have a dry skin type! Dry skin retains less moisture than normal skin, and the sebaceous glands secrete less oil, which causes flaking and the appearance of fine lines.
Although these characteristics often make the skin look dull and aged, the good news is that there are very simple solutions for dryness.
Moisturizing facial oils, creams, and balms are effective at plumping skin if used twice daily. You can also use a gentle exfoliator once a week to remove dead skin cell buildup and let the younger, fresher skin beneath shine through.
Oily
Oily skin is defined by the constant appearance of blackheads and pimples on the skin, and it has a shiny appearance, dilated pores, and an irregular texture.
The characteristics of this type of skin are because the sebaceous glands are larger and more numerous than usual and secrete sebum in excessive quantities.
Combination skin
Combination skin is defined as a combination of normal and dry areas with oily areas. Oily areas are on the forehead, nose, and chin, and normal or dry areas are on the cheeks. This type of skin is usually smooth and has a shiny appearance.
Sensitive skin
You have sensitive skin if your skin is easily irritated, inflamed, itchy, dry, or red (especially in the heat). Normally, your skin may react when you try a new product, you may get sunburned quickly or experience conditions like eczema or rosacea.
What do face and body moisturizers do?
Moisturizer is primarily used to moisturize the skin. Depending on the skin’s needs, moisturizers must do even more.
What a moisturizer must do depends primarily on the skin to which it is applied because not every skin type has the exact requirements for care with a moisturizer.
Differences also result from the individual life situation. For example, if someone works in an area where the skin is exposed to large temperature fluctuations, hot air, or dust, the skin needs particularly intensive moisturizing care. This can also be the case when someone is working in a fully air-conditioned Workplace.
The right moisturizing cream for mature skin
Moisturizing care is particularly important for older people. With increasing age, the skin loses the ability to retain moisture independently.
This is because the skin’s barrier layer recedes with age, which protects the skin from the effects of the weather and ensures that the skin does not dry out.
So it makes sense if a moisturizing cream provides the skin with moisture immediately after application for a long time. When buying, you should ensure that the chosen cream contains moisturizing factors such as vitamin B 12.
The right moisturizer for dry skin
Even with dry skin, the moisture content in the skin is disturbed. As an additional problem, the skin’s moisturizing mechanism does not work correctly. The skin lacks moisture and fat that keeps the skin supple.
Therefore, when choosing a moisturizer, people with dry skin should take special care to purchase a cream that contains both moisture and oil.
Products that contain urea are particularly suitable. This substance is also produced by the body and ensures that moisture can be absorbed particularly well. In addition, urea has an anti-itching and skin-soothing effect.
The right moisturizer for sun-stressed skin
Anyone who sunbathes regularly or visits a solarium should also use a moisturizer. In the first place, this should be able to compensate for the immediate loss of moisture that occurs as a result of the effect of heat.
This works particularly well with products containing aloe vera. But products that contain facial mist are also particularly suitable, mainly because facial mist contains valuable minerals that help the skin compensate for moisture loss.
The non-comedogenic moisturizing cream for blemished skin
Blemished skin is a widespread problem that, contrary to popular belief, does not only affect adolescents. No, blemished skin can affect anyone. Triggers can be psychological or health-related.
If you also want to apply a moisturizer to blemished skin, you should pay attention to a few things, and then this is also possible without further ado.
The right moisturizer for combination skin
With combination skin, the sebum regulation no longer works optimally. Changing this condition in the long term is essential, which is made possible with a moisturizing cream that does not stress the skin and contains only a few additives.
What is important when making a selection?
Above all, it is important not to strain the skin even more. You will quickly discover dry areas if you take intensive action against blemished skin.
Because many cleansing lotions and masks dry out the skin, they remove the fat, which is often blamed for the impurities. This is a mistake because skin always needs a certain amount of fat.
It also makes sense to avoid moisturizing creams with paraffin. These harm the skin more than they are good.
Be on the safe side with natural care cream
If you are unsure, you should use natural skin care creams. These are free of harmful substances and chemical substances. They care for the skin optimally and also prevent impure skin.
Moisturizing creams with natural ingredients can be found in all drugstores and supermarkets. They are not particularly expensive, and the selection is quite large.
When are moisturizers particularly important?
Moisturizing care in summer
Especially in summer, the skin needs an extra portion of moisture. While in winter, the main thing is to create a barrier between the skin and the cold by using a high-fat cream, the exact opposite is the case in summer.
When the temperature is warm, our skin sweats to cool the body, which means it loses a large amount of moisture. Wind and mechanical stress do the rest and also dry out the skin. That’s why almost every skin type needs a moisturizer in summer.
Suppose you apply a cream to the skin containing too much fat. In that case, this process will be negatively influenced because the fat forms a buffer on the skin’s surface, which is very useful in winter but can have fatal consequences in summer.
This impedes skin breathing and heat regulation via the skin. This, in turn, can lead to blockages in the sebaceous glands. This can lead to the formation of blackheads, which develop into pimples. Therefore, the formula of a moisturizer in summer should be as light as possible.
Moisturizing care in winter
But even in winter, it may be necessary to care for the skin with a moisturizer. This is when the skin is exposed to large temperature fluctuations.
For example, if you spend the day in a heavily heated office. In this case, the dry heating air has the same effect as warm summer temperatures.
The first sign of dry skin can be a feeling of tightness. It is suddenly uncomfortable to speak or frown. You can also see fine lines. These fine lines often form around the eyes and are a sure sign that the skin is already very dry.
If the dry skin begins to flake, immediate action must be taken. The best way is to apply a moisturizing cream as a mask and leave it on for about 20 minutes.
Note
Note:
But it is just as important to drink enough water. Because if you don’t drink the right amount of water, even the most expensive moisturizer won’t help.
However, caution is advised when the outside is below zero. Since the skin has been enriched with moisture through the cream, it also becomes more sensitive to cold. Above all, you should avoid being outside for long periods at zero temperature.
On cold days, it is best to wait about half an hour after applying lotion before leaving the house. Or you can use a very oily cream over your moisturizer to protect your skin from the effects of the cold.
How to choose a moisturizer
The ingredients vary from moisturizer to moisturizer. The most expensive cream is not always the best or has the most valuable ingredients. It is often worth using natural products made from plant substances and extracts.
Moisturizing creams usually contain:
- Urea
- Hyaluronic acid
- Lactic acid
- Aloe vera
- Glycerol
What is great is that these ingredients not only provide moisture but also bind it for a long time, i.e., store moisture in the skin. Vitamins and minerals are also used in many moisturizers. These result in beautiful, smooth skin that looks fresh and healthy. As with blood circulation, cell renewal is stimulated.
Main ingredient water
You should pay particular attention to the main ingredient of the cream:
the water because a moisturizer consists primarily of water. It is all the more important that it is a perfect one.
Thermal water, for example, is very good for the skin. This water is obtained from certain springs and usually penetrates several rock layers before it bubbles up to the earth. As a result, thermal water is particularly saturated with minerals.
The skin is not only supplied with moisture by the moisturizing cream but also with minerals. It needs this to remain radiant and firm for a long time.
Avoid preservatives
However, it is best to avoid preservatives in creams altogether. So that this preservative-free cream does not become contaminated, the required amount of cream should always be removed with a clean spatula or spoon. So no germs get into the cream tubs.
A cream without preservatives is best stored in the refrigerator because it becomes difficult for microbes to multiply in a cold environment.
Nanoparticles
You should be very careful with creams that contain so-called nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are so small that they can enter the body through the skin and the bloodstream. On the other hand, a normal cream only reaches the top layer of the epidermis.
Although nanoparticle care holds promise for deep care, there are still no long-term studies on these preparations. This means that no one knows what these nanoparticles can do in the body.
When is it worth buying an expensive moisturizer?
If you want to maintain a normal skin structure with “only” moisturizing creams, you’ll certainly be able to achieve great results with an inexpensive product. Because normal skin is already adequately supplied with vital substances, and a well-dose part of the care is received at a very reasonable price.
However, let’s say you expect more from a moisturizing cream, namely care that goes beyond the usual care. In that case, you should not shy away from more expensive creams as it offers a higher concentration of good ingredients.
Valuable and natural ingredients
Most upscale moisturizers are such valuable ingredients as:
- Hyaluron
- Shea butter
- Special vitamins
Moisturizing creams without perfume
They are also available without perfume which is especially important for people with sensitive skin. Thus, skin irritation is avoided to a great extent.
pH neutral moisturizers
A moisturizing cream that is pH-neutral is also highly recommended. In most cases, these are found only in the high-priced segment.
For extremely dry skin
More intensive care with a high-quality moisturizing cream for extremely dry skin is also beneficial. High moisture content can be achieved with selected ingredients that benefit the skin.
For allergy sufferers
In the case of allergies, which are no longer rare, the ingredients should be carefully examined before using the products, especially in cases of allergies affecting the skin. For example, you can find an excellent organic moisturizing cream at medical supply stores or pharmacies.
Even though these are a bit more expensive, the investment is always worth it as a good cream without chemical side effects is guaranteed.
Conclusion
The right skin moisturizer depends on the skin type you have. You need to consider your skin type, moisturizing ingredients, and an ingredient that suits your skin condition.
It is best to choose a well-known brand of store-bought moisturizers because they have been tried and tested by many.
Use the tips listed to help you choose a moisturizer best suited to your skin type.
For all skin types, this article is helpful when choosing a moisturizer because they are very different products, and each has its benefits and side effects.
