When it comes to face moisturizers, there’s a fair bit of confusion out there. Some people swear by them while others never use them, making it easy for a person to feel conflicted about whether or not their skincare routine actually needs a face cream.
Wondering if a face moisturizer is really as necessary as so many claim it to be? Celestolite is about to explain!
How Does a Face Moisturizer Work?
In order to decide whether or not your skin would benefit from a face moisturizer, you need to first understand how this product works.
Fortunately, this is pretty simple since moisturizers usually do one of two things:
- They trap moisture in the skin, preventing it from evaporating
- They replenish lost moisture in the complexion
Both of these roles are vital when it comes to maintaining healthy-looking skin. While it’s true that your blood vessels naturally supply your skin cells with moisture, the cells that receive this hydration lie in your dermis, which is the middle layer of your skin. Once there, the moisture travels upwards to your epidermis, where it then evaporates. This process is known as transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
The faster your rate of TEWL, the drier the surface of your skin will be. TEWL varies depending on different factors, from the weather to the condition of your skin. Sure, your skin constantly draws up more moisture as existing moisture leaves the epidermis. However, it can often struggle to do this fast enough, leaving the surface of the skin feeling dry, cracked, and flaky.
By replacing lost moisture in the skin while also slowing down TEWL, a good face moisturizer will leave your skin feeling soft, supple, and hydrated.
But is a Face Moisturizer Really Necessary?
While it’s evident that moisturizers serve an important purpose, are they really necessary? Couldn’t a serum do that job instead?
The simple answer is no – not to the same extent.
A face moisturizer is designed to work on the outer layer of the skin. Serums, on the other hand, are thinner and lighter in consistency. This means that they’re absorbed slightly deeper into the skin. This is great for stimulating the various layers of your complexion, but it leaves the outer layer of your skin lacking. The only way to leave your epidermis feeling adequately moisturized and protected is with a face cream.
But why do some experts claim that moisturizers are bad for the skin?
Well, it all comes down to how they’re used. Some believe that a face moisturizer slows down the skin’s natural exfoliation rate. Rather than your dead skin cells naturally shedding on their own, they stick to the moisturizer that you’ve just applied. This can lead to dullness, roughness, and congestion.
This is true, but only if you’re using your moisturizer incorrectly. On the other hand, if you’re combining your moisturizer with a good skincare routine (we’ll talk more about this later!), then this is an issue that you won’t have to deal with.
The Extra Benefits of Using a Face Moisturizer
We’ve already explained the two ways in which a moisturizer helps to maintain the skin’s moisture levels to keep your complexion soft and dewy. However, regularly using a face moisturizer brings with it a few other benefits too…
For starters, moisturizing your skin reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Facial creases look so much more noticeable on dry skin, so keeping your skin well moisturized will help to plump up the look of your skin while diminishing the visibility of wrinkles. This is enhanced even further if the moisturizer you use contains ingredients that target the appearance of skin aging.
A good moisturizer can also help to even out the complexion. It’ll make any blemishes or marks less visible, giving the skin a bright and balanced glow.
Moisturizers can also soothe the complexion. The extra moisture that they treat the skin to helps to calm the feeling of inflammation and irritation. The way in which a moisturizer forms a seal over the surface of the skin also prevents irritants from affecting the skin in the same way, effectively leaving the skin feeling more protected.
What to Look for in a Moisturizer
While it’s true that a moisturizer is a non-negotiable part of any skincare routine, you need to be using the right moisturizer for your skin in order to soak up the above-mentioned benefits. Here’s what to look for based on your skin type and your skin’s needs:
Dry Skin
If your skin is dry, then this means that the surface of your skin contains tiny cracks. This speeds up TEWL by giving the moisture in your skin extra avenues to escape from, resulting in dryness.
To counter this, you need a face moisturizer that contains occlusive and emollient ingredients. Occlusives create a barrier over the surface of the skin, which blocks moisture from evaporating. On the other hand, emollients sink in a little deeper to fill in any gaps or cracks between your skin cells. Again, this has the effect of improving moisture retention.
Plant butters and oils work very well as both occlusives and emollients, making the Celestolite Estrella Night Cream ideal for dry skin. It’s infused with shea butter and sunflower oil, both of which soften and smooth the complexion. It also contains oat protein to help strengthen and support the feel of vulnerable dry skin.
Oily Skin
The opposite of dry skin, oily skin is caused when the skin produces too much sebum. This leaves the skin coated in a layer of grease, leading to a shiny appearance.
As you can imagine, occlusive ingredients that form an additional barrier over the skin are not what you need. After all, your skin is already producing plenty of sebum to do this naturally.
However, that doesn’t mean that people with oily skin should skip out on a moisturizer. Your skin may be producing plenty of oil, but oil is very different from water, and it’s the latter that your skin cells need in order to properly function.
So, when choosing a face moisturizer for oily skin, look for formulas that are filled with humectants. These are ingredients that boast moisture-binding properties. They hydrate skin cells without coating them or leaving them feeling heavy, making them perfect for moisturizing already-oily skin.
One good example would be Celestolite’s Luna Luminous Touch. This formula is infused with multiple humectants, including glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, and seaweed extract. It also contains several ingredients, such as retinol, resveratrol, and green tea extract, that help to re-balance an oily complexion.
Using the wrong face moisturizer on oily skin can quickly lead to congestion and breakouts. However, turn to the Luna Luminous Touch and not only will your skin immediately take on a matte finish, but your complexion won’t feel quite so oily in the long run either.
Mature Skin
As mentioned earlier, a good face moisturizer can help to reduce the appearance of skin aging. While just about any moisturizer will do this to a certain extent, picking a formula designed for mature skin will provide even better results.
One of our favorites is the Celestolite Jade Spectra Bead Cream. This formula contains a number of classic ingredients that have been proven to smooth away the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
In this face moisturizer, you’ll find vitamin A, one of the most-loved ingredients out there for firming up an aging complexion. It’s joined by vitamin E, which will leave your skin barrier feeling thicker and more supported. This is vital when working with mature skin, as the skin barrier naturally thins with age, leaving the skin feeling drier.
Other noteworthy ingredients in this cream include green tea extract. This botanical is packed with potent polyphenols. Multiple studies have proved the ingredient extremely effective at reducing the look of sun damage on the skin, whether this may be in the form of wrinkles, dark spots, or anything else. Its effects are even greater when combined with aloe vera leaf extract, which hydrates and plumps up the complexion.
Sun Protection
No matter your skin type, daily sun protection is vital. The sun’s UV rays alone are responsible for up to 80% of the visible signs of skin aging. This means that keeping your skin protected from the sun will go a long way in maintaining a younger-looking complexion.
There’s nothing wrong with using your go-to face moisturizer and then layering a sunscreen over the top. However, if you’d like to save yourself an additional step in your skincare routine, you could also consider a moisturizer that also contains SPF, such as our Nova Bright Skin Cream SPF 30.
This formula contains powerful UV-blocking agents that shield the skin from the sun’s damage. It’s also brimming with vitamins and plant extracts to help reduce the appearance of any existing damage.
Suitable for all skin types, this SPF face moisturizer is a formula that you’ll be able to depend on each and every day.
How to Properly Use a Face Moisturizer
As we discussed earlier, the improper use of a face moisturizer can do more harm than good. If you want to experience all of the benefits that a moisturizer can bring, without the downside of dull and congested skin, then you need to use it in the right way.
This means starting with a cleanser. Our top pick would be the Celestolite Estrella Cleanser Mousse. It contains coconut-derived cleansing agents, making it far gentler than many of the other cleansers on the market. It’s also infused with a blend of amino acids to help maintain the skin’s moisture level.
Once your face is cleansed, follow up with a hydrating toner, such as our Estrella Facial Toner. Thanks to the aloe vera juice, cucumber fruit extract, and chamomile extract in this formula, it will provide your skin with an extra layer of lightweight hydration, which your moisturizer can later seal in.
At this stage, you can go ahead and apply a serum or two. Pick formulas that have been designed for the visible skin concerns that you’re facing.
Finally, it’s time for your moisturizer. It should always be the final step of your skincare routine, with the exception of a sunscreen. Apply a generous amount of moisturizer to your skin, massaging it in gently to ensure an even spread.
Ideally, you should be moisturizing twice a day, once in the morning and then once again at night. That said, people with oily skin may only need to moisturize once a day, while those with severely dry skin may need a couple of extra moisturizing top-ups throughout the day.
Summary
When it comes down to it, yes, a face moisturizer really is necessary, no matter your skin type. Everyone’s skin cells need moisture in order to function to their full potential, and a face moisturizer is the best way to give them exactly that. So long as you match your skin to the right moisturizer formula, you’ll be able to reap the many benefits that a good face cream can bring.
Click here to check out more moisturizing skincare products from Celestolite.
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