What is Moisturiser? – This Is Why You Need To Use It!
Your skin is the largest organ in your body and it is made up of 70% water! It is a protective barrier that encases our bodies and so it is vital that we look after it so it can function properly.
The outermost layers of our skin are prone to drying out and cracking, this can happen if our protective barrier becomes compromised meaning water from deeper layers can escape and external aggressors like bacteria can get in.
If this happens we can develop sensitive, dry or redness prone skin.
So what is a moisturiser and why should you use it? Well it’s a lotion,cream or emoliant that you can apply to your skin that will not only help to replace this lost moisture but repair your barrier so it can function properly and protect your skin from outside agressors and prevent more water from escaping.
They usually have water as the main ingredient, followed by a humectant which means it draws water into itself.
One of the best ingredients to be found in your moisturiser should be hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid is like a super hero when it comes to ingredients in our skincare. It is the most important component within our skin for maintaining moisture.
It draws in moisture for it’s surrounding tissues and can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water.
How does moisturiser help dry skin?
By using a emoilant type moisturiser this will add vital moisture to dry skin and repair the barrier to prevent more moisture being lost.
Dry skin can often appear grey and dull, it can sometimes be quite sensitive too, sound familiar?
When your barrier function isn’t working as it should irritants can get into your skin which can make it more sensitive and itchy.
A good moisturiser will repair the barrier and calm everything down.
Your skin will look much brighter and radiant as a result.
==>Click here for the Best Products For dry skin<==
Can a moisturiser prevent wrinkles?
It most certainly can! As we age our skin looses essensial moisture, this is a main cause of aging.
In order to slow down the aging process it’s essential we replace lost moisture by mosturising daily.
Wrinkles appear so much more prominent and deeper if your skin is dehydrated so plump out the wrinkles with a hyaluronic acid based moisturiser and you will soon notice a massive difference.
Many moisturisers contain SPF too which protects your skin from harmful UV rays, these destroy the collagen in our skin, a significant factor in why our skin develops lines and wrinkles.
Can you moisturise oily skin?
You definitely can and should moisturise your skin if it is oily but choosing the right product is important otherwise you could make your skin feel more greasy.
Go for a lightweight moisturiser specifically for your skin type that is oil free.
This will actually help your skin absorb excess oil and control the shine.
By avoiding moisturising, your skin can actually try and over correct by producing more oil making your skin more problematic and prone to breakouts.
Should I moisturise sensitive skin?
It’s important to keep sensitive skin well moisturised with a simple formula that won’t irritate your skin, avoid a scented/purfumed moisturisers.
By not moisturising your sensitive skin, vital hydration is been lost and your barrier will become extremely compromised allowing harmful aggressors in, further irritating the skin.
Moisturising redness prone/Rosacea skin
Skin usually becomes red and irritated due to lost most moisture so moisturising is essential to restore balance and repair barrier function.
Look for a moisturiser that contains hydrating and soothing ingredients like Niacinamide and Hyaluronic acid, these will hydrate without causing irritation.
Also avoid anything with artificial colours and fragrances.
==>Read more on How to manage Rosacea Here<==
Should you moisturise acne prone skin
Absolutely, keeping acne prone skin hydrated is just as important as any other skin type, when choosing a moisturiser you should look for one specific to your skin type.
This wlll be oil free, non comodogenic meaning it won’t clog your pores and will be replacing water rather than oil into your skin.
In fact a great alternative to make up can be a tinted moisturiser or a BB cream (blemish balm) these are available especially for acne prone/oily skin.
They won’t clog your pores like your foundation will, many contain SPF for added sun protection and offer fantastic hydration and coverage.
==>To read more about tinted moisturisers for acne prone skin click here<==
When should you apply moisturiser
Always make sure you have a clean face before your apply your moisturiser, so it’s important to cleanse first, apply any serums and then your moisturiser on top to lock in that hydration.
==>Read more about what order to apply products here<==
Final Thoughts
No matter what your skin type is, it’s still important to prevent water loss and maintain a healthy barrier function by moisturising daily.
Just make sure you find the right moisturiser for your skin type to prevent breakouts or sensitivities by using the wrong one that’s not suitable for you.
If you’ve been avoiding using a moisturiser you’ll be amazed how much healthier and radiant your skin will look once you replenish any lost moisture.
Just remember always apply your moisturiser after cleansing and it’s super important to top of with SPF if it doesn’t already contain one.
Please leave me your comments below if you found this helpful or want to know more.
Great detailed article. Thank you. I definitely agree with you that using moisturiser is a must. It might be surprising that even oily skin needs moisturising, many people wouldn’t say so. I am looking for some great moisturiser, ideally with hyaluronic acid, do you have any personal recommendations?
Hi Olga, ooh theres so many great ones but I personally love Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Hyaluronic Marine Moisture Cushion, it’s so hydrating without feeling greasy.
As a man who barely ever does anything to his face, you’ve convinced me that I really should use something and now I know what to look for!
Do you have any suggestions for dealing with beards or around beards?
Thanks
Tony
Hi Tony, I believe this may help you https://beautifulskinguru.com/the-best-skincare-for-men-top-6-products/ let me no if not and I’ll see if I can help.
I have always had oily acne prone skin. I don’t currently use a moisturizer but it sounds like I should. Do you know of an inexpensive, oil free, option?
Hi Brianne, have a look here see if this helps if not let me know https://beautifulskinguru.com/what-is-the-best-moisturiser-for-oily-skin/
Very interesting article. I’m not big on cosmetics, and it’s only from this article that I learned that even oily and acne-prone skin could benefit from moisturizers — provided the right product is used. Since oil-based moisturizers can clog pores, is there still a benefit to using it? Because I see some products use jojoba or almond oil as the main ingredient. Thanks in advance.
Hi Ron,
A great question, not all oils are pore clogging infant some essential oils are actually quite good at breaking down oil and unclogging pores. Almond and Jojoba are both non comedogenic oils so will not clog pores either however oils like coconut oil will.
Thank you for commenting.
I’ve not been using the moisturiser regularly on on my oil/T-zone skin. Also it makes me break out. Maybe, I’m not using th right moisturiser. I will try and go back to my usual one and see what happens. I am very grateful to have landed on your page to learn more about the skin type and what suitable moisturiser to use .
Thank you
Hi Habib, yes if you have an oily complexion it’s important to use an oil free moisturiser, you should see an improvement in in shine and breakouts.
Well written and very instructive article. I learned a lot by reading it. I always thought I had an oily skin, but recently I found out that my skin was actually mixed. Do you have any advice on what type of moisturizer I should use for my skin? and if possible any advice on a daily skin care I can use.
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Hi Isabelle, a lot of us do have combination skin so use a product for that, go for a moisturiser specifically for normal to oily this way it will target both.
Thank you for your comment.
Interesting overview here about the need for a moisturiser and the health benefits it has on our body. Well! Most people actually always shrug off the feeling that they need a moisturizer and that is really bad because it really helps our skin a lot and get us that perfection we always craved for. I really like the details you have provided here. Thanks
Thank you for commenting Philip.