Guidelines for Selecting the Right Moisturizer

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We all know that no matter what age or skin color, the skin needs moisture to stay plump and supple. However, with all the skin care moisturizing products available selecting the right moisturizer that is best suited for your skin type can be quite confusing. Furthermore, all skin types need protection throughout the day from free radicals and sun damage. Therefore, the next time you are shopping for a moisturizer consider the following guidelines: Sensitive Skin: The most common form of irritation for those with sensitive skin are: fragrances, dyes, lanolin, and the preservatives parabens and formaldehyde. Additionally, even natural ingredients such as aloe, almond oil, etc., can cause allergic reactions and/or topical skin dermatitis. Therefore, always do a patch test prior to slathering your face with a cream or lotion. Sensitive skin can be dry, oily or a combination of both thus following the suggestions below will help you identify the right moisturizer, however be sure to read the ingredients and ensure they are fragrance free.  Dry Skin: Dry skin is best hydrated with a lotion or cream that is rich in emollients. For day time wear consider a light cream that contains at least an SPF of 15. Your night time moisturizer should be an emollient rich cream to moisturize and hydrate all night long. Also beneficial for dry skin are emollient rich facial masks. Oily Skin: Most people with oily skin think a moisturizer will make their skin oilier; however this is not the case. A moisturizer protects the skin and well as hydrates and even oily skin needs hydration; water content in the skin is not the same as sebum (oil). Consider a light lotion that is oil free. Your moisturizer should be water-based and is labeled noncomedogenic and oil free. If you are using products to dry up excess oil a moisturizer is needed to relieve dryness and flakiness. It is also important to note that the harsh products you use to dry up excess oil the more oil your skin will produce. Combination skin: Selecting a moisturizer for combination skin can be tricky as it is dry in some areas and oily in other areas. The trick here is to balance the sebum in the oily areas while hydrating the dry flaky areas. Look for moisturizers with jojoba oil, it has similar properties as the skin's natural oils and will balance oil production in oily areas and hydrate those dry areas. Mature Skin: As the skin ages there is a loss in collagen, elasticity, oil production and cell regeneration slows down. In order to hold in moisture and speed up cell regeneration consider oil based moisturizers that have anti-oxidant ingredients such as green tea, and that are rich in emollients and an humectants. Black Skin: Black skin is somewhat thicker compared to the skin of Caucasian individuals. However, that does not mean they are not prone to sun damage and damage from free radicals. Furthermore black skin can still be categorized into specific skin types such as as dry, combination, oily and sensitive. In order to promote supple and soft skin and alleviate dullness a facial moisturizer is recommended based on your skin type. It is important to note that everyday our face is bombarded with free radicals (pollution), exposed to UVA and UVB rays, and extreme weather conditions. Applying moisturizer before you start your day not only moisturizes the skin but it provides the much needed protection throughout the day.

We all know that no matter what age or skin color, the skin needs moisture to stay plump and supple. However, with all the skin care moisturizing products available selecting the right moisturizer that is best suited for your skin type can be quite confusing. Furthermore, all skin types need protection throughout the day from free radicals and sun damage.

Therefore, the next time you are shopping for a moisturizer consider the following guidelines:

Sensitive Skin: The most common form of irritation for those with sensitive skin are: fragrances, dyes, lanolin, and the preservatives parabens and formaldehyde. Additionally, even natural ingredients such as aloe, almond oil, etc., can cause allergic reactions and/or topical skin dermatitis. Therefore, always do a patch test prior to slathering your face with a cream or lotion.

Sensitive skin can be dry, oily or a combination of both thus following the suggestions below will help you identify the right moisturizer, however be sure to read the ingredients and ensure they are fragrance free. 

Dry Skin: Dry skin is best hydrated with a lotion or cream that is rich in emollients. For day time wear consider a light cream that contains at least an SPF of 15. Your night time moisturizer should be an emollient rich cream to moisturize and hydrate all night long. Also beneficial for dry skin are emollient rich facial masks.

Oily Skin: Most people with oily skin think a moisturizer will make their skin oilier; however this is not the case. A moisturizer protects the skin and well as hydrates and even oily skin needs hydration; water content in the skin is not the same as sebum (oil). Consider a light lotion that is oil free. Your moisturizer should be water-based and is labeled noncomedogenic and oil free. If you are using products to dry up excess oil a moisturizer is needed to relieve dryness and flakiness. It is also important to note that the harsh products you use to dry up excess oil the more oil your skin will produce.

Combination skin: Selecting a moisturizer for combination skin can be tricky as it is dry in some areas and oily in other areas. The trick here is to balance the sebum in the oily areas while hydrating the dry flaky areas. Look for moisturizers with jojoba oil, it has similar properties as the skin's natural oils and will balance oil production in oily areas and hydrate those dry areas.

Mature Skin: As the skin ages there is a loss in collagen, elasticity, oil production and cell regeneration slows down. In order to hold in moisture and speed up cell regeneration consider oil based moisturizers that have anti-oxidant ingredients such as green tea, and that are rich in emollients and an humectants.

Black Skin: Black skin is somewhat thicker compared to the skin of Caucasian individuals. However, that does not mean they are not prone to sun damage and damage from free radicals. Furthermore black skin can still be categorized into specific skin types such as as dry, combination, oily and sensitive. In order to promote supple and soft skin and alleviate dullness a facial moisturizer is recommended based on your skin type.

It is important to note that everyday our face is bombarded with free radicals (pollution), exposed to UVA and UVB rays, and extreme weather conditions. Applying moisturizer before you start your day not only moisturizes the skin but it provides the much needed protection throughout the day. 

Posted in: Skin Care