Make Your Moisturizer Work for You

Make Your Moisturizer Work for You

One of the greatest tools that should be part of your beauty arsenal is a top quality skin moisturizer. Your skin care routine won’t be complete if you aren’t effectively moisturizing your face every day.

Here are details about how moisturizing skin lotions do their job and make your skin look younger, healthier and brighter each day.

How They Work

The basic concept of a skin moisturizer is keeping the water content trapped in your skin. Moisturizers work by either trapping or replenishing hydrating water molecules in the top layer of your skin.

Skin starts to get dry in different situations, such as when the air is dry, the temperature is warm or humidity is low. Prolonged exposure to the sun also causes skin to dry out. Moisturizer is one way you can fight dry skin and keep your face looking supple and healthy.

Severe Dry Skin

Some people have more sensitive skin to environmental elements and lose moisture more quickly. Your skin can also dry out if you use harsh cleansers or other products that remove the water molecules off of your top layer of skin.

It’s best to start your skin care routine with a gentle cleanser that won’t dry out your skin, such as Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser. The gentle ingredients won’t irritate your skin or remove moisture.

Image Skincare

Occlusive Moisturizers

Moisturizers work in different ways depending on their active ingredients and composition. One type of moisturizer for your skin is an occlusive moisturizer.

Occlusives work by forming a barrier around your skin to keep the moisture from evaporating off. These products can sometimes feel waxy or heavy, depending on the combination of ingredients. Popular occlusive products include petroleum jelly, lanolin or cocoa butter.

Emollient Moisturizers

Emollients are also commonly used in moisturizing products. With an emollient product, your skin gets a smoother look. The product works by filling in the spaces along the layer of your skin to keep moisture locked in.

Emollient creams are smoother and not as heavy as an occlusive. Shea butter, collagen, elastin and stearic acid are examples of ingredients that have an emollient effect.

Humectant Moisturizers

The last type of moisturizer is a humectant. Humectants are popular moisturizing agents in skin lotions because they attract moisture to the skin and retain water molecules. They help your skin produce ceramides and draw in more moisture from the environment.

Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, sorbitol and alpha hydroxy acids are popular humectants used in skin care products. Some products feature a combination of the different moisturizing types, such as Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer, which features glycerin, shea butter and stearic acid.

Obagi

Skin Types

The other concept to understand before treating dry skin is what type of skin you have. Knowing your skin type can help you avoid products that will dry it out more and choose ingredients that are more effective.  

Normal Skin

If your skin is naturally not too dry or not too oily, it may be classified as normal. Normal skin is well balanced and features some dryness or some oiliness depending on the weather or the health of the individual.

Normal skin benefits from a moisturizer that uses a combination of effective ingredients, such as humectants and emollients.

Dry Skin

Skin that is naturally tighter and flakier is considered dry. Dry skin produces less oil than normal skin because of various factors.

Moisturizing products for dry skin must go the distance. Occlusives can help dry skin feel protected when the weather isn’t cooperating. It’s also important to use products that feature humectant or emollient ingredients for this skin type.

Oily Skin

Oily skin may be more prone to acne and shininess. This skin type overproduces oil and the pores may be visible. Moisturizing oily skin is a delicate balance between providing just enough moisture to keep skin from drying out but not making the skin appear greasy.

For oily skin, it’s best to stick with lightweight ingredients. Moisturizers that rely on humectants may be the best option for this skin type.

Combination Skin

Some people have a combination of oily and dry skin, which makes skin care even more difficult. Combination skin tends to be oily in the T-zone, the forehead and nose, and dry everywhere else. Combination skin benefits from lighter moisturizers that also feature anti-aging or other beneficial ingredients, such as Epionce Renewal Facial Lotion.  

Ingredients To Avoid

No matter what your skin type is, there are some ingredients you should be on the lookout for when choosing products. These ingredients tend to dry out your skin even more and can make moisturizing a tougher battle.

Alcohol, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid all make skin tighter and dryer. For those with acne-prone skin, this may not be as much of a problem. Additionally, certain types of exfoliators may make dryness more of an issue if you overdo it.

Start With Sun Protection

Another common problem that causes your skin to be drier than normal is too much sun exposure. Make sure you keep your skin protected from the sun’s harmful rays by liberally applying sunscreen every day.

A sunscreen, such as Image Skincare Ultimate Protection, should have an SPF of at least 30 and protect you from the sun’s drying effects and potential aging issues. It’s important to reapply throughout the day to get more of the hydrating benefits of sun protection for your skin.

Image Skincare

Develop Hydrating Habits

Additionally, you can try other tips to keep your skin from feeling or looking dry throughout the year. While you sleep, consider running a humidifier in your bedroom to help replenish the lost moisture in your skin overnight. This can be especially effective during the winter.

Include plenty of healthy fats in your diet to keep your body well nourished, such as nuts, avocados, sunflower seeds and fish. Wash your face in lukewarm or cool water instead of hot to avoid even more skin irritation.

Hydrate Your Body

Finally, one of the top tips to keep your skin looking its best is to stay hydrated. Do this by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Replenish your body’s moisture and stay hydrated anytime of the year.  

Knowing the facts about how your skin stays hydrated can help you choose the best products for your skin situation and type. Check out the full line of quality skin moisturizers from LaLa Daisy and pick the right active ingredients for your skin type.

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