Moisturizing Different Skin Types
What skin type do you have?
Is it oily, dry, sensitive, dry, or a combination of two or more?
Moisturizing different skin types is a confusing issue to some women.
Why bother moisturizing my skin in the first place?
Using the analogy of a
grape to explain our point; a grape requires moisture (not oil) to stay
plump. Without moisture, the grape shrinks and forms wrinkles. Our skin
basically does the same over time. It dries up, shrinks, and forms
wrinkles. To care for our skin, we need to first provide it moisture
from the inside, and secondly, we need to seal in moisture from the
outside.
How do I hydrate skin from the inside?
The best way to hydrate the skin from the inside is to eat a well balanced diet and drink adequate amounts of liquids daily.
What's the best way to hydrate the skin from the outside?
Use a moisturizer. Moisturizers are
designed to lock moisture into the skin. They work best if applied
within 2 minutes of washing. So.... no matter what your age, make it
part of your daily routine to moisturize immediately after washing.
But my skin is oily, do I need to still moisturize it?
Oily skin is shiny and prone to
blemishes, however, it still requires moisture to stay healthy - it
just doesn’t need extra oil added. Therefore, try an oil control lotion
that absorbs excess oil on the surface of the skin, but that doesn't
leave your skin totally dry. If you are unable to purchase an oil
control lotion, try a lightweight, non-comedogenic (won't clog pores), water-based moisturizer to hydrate your skin.
My skin type is considered normal. Do I still need to moisturize my skin?
Yes, because you want to try to keep
your skin in the "normal" range. I'd avoid intense moisturizers
because they can be too greasy for normal skin types. Instead I'd try a
lightweight, water-based moisturizer.
My skin is sensitive and some moisturizers irritate it. Why?
Sensitive skin is susceptible to
skin irritations; itching, redness, and/or rashes. Fragrances and dyes
are known irritants. Therefore, when shopping for a moisturizer, look
for products that are fragrance free, contain no dyes, and indicate they
are formulated for sensitive skin. Talk to your doctor and ask for
advice. Your doctor may be able to recommend a product for your
sensitive skin.
I had normal skin at one time, but I think it is now dry. What does dry skin look like?
Dry skin may look red, feel rough,
flake, peel, itch, and wrinkle due to lack of moisture. To help your
skin retain some of its moisture, immediately after cleansing, remove
excess water by patting, not rubbing the skin. Rubbing will irritate the
skin and remove essential oils.
Apply an intense moisturizer over your skin as quickly as possible after washing as this will help seal moisture in the skin. To get the maximum benefits from an intense moisturizer, apply it over the face and neck area within 2 minutes of washing.
Unless
your skin is extremely dry, avoid intense moisturizers during the day
and opt for a lighter weight moisturizer for dry skin.
My skin is a combination of normal and dry. What type of moisturizer should I try?
If your skin type is
more of a combination of normal and dry, you may want to try applying an
oil-free moisturizer for day wear, and an intense moisturizer at night
when you go to bed.
Moisturizing
different skin types can be confusing. Experiment with different
moisturizers (this is where samples come in very handy) until you find
the one that is right for your skin type.
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