What
is Skin Moisturizers?
Why
is Skin Moisturizer used?
Skin
Care Articles 
Skin
Exfoliating 101 - 03/02/07
Skin
moisturizers
are used for a variety of purposes.
The most common use of moisturizer
is for dry skin. Moisturizer helps
rehydrate the skin and generally includes
additional vitamins to help repair
damaged skin. If you have dry skin,
moisturizer can help return your skin
back to normal.
For
instance, a heavy-duty skin moisturizer
for the hands will contain a large
proportion of a humectant such as
glycerol. Under normal conditions,
however, this would be too heavy for
use on the face, and a lighter formulation
would be more appropriate.
A cosmetic moisturizer designed to
encourage hydration will be made up
from a small percentage of water and
humectant, blended with oils and emulsified
to form a liquid or cream. Night creams
can be water-in-oil emulsions as they
contain a high proportion of excellent
humectants.
The
general rule is that the drier the
skin and its environment, the richer
should be the moisturizer.
The
skin's ability to stay hydrated is
an important factor in its ability
to maintain softness, suppleness and
elasticity. As skin ages, or as it
is exposed to environmental stresses
and chemical agents, it loses this
ability to retain water, becomes dry
and appears wrinkled.
Younger
people tend to prefer lighter moisturizing
products than older generations. This
is because the younger, the greater
is its capacity to retain water, and
the more sebum it produces.
Helpful
Moisturizing
Tips
Reduce
how often you bath or shower, using
lukewarm water. Showers are better
than baths. Each day when you take
your bath or shower, try to use lukewarm
water. Hot water dries out the skin.
Try to limit your time to fifteen
minutes or less in the bath or shower.
Bathing should be done no more than
once a day. If you bathe too frequently
you will remove the natural oils from
the skin causing dryness. In the morning,
just splash cool water or use a moisturizing
toner and apply moisturizer. Because
cleansers can strip away sebum and
natural moisturizing factors from
your skin, washing at night gives
your skin time to replenish itself,
before you need to face outside elements.
Morning
scrubs don't give your dry skin time
to recover its defenses before you
go outside. Use mineral water to freshen
your face. Don't use a washcloth-a
rough texture can irritate. In the
morning, apply a spray of mineral
water on your skin misted on with
a plant sprayer. (Do not use a sprayer
that had been used for spraying insecticides.)
Lightly pat dry.
Do
not over-indulge in sunbathing. Excessive
exposure to sun rays can cause dry
skin, wrinkles and skin cancer. All
areas that are exposed to the sun,
such as the face, ears, hands, and
back of the neck should have a moisturizer
containing sun block or a sunscreen
of SPF 15 or greater applied daily.
As much as possible, stay out of the
sun. The sun is responsible for most
of the damage done to the skin. It
causes dryness, wrinkles, and even
rashes and blisters. Always apply
a good sunscreen to all exposed areas
of skin if you must be in the sun.
Those
with dry skins should stay away from
deodorant or antibacterial soaps,
since they can be drying to the skin.
If the odor-fighting capabilities
of these soaps are desirable, then
it is recommended that they be used
only on areas such as the armpits,
etc...Cleansing creams and lotions
are the most useful for particularly
dry or sensitive skin. They leave
behind a layer of oil that helps lubricate
the skin much as moisturizers do,
but they are only moderately effective
at cleansing the skin. Mildly moisturizing
soaps are probably the most useful
for general use since they clean adequately
without stripping the skin of it's
natural oils.
Always
rinse and dry hands carefully, particularly
after contact with household products.
Chapped and irritated dry skin on
the hands is a common problem for
people with dry skin. Try rubber gloves
to protect them from hot water and
detergents. If you are allergy-prone,
wear a cotton pair underneath. You
could develop contact dermatitis from
the rubber in the gloves. Wear PVC
waterproof gloves to avoid contact
with detergents and other household
irritants, or wear thin cotton gloves
underneath waterproof gloves.
Do not wear the gloves for long periods
of time. Cotton gloves are useful
for dirty work. Wash cotton gloves
frequently. Avoid using fabric softeners,
especially in the dryer. Keep irritating
fabrics away from your skin. Don't
wear clothing made of wool or other
"scratchy" fabrics. Use
cotton percale sheets on your bed.
Do
not smoke. Smoking has a harmful effect
on the skin for several reasons. Nicotine
constricts the blood vessels, including
the tiny capillaries that serve the
skin. This deprives the skin of the
oxygen and nutrients it needs for
good health. Smoking also can make
the skin dry and leathery.
Skin
Care Articles
Skin
Exfoliating - 03/02/07
More
to come on Skin Moisturizers...
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