Moisturizing the skin – everyone is talking about how important it is, but nobody really explains why. What do we gain thanks to the moisturizing the skin? How to hydrate it properly? And what about oily skin? Does excess sebum disqualify moisturizing creams? We explain, advise, dispel doubts regarding one of the most important aspects of skin care.
Moisturizing the skin – why is it important?
The answer is simple: our body consists mainly of water and 20% of it is in human skin. Without water … we wither away. Water is the content of the proper functioning of our body, is found in every cell and drives the body to life.
It is also very important how “water is distributed” in the cells of our skin: about 15% of the water is in the outer part of the skin, and up to 80% – in the deepest layers. Within a day, up to 400 ml of water can evaporate from our skin – more or less the equivalent of two glasses of water! Therefore, maintaining an adequate level of hydration is so important.
What does the skin that lacks hydration look like?
Skin with water deficiency not only dries out, becomes less elastic and rough, it also brakes and causes discomfort. Such skin simply ages faster – the flabby skin, which lost its moisture is sagy, and thus wrinkles appear on the face. To prevent excessive water loss, it should be protected not only from the inside (drinking about 2.5 liters of water per day), but also from the outside – thanks to this water molecules will not “escape” so quickly from its outer layers, and the skin will not lose its firmness and beautiful appearance.
What dries out the skin?
It is worth knowing why and how the skin dehydrates – thanks to this, you will be able to avoid excessive water loss from inside. Here are the most common factors for drying out the epidermis:
- air-conditioned rooms
- high temperatures (scorching sun)
- unsuitable cosmetics with short-chain alcohols
- dry air from radiators
- improper care (no moisturizing creams)
- medicine you take
- some diseases and infections
- cigarettes, alcohol
- poor diet and processed food
- disturbance of hydro-lipid balance
How do creams and moisturizing balms work?
Contrary to popular opinion, “moisturizing” creams are more of a name than actions. They do not moisturize the skin, but only seal the hydro-lipid barrier of the epidermis. Their carefully selected ingredients make the moisturizing creams have hygroscopic properties: they bind water molecules together and prevent skin from drying.
Do all the skin types need hydration?
Another myth passed on by generations is that the oily skin does not need hydration. You couldn’t have been more wrong. The more you dry out the oily complexion, the more sebum it produces to rebuild the lipid coat on the surface.
The natural moisturizing factor (NMF) is responsible for this. It is a mixture of amino acids, sodium ions, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphates, uric acid, creatinine and pyroglutamic acid. It is worth knowing that over the years, its performance will decrease (NMF concentration decreases). That is why the skin loses its elasticity and it is more difficult to cope with binding water particles and its absorption. Therefore, both dry and oily skin, as well as mature skin, should be constantly supported by the use of moisturizing balms and creams.
How and what to moisturize the skin with?
Moisturizing the skin can take many different forms – depending on which cosmetics you want to use. Of course, the basis is drinking plenty of water, herbal infusions, green tea. The epidermis is, however, worth supporting with appropriate cosmetics so that the water molecules do not “escape” from its interior. How to do it and what to use?
1. What is best for skin moisturizing – natural oils
Oils are substances pressed from plant seeds. They cannot be declassed, both when it comes to hair care, as well as the face and the whole body care. You can add them to the water, use to massage the body, rub into the skin of the face as a night serum. They are universal and operate comprehensively. What’s more, they perfectly help not only with dry but also oily complexion – just reach for the right oil (dry skin will like sunflower oil, cottonseed, linseed oil, evening primrose oil), while shea butter oil, argan oil, and jojoba oil will be ideal for oily skin.
2. What is the best for skin moisturizing – serum, cream, mask
It’s best to include all three in the care. The serum works in the deeper layers of the skin than cream, so it is good to apply it first. Every day, use delicate moisturizing creams, which are perfect as makeup primers, in the evening, reach for a cosmetic with a slightly richer composition, which has stronger moisturizing and regenerating effects. At least once a week, treat your skin with an exfoliating scrub combined with a face mask – thanks to this, all dead skin cells will be removed, the skin will gain a strong dose of hydration, and the ingredients from creams and masks will be better absorbed.
The same principle applies to body care: the body requires a peeling and properly selected balm that will help maintain its flexibility, firmness and youth.
3. What is best for skin moisturizing – facial and body mists
This is an excellent invention for everyone who stays in dry or air-conditioned rooms. The mist can be sprayed even several times during the day on the skin of both the face and body. Most of them are also suitable for applying over makeup. Body and face mists usually contain thermal water, which abounds in a number of minerals and perfectly soothes the skin on hot sunny days.
4. What is best for skin moisturizing – hydrolates
They work just like thermal water, with the difference that they contain a number of active plant extracts that additionally support the functions of the epidermis, tone, soothe, refresh and even slow down the aging process (undoubtedly, the queen of all plant hydrolates is rose water – suitable for all types of the skin perfectly supports its condition).