How to choose the right facial moisturizer?
Choosing the right facial moisturizer can be confusing not to mention overwhelming. There are so many options, brands, and ingredients. Where do you even start? Walk into a department store, down the skin care section of a pharmacy or grocery store and the options are near endless. The same goes for looking online. But before you set out to get the next best thing, you first need to know what type of skin you have.
What skin type do you have?
Do you have dry skin, oily skin or combination skin? If you have dry or oily skin you probably know it. Combination skin is a little more difficult to determine. Dry skin is easy to identify, you feel it. It may feel itchy, you may have redness or irritation and it can be flaky.
Oily skin tends to be shiny and may leave a residue after wiping your skin with a tissue. Sometimes oily skin it’s prone to acne as the skin may produce more sebum (a natural waxy substance) that can clog pores leading to acne. People that have combination skin may have sections of their face that is oily, like around the nose and forehead and then other places that are dry like cheeks and around the eyes.
What kind of facial moisturizer do I need for dry skin?
If you have dry skin you will want to look for words on the label like - rich, intense, and ultra- moisturizing. These moisturizers will be heavier and contain ingredients that keep moisture in, like emollients. They will also have humectants, which attract and trap moisture to the skin and ingredients called occlusives which can be heavy waxes and oils tat help to trap moisture in the skin preventing dehydration. Products that tick all the boxes may contain butters such as shea or cocoa or thicker oils that tend to be solid at room temperature.
What kind of facial moisturizer do I need for oily skin?
If you have oily skin you will want to look for lotions and serums that are lightweight and that work without clogging pores and make your skin feel oilier. You want to find products that are ultra hydrating but not heavy. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, hydrate without clogging your pores. Lighter moisturizers tend to be light weight creams and serums and will contain lighter oils such as Jojoba oil, Grapeseed and Sunflower Oil . People with oily skin may use cleansers to unclog pores that may actually dry their skin out. So it’s important to still moisturize.
What kind of facial moisturizer do I need for combination skin?
For combination skin you can choose products to treat those areas of your face that are oily and those that are dry. Essentially you would want to treat each part of your face for what it needs. Using lighter moisturizers for the areas that tend to be oily and thicker moisturizers for the areas that tend to be dry. For example you could use serum on the areas that are oily and then use a thicker moisturizer on the areas that are dry.
What if I don’t think my skin is really dry or oily?
If you think you just have normal skin, not really dry or oily, then it's easy – you can probably use most any product that you find is best for you. Just pay attention to how your skin reacts and adjust accordingly. If you notice a product causing your skin to feel oilier than normal then cut back on it and see if anything changes. Similarly if you notice a product drying your skin out more than normal, causing irritation or redness stop using it and see if there is a difference. Overall the basics remain the same though. Clean your skin with a light cleanser then add your facial moisturizer.