Moisturization: an in depth look to see what it does for your skin

22 octobre 2020

Written by Vu-Hoang Lê

Moisturization: an in depth look to see what it does for your skin

22 octobre 2020

Written by Vu-Hoang Lê

Moisturization, why?

Moisturization, what does this mean. I keep seeing this term on every skincare blog and we blindly follow the advice that you need to keep your skin moisturized?

But why? When it comes to your skin, it is important to do your own research, as there many fake experts saying completely misleading things about skincare.

Especially people with skin issues, like eczema and psoriasis, need extra hydration because their skin does not function properly.

Dry skin?

What happen when you skin dries is that the skin starts to crack, and it will let bacteria that are usually kept out go inside the skin and start infecting the skin. You remember when we talked about the skin barrier right?

Since the skin is one of your largest organs, you want to make sure it stays pristine.

Note that even if you have oily skin you should still moisturize your skin to keep it healthy.

Water is not just important for the skin

Water is an essential part of our body, 60% of the human body if water.

“According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain, and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.”

So, what does water do for you?

It helps from things like forming saliva. Helps your brain manufacturing hormones and neurotransmitters. Regulates your body temperature. Keeps mucosal membranes moist. Helps deliver oxygen to the body. Lubricates your joints and many more other functions.

Now back to your skin.

Drinking 8 glasses of water a day will help your body get rid of toxins. Drinking enough amount of water will enable you to keep a radiant and healthy-looking skin. Your sweat is basically your body temperature regulator. This is one of the reasons why humans are one of the only species able to run long distances.

That said, this is also why you should keep your skin moisturized:

It helps with fighting wrinkles. Keeping your skin moisturized will prevent wrinkles from forming. Which is why people living in more humid countries tend to look younger than people living in colder countries (cold dries up the skin).
It reduces the chance of your skin having problems. It helps maintain a certain balance.
It will camouflage your skin blemishes.

When should you be using moisturizers?

The common advice is to use moisturizers after bath/shower since the hot water will strip all the moisture and oils from your skin. Which is also the reason it is advised to take colder shower to avoid that phenomenon.

What types of moisturizers?

There are different types of moisturizers on the market.

Humectant: draws water into the top layer of the skin

Ingredients to look for: glycerin (also called glycerol), propylene glycol, sorbitol, AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids like glycolic acid), hyaluronic acid.

Emollient: helps fill the crack, seal the water, and give your skin a smooth complexion.

Ingredients to look for: lanolin, mineral oil, ceramides, coconut oil.

Occlusive: provides a thicker protection, acting like a barrier to prevent water loss.

Ingredients to look for: shea butter, beeswax, paraffin, petrolatum. A famous being Petroleum jelly for example.

The consensus is that for sensitive skin you should look for anti-allergenic ingredients, like glycerin. If you have dry skin then better go for oil-based products, like creams or lotions.

And avoid nasties like alcohol (eat the skin), fragrance (irritant), parabens, SLS.

There are many products to help moisturize on the market coming in different shape and form like cream, gel, or face mask.

We at Eblouir researched into it and found that the optimum solution was the face mask made of bio cellulose with our star ingredient the copper tripeptide-1 to help with skin regeneration. The remarkable thing about mask is that you can leave them on your face and do other thing. The particularity of bio cellulose is that it is 1000 times thinner than hair, so that it will stick closer to your skin and offer a much better (5 times better) moisturization than traditional masks made of clay/fiber etc….

Last note

Like every skincare step in your routine, you should implement these gradually, do not go and put moisturizer 5 times a day (it is way too much), see how your skin respond and then implement it regularly. It is important to read the reviews online too, to make sure you are aware of everything. But each person has different reactions to specific ingredient, so make sure you try before you use it fully.

Moisturization: an in depth look to see what it does for your skin

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