Back to Basics: Keeping It All Hydrated
No matter who you are, or what age in life you are at, everyone needs a good moisturizer. Over the years working in Skincare, I have noticed how many clients don’t use moisturizer for one of two reasons: they say “I’m too oily, I don’t need the extra oil” or “my skin seems fine so I don’t use it”. Surprisingly, oily skin needs proper moisturizing just as much as everyone else! Keep reading to learn what it does, why we need it and how to know if you’re using the right one.
Let’s start with understand what it is and why we need to apply this pot of gold to our skin. A moisturizer, or hydrator, is a skincare product applied at the end of your skincare routine as it:
protects skin from environmental factors
nourishes skin with nutrient and vitamin rich ingredients
balances oil and water in the skin
treats skin conditions like redness, aging, and dryness
If you aren’t excited yet about moisturizers, just wait! There is one for every skin type and in every budget. The heavier the moisturizer, the drier the skin it is for. I typically tell my clients to go heavier in the winter and lighter in the summer, like wearing a coat versus a tank top. The ingredients will also vary based on the skin type it is for. Please note- you are genetically predisposed to your skin type (normal, combo, oily or dry) and that you can balance. For example, if you have oily skin, you are going to find a moisturizer which will have more hydrating ingredients (water) and oil-absorbing ones to balance the water/oil levels in your skin. If you aren’t moisturizing oily skin, it will likely try to compensate by producing more oil. This can be why people don’t think they need it, that it makes their skin oilier. However, what we are trying to seek with our home care products is balance in our skin, which will take time and dedication to using your skincare.
This is a vital step to perform after cleansing and exfoliating skin as doing so adjusts the pH of our skin’s acidic surface, and this adjustment if not balanced by moisturizing the skin, can lead to excessive redness, dry patches or even excessive oil production as your skin tries to balance out. During the daytime, this step also boosts our skin’s surface protection from environmental factors, and at night can aid our skin in repair and replenishing from exposure to toxins and micro-particles. If you are using a facial oil, this will go on top of your moisturizer acting as an additional barrier or hydrating-seal, click here to read more about facial oils. It is not necessary however to use facial oils every day, but it is vital to moisturize every day!
The most common question skincare professionals get is “what is in my product?” This comes down to just understanding what your ingredient list is saying and is much easier than it sounds. The hardest part is that the regulations on labeling our skincare are really terrible….
“There are no FDA definitions that govern the use of terms like ‘hypoallergenic’ and ‘noncomedogenic’ on skin-care products; a company can do extensive testing or not, and use them. If you have sensitive skin, avoid products with fragrances or known allergens, like parabens and propylene glycol. If you’re prone to breakouts, look for liquid and gel textures, and be wary of ‘oil-free’ claims — a product can be pore-clogging and not contain oil. And there are no specific federal definitions for ‘clinically proven’ or ‘dermatologist-tested’ either.”
What’s important to note is that the FDA doesn’t really regulate our skincare products, even though they are the governing body that is suppose to. With that said, reading all those key hype-words like “hypoallergenic” doesn’t really tell you what’s in your product, so I made a little chart for you with some basics on ingredients:
Not all ingredients are created equal, it is still important to have a quality brand that you can trust.
You are probably still going to see a lot of big, scary words in your product and what I want you to do is focus on the company providing the product. Are they ethically sourced? Do they have transparency with their ingredients or do you see something that says “proprietary blend”? If you see that phrase used, that means they do not have to disclose exactly what is in the active ingredient, which can be scary. The cost of product is not always equal to the ingredient quality. It might just mean there were more mouths to feed in the making of that product, but does not guarantee quality.
I heard in Beauty School that the first five ingredients on any list are the most important and the most active, so for now just get comfortable knowing the first five ingredients of your skincare. Just like in my favorite movie, “What About Bob?”, take baby steps in your skincare. Baby steps to the store, baby steps to picking a product and baby steps to learning what is in it. Knowing that Hyaluronic Acid is not an exfoliant but a humectant that carries water to the skin is a big step! Not all ingredients are scary and many of them you already know just probably not by it’s scientific name, like Vitamin E is called tocopherol or that Bisabolol is derived from chamomile. We put these things on ourselves everyday (hopefully) so we should probably know what is in it, or at least most of what is in it.
“80% of your skin’s health is what you do at home, 20% is what we do in the treatment room”
Up to now, I have written a “BACK TO BASICS” for your entire skincare routine: Cleansers & Exfoliants, Toners, Serums/Ampoules/Facial Oils, Eye Care and lastly Moisturizers. Whether you are a skincare junkie, or a novice to even washing your face, I hope that this series has helped you learn how to better choose products and regularly use them! There is still so much more that I could go into, and could probably write a whole series just on ingredients! But when it comes to skincare, keeping it simple is the best road to take. I have enjoyed this series so much and can’t wait to write more about the fascinating and ever changing world of skincare!
Till next time, be good to your skin and even better to yourself,
xx eri