About Moisturizers to Your Skin

What are Moisturizers?

Moisturizers, also known as emollients, are complex mixtures of chemical agents specially made to make the external layers of the skin more flexible and softer.

These products increase the skin’s hydration through reducing evaporation. Naturally occurring sterols and skin lipids, as well as natural oils, lubricants, emollients and humectants, may be part of the composition of skin moisturizers. Moisturizers are available not just for cosmetics, but for therapeutic purposes as well. They can also be made at home with the use of common pharmacy ingredients.

Moisturizers treat and prevent dry and sultry skin. They can also help in protecting sensitive skin, improving skin tone and masking imperfections. These products often contain lightweight oils and silicone-derived ingredients.

Ingredients of Moisturizers

Skin moisturizers can be divided into three categories and here they are:

• Humectants – This can help to absorb moisture from the air and hold it in the skin. Some common examples of these are urea, alpha hydroxyl acids and glycerin.
• Emollients – This can assist in filling in spaces between skin cells and smoothing or lubricating the skin. The usual examples of these are mineral oil, lanolin and petrolatum.
• Preservatives – This can help in preventing bacteria growth in moisturizing products.

Other essential ingredients of moisturizers include minerals, vitamins, fragrances and plant extracts.
Using Moisturizers to Treat Your Skin Problems

For treating skin dryness, the best moisturizers are oil-based and heavier types that contain ingredients like grape seed soil, antioxidants and dimethicone. For very dehydrated skin, petroleum-based products are best as they are last longer than creams and are more suitable for preventing water evaporation.

For oily skin, water-based types that are non-comedogenic are the best choice. These moisturizer items have less possibility of comedo formation.

To keep aging skin well-hydrated and soft, make sure that you pick a product that contains petrolatum as the base, together with alpha hydroxy acids and antioxidants for wrinkles.

For sensitive skin, it is best to use moisturizers that are loaded with soothing ingredients like aloe vera and chamomile. These ingredients can help in minimizing possible allergens and irritants.

Misconceptions and Truths about Moisturizers

People have distinct perceptions about moisturizers. Some of them are fully aware of their benefits and ingredients while others have misconceptions about moisturizers. To give you some clues about these products, here are the things you need to know:

Misconception 1: All moisturizers are of the same quality.

If you read reviews about moisturizers, you are probably aware that these products vary from one to another. Thus, you have lots of options to choose from. Some of these items contain a blend of emollients, humectants and occlusives.
Depending on your preferred moisturizers, some of them are light while others are heavier. For users with extra-dry skin, they want something that has more mass. Thus, they prefer to use a cream which tends to secure their skin.

Misconception 2: Users need different moisturizers for different parts of their body.

This is completely false. Experts claim that most moisturizers can be used in various body parts. If you have cracked or dry hands and feet, it is best to use a special cream for those areas.

Misconception 3: Your skin becomes too reliant on moisturizer.

Though you keep on using moisturizers, it doesn’t mean that your skin is fully reliant on these products. These moisturizers are only used to treat your skin problems. They can also be used to protect your skin from any possible conditions like eczema.

Misconception 4: You may become addicted to lip balm

This is extremely fallacious. If you keep on applying lip balm, it makes your lips drier; you will never become addicted to this product. Lip balm can be very useful, say for instance, during the summer season.

Misconception 5: If your moisturizer contains sunscreen, you don’t need to use other forms of protection.

Experts claim that there is a glut of cosmetic products that have built-in sunscreen. Don’t forget to read the fine print of the product. Make sure that you pick one with an SPF formula to ensure that it is a broad-spectrum sunscreen.