| |
By taking the time to answer the question ‘How do moisturizers work?’ you may be able to save yourself a whole lot of time and money in the future.
How Do Moisturizers Work
Here’s the plain and simple (and somewhat ugly) truth: a lot of moisturizers claim to be able to do much more than they really can. Oftentimes, a product will tell you that it can do much more than moisturize–it can, in fact, make your skin younger, eliminate wrinkles, tighten your face, and protect you from all of the sun’s harmful rays.
Sadly, this really just isn’t true for the most part.
What you can count on is this: moisturizers will moisturize your face.
And that’s a very good thing–not just because they are actually telling the truth about something, but because your skin benefits from daily hydration in ways that you can only guess at.
Maintaining your face, neck, hands, arms, and body’s moisture is an essential step to looking and feeling as healthy as can be. Most moisturizers are good at locking water molecules into the top layers of your skin.
Beyond moisturizing, however, such lotions (especially the fancy, expensive ones) can sure talk a good talk, but they don’t really have the skills necessary to walk the walk.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at answering the question: How do moisturizers work? Then we’ll look over a short list of some of the better moisturizer products on the market, so you won’t get trapped by promises that simply cannot be kept.
How Do Moisturizers Work: The Big Three Ingredients
Although different brands and recipes of commercial moisturizers use a vast variety of natural, organic, and synthesized approaches, each of these products use one of the following major ingredients to get the job done:
- Emollients – These help by keep your skin looking healthy by smoothing out flaky skin.
- Humectants – These ingredients (such as glycerin and urea) work by drawing molecules of water from the skin below and keeping them locked into the upper layers.
- Occlusive Agents- These create a physical barrier in order to keep water from escaping from your skin. Occlusive agents include wax, oil, and silicone.
How Do Moisturizers Work: A ‘Best Of’ List
Be sure not to get pulled in by those brand names that promise you ridiculously fantastical results (like shedding twenty years from your face) for a high price. Basically, they’re just after your money.
Even though in most cases cheaper means the opposite of better, you’d do well to consider the less expensive brands.
If you just need a good moisturizer, look for products by Cetaphil, Neutrogena, and Olay.
These are companies that make good moisturizers that are affordable.
If you have more special needs (for acne prone, super oily, or especially dehydrated skin) talk to your dermatologist to get a recommendation. Cosmetic moisturizers are largely ignored by the Food and Drug Administration, so getting a professional opinion is certainly worth your while.
Some advice in general: don’t be too quick to hear what you want to hear. Be smart and enjoy your common sense.
Return from How Do Moisturizers Work to Neutrogena Moisturizer Reviews
Return from How Do Moisturizers Work to Best Moisturizer Reviews