It’s impossible to say what the most important element of a skin care routine is; but for many of us, a day without moisturizer is like a day without water. Not only does it feel like the cherry on top of a comprehensive skincare routine, but it’s one of the primary ways to keep the look of those fine lines and wrinkles at bay and your skin feeling and looking its best.
For dry or more mature skin in particular, moisturizer is a true lifesaver– which is why, in this article, we’ll look at what moisturizer actually is, how frequently you should be moisturizing your face, the benefits to moisturizing your skin, and the steps to take before and after moisturizing. By the time we’re done, you’ll know exactly how to apply moisturizer properly for perfect skin.
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Generally speaking, moisturizer should be used at least twice a day. Be sure to also include an eye cream in your moisturizing routine, as the skin around the eye has fewer oil glands and is especially susceptible to fine lines and wrinkles.
Good to Know: Applying moisturizer to slightly damp skin will help increase absorption, allowing the moisturizer to work more effectively.
Recommended Products: H2 Oh Yeah Hydrating Moisturizer, Youth Fairy Retinol Moisturizer, Crème de la Cream Brightening Moisturizer, and Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream.
What Is Moisturizer?
Moisturizers include more than just moisturizing ingredients. Effective moisturizers treat the skin using a few different categories of ingredients: occlusives, humectants and emollients.
Occlusives form a barrier on the skin to prevent the loss of water from the skin. Shea butter is a good example of a natural occlusive.
Humectants draw moisture up from the deeper layers of the skin to the top, giving skin a hydrated, healthy look. Humectants include ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin.
Finally, emollients are probably what most people think of when they think of moisturizers, as they add moisture to the skin topically and hold it in. A good example of an emollient is panthenol or cetearyl alcohol.
All three of these skincare ingredients work together in a moisturizer to give you the best results.
How Frequently Should You Be Moisturizing Your Face?
Generally speaking, you apply moisturizer twice a day– once in the morning and once in the evening. That said, you can adjust that depending on what kind of skin type you have, or if the season necessitates it. If you have dry or mature skin, you can definitely add a third application during the day (just make sure you don’t do it on top of makeup or sunscreen). You can also apply a thicker layer to the skin at night and let it sink in. If your skin gets drier in winter weather, or during the summer if you live in an arid climate, look for a moisturizer that is formulated to impart deep hydration. H2 Oh Yeah was created to treat both the dry and dehydrated skin you may be experiencing.
If you have oily skin, it is still important to moisturize twice a day. Use a product that is made for all skin types, like Crème de la Cream; you can also look for a lightweight lotion to use in more humid climates.
You can also add a night cream to your routine to target specific concerns. A retinol moisturizer like Youth Fairy is a great starting point, whether you have dry skin, mature skin, or congested skin.
What Are the Benefits to Moisturizing Your Skin?
The benefits to moisturizing your skin are numerous, but one of the biggest benefits is how moisturizer makes your skin feel and look. Your complexion should glow with hydration and feel fuller and more plump after applying the right moisturizer for your skin.
There is no question that moisturizer also seriously helps reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles, especially on those delicate areas of the face, like the eyes and around the mouth. A moisturizer will also help smooth the skin so that makeup and sunscreen go on evenly and with ease.
Steps to Take Before and After Moisturizing
If you’ve read our blog posts before, you know how important it is to use your skincare products in the right order and moisturizer is no exception. Here are the steps you need to take both before and after moisturizing:
- Clean the skin. Start any skincare routine with nice, clean skin. A one-step natural cleanser is an easy way to make sure your skin is free of surface dirt and oil.
- Tone the skin. All it takes is a couple of spritzes of a hydrating toner to soothe the skin and add hydration.
- Apply serum. We suggest a few drops of a vitamin C-filled brightening serum or an antioxidant-rich hydrating serum to make skin look incredible.
- Moisturize the skin. It’s at this point that you should moisturize your skin; keep in mind that means both a hydrating moisturizer and an eye cream for the delicate area around the eyes. Pro tip: Apply moisturizer before your toner and/or serum have been fully absorbed. Applying moisturizer to wet skin will help it absorb better and be more effective.
- Apply sunscreen. No matter what kind of skin you have, and even what the season is, you must apply sunscreen during the day. Only SPF will protect your skin from the UV radiation that our skin absorbs from the sun.
Keep in mind this basic routine should be done once in the morning and once at night; you might add additional treatment steps, based on your skin care concerns.
How to Apply Moisturizer
One of the great things about moisturizer is that you don’t need anything special to apply it. Simply use clean fingers to dab it on to your skin and then gently massage into your face. Use upward strokes to lift your skin while you do so. Apply just enough that your skin easily absorbs it. If your skin is extra thirsty, you can always apply more.
That’s the skinny on how to use moisturizer! Follow these steps and we think you’ll find your skin will look substantially more hydrated in no time at all.
