Moisturizer is one of the (if not THE most) important step in a skincare routine. Why? Because it protects the skin from aging, dryness, excess oiliness (yes, you read that right), and external pollutants/irritants. No matter what the weather is like, where you live, what time of the year it is, do not and we repeat DO NOT skip on your moisturizer.
As winters are just around the corner, and autumn is shedding it’s last leaves (see what we did there? Huh? ;) You know what that means? It’s time to take your moisturizer from your vanity and place it right next to you, this is where it should stay for the coming months. It's your best friend, your ride or die.
In the winter season, you must know, your skin is prone to losing more moisture, this is because in the colder months the humidity in the air around you drops making it the environment very dry and hence your skin loses its natural moisture quicker. Now to maintain good healthy skin, you need to have well hydrated skin, and what’s the easiest way to achieve that? DING DING DING! Moisturising!
Here’s a little guide to all the types of moisturizers and which ones could potentially suit your skin type. Bonus, little tips on when you should think of switching it up.
GELS:
I think you’re ready for this Gel-y (if you have oily or combination skin that leans on the oilier side, ofcourse).
Gels are the most lightweight form of moisturizers, they absorb into the skin quickest and while they moisturize your skin they don’t leave your skin feeling oily or too goop-y. Perfect for you oily skin types out there.
If you are someone that uses a gel based moisturizer during the summer, really listen to your skin as the weather gets colder and drier, try to moisturize more often or switch to a thicker consistency if you feel like your skin feels drier than usual.
LOTIONS:
Lotions are great for combination skin. Lotions are formulated with mostly water, which is perfect for skin right in the middle of the spectrum, not too oily and not too dry. But what you need to keep in mind is that some lotions are thicker than others. So, experiment until you find the one that suits your skin type.
Lotions usually seep into the skin relatively fast but leave a thin film of moisture on the surface which locks in hydration for longer.
Lotions are great for moisturising your body, especially if you're someone who's usually is in a hurry after a shower and finds moisturising your body a tedious task. Lotions are runny and perfect for spreading over a larger area of skin.
CREAMS
Or how the French put it crème, is what normal to dry skinned people mostly use. It’s thicker than lotions and has a more rich consistency. Creams are an absolute winner when it comes to long term moisture holding. Along with penetrating the skin, they remain on the surface of the skin in form of a barrier to make sure no excess moisture is lost.
Even though creams are supposed to moisturize deeply, if they’re making your skin feel too oily, sticky or goop-y, switch to either a lighter cream or a lighter moisturizer all together.
OINTMENTS
If you have super duper dry and itchy skin that’s prone to flaking, ointments are for you. Ointments are thick balm-like creams/gels that have a high concentration of occlusive ingredients i.e moisture sealers. Occlusive moisturizers completely block any evaporation of moisture and keeps the skin moisturized for a very long time. Ointments are suggested to people with drying skin conditions by professionals and they’re perfect for people who live in colder areas where the temperature drops very very low.
BONUS TIPS
Having oily skin does not mean you can skip moisturising! If you don’t moisturize enough you skin tricks your brain into thinking it needs to produce more sebum hence you get MORE oily skin!
If you have super dry skin, try the lock-in method. After washing your face/body do not completely dry off the water and apply your moisturizer quickly on top of moist (sorry, we had to) skin, this will trap in the extra moisture in your skin.
In these drier months, go easy on the exfoliation and cleansing. Tone it down, make sure you're not over stripping your skin of it’s natural oils.
You can use a heavier moisturizer as your night cream and lather it up as much as you like, no one cares if you look like a glazed donut in bed! This will ensure that your skin does not lose too much moisture during the cold winter nights.