Moisturising your skin

Moisturising your skin is an essential part of your skincare routine. You usually need more than one type of moisturiser depending on the time of day and the season. At night you apply a moisturiser that helps skin recover from the day’s challenges. Therefore the moisturiser should have more nurturing oils and active ingredients to help calm and soothe the skin. There are of course so many moisturisers on the market and so it’s important to become familiar with what is best for your skin; in particular what ingredients you should be avoiding. It’s good that some products list any ‘nasty’ ingredients on the product label that aren’t in the product. 

Some examples are Parabens (a type of preservative), Mineral Oil (a type of emollient), Propylene Glycol (a type of humectant) and over powering fragrances. So, although we need the abovementioned type of ingredients in a moisturiser; we have to be aware that some ingredients should not be used in skincare products because they have been found to have adverse effects. Therefore it’s great when the product label lists these ingredients as not being contained in the product. It is a good guide as it means that you’re closer to choosing the best moisturiser for you. The product label may also state the skin type that the product is applicable for. There are moisturisers that are more applicable for dry or sensitive skin and others for oily or combination skin.

A moisturiser can consist of a combination of ingredients where some are in an ‘oil’ group and others are in a ‘water’ group. We know that oil and water don’t mix so in order to get the benefits of both groups in a moisturiser there are ingredients called emulsifiers which have varying degrees of affinity towards oil and water, thus having the power to ‘hold’ the two groups together. Emollients are usually oil based ingredients and so they are part of the ‘oil group’. Emollients work to condition and protect your skin in order to relieve skin dryness. Examples are Shea butter, Macadamia Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Avocado Oil. 

A moisturiser with a higher emollient loading is beneficial for dry skin types. You may want to use a cream moisturiser and apply it on damp skin so that it can seal in the moisture on your skin. Humectants are ingredients that help to draw water from the environment and hold it in your skin in order to make it more hydrated. Humectants are part of the ‘water group’ in a moisturiser and some examples are Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe Vera. A good moisturiser will contain both emollients and humectants at varying levels depending on skin type.

Different skin types call for a variation in the percentages of the ‘oil group’ and ‘water group’ in a moisturising product. For example, oily skin requires a moisturiser that has a lower oil loading. If a product label states that it is suitable for all skin types, then the oils in the product are at a level that may suffice most skin types but may not really meet the total needs of people with either very dry skin or very oily skin. It’s like using a 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner. It’s really not going to meet the cleansing and conditioning needs of all hair types and lengths; especially if you have long hair as it’s not going to give you the same conditioning that a stand-alone conditioner would. Therefore, if you have specific needs due to your skin being very dry or very oily, then you’re better off looking for a product that addresses those needs.

I have combination skin but it has a tendency to get quite dry during the colder months. I’m also quite sensitive when it comes to essential oils, so I need to be careful when they’re used in skincare products. Therefore, I usually look for moisturisers that are either fragrance free or have a mild scent. The moisturiser that I’m currently using for my evening skincare routine is suitable for all skin types. It’s called Sukin, Moisture restoring night cream. The great thing about this moisturiser is that it has a light scent, so it doesn’t knock you out when you apply it to your face. 

Additionally, it doesn’t contain ingredients that have been highlighted to have negative effects. This moisturiser has a good consistency so it’s easy to apply. There’s also Sukin, Sensitive calming night cream which doesn’t have any fragrance component and so it is more applicable for people with sensitive skin. It’s important to note that you don’t have to buy expensive moisturisers in order to get a substantial effect on your skin. Just remember that hydrating your skin is a key factor, so look for a moisturiser that contains humectants as previously noted. It’s also important to remember that whenever you buy a new product, ensure that you do a spot test first before applying it to your face. In my next post I’ll focus on day moisturisers and a bit more on the ingredient list.