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Growing up, I never had pressure on me to use a moisturiser. I guess being a household of boys, it wasn't a priority. It wasn't till I started getting acne that I thought about the health of my skin. In hindsight, I would have done just about anything to curb the humiliation of pimples.
But things have changed, and if you went into my younger brother's room (15 years my Jr.), you would find some face moisteriser on the bedside table, however I think there is a lot of education still to do. Most people wouldn't know that unprotected dehydrated skin can lead to early ageing, more serious skin damage, or breakouts.
First of all, I would like to deal with one ridiculous beauty myth, those of you with oily or acne-prone skin fear that moisturising will only make it worse, so instead, you use harsh products and cleansers. As your face dries out, your body will counter fight this by producing more of the oils that are causing the issues you began with.
The fact is, everyone, regardless of skin type, can benefit from moisturising their skin every day. It's just about choosing the right one and applying it the right way. Here are some of the most significant moisturising tips dermatologists talk through with their patients.
Remember this is your face people!! So, kick things off with a small test on your neck. For most people, it's a sensitive area, so before throwing new moisturiser on, test it out. This is EVEN more important if you are using supermarket shit. Ensure the product doesn't lead to breakouts, doesn't clog pores, and it feels ok on. We have many members with sensitive skin, who need to ensure they stay away from fragrance, parabens, and some oils.
Remember when your mum used to say, "if your friends jumped off the harbour bridge would you follow them!?" Well, face moisturiser is no different, what works for your friends might not work for you. Picking the right one can be tough as there are sooo many bloody products on the market. So choosing between gels, creams, lotions, ointments and foams, there will be a certain level of trial and error. We suggest looking out for the ingredients that might be better for your situation.
For Example. Dr Engelman (Boss Dermatologist and Surgeon from NYC) recommends dealing with dry vs oily skin in the following ways:
DRY SKIN, Dr suggests looking for products that contain hyaluronic acid and ceramides. "These ingredients lock in moisture and improve texture," she says. "Ceramides help to restore the skin's barrier by holding the cells together, and hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, meaning it does wonder in hydrating the skin."
OILY SKIN, Dr Suggests gel serums or oil-free products as good options. Those with acne-prone skin should be especially careful not to use ingredients that might cause breakouts, like alcohol, heavy oils, or petrolatum. Instead, they should reach for moisturisers with ingredients that are clinically proven to prevent breakouts such as adapalene, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.
While oils have their place, they shouldn't be used as a substitute. No doubt they are a god sent when it comes to some dry and irritable skin, but they don't do the job of a good moisturiser. In basic terms, oils treat the surface of the skin, where moisturiser draw water molecules into the skin. So keep your oils around but make sure that you are using the oils after you apply some moisturiser.
Sitting at your desk, driving in your car, leaving the house thinking your skin is a little dry? So you might pop some cream on. That's about as useful as tits on a bull.
There is a right and wrong time to put it on. Check the back of the bottle; it will say: apply to clean skin, ideally shortly after a cleanse and for best results before the skin is totally dry. This is because applying moisturiser to damp skin, the formula is absorbed better, and locks the moister in. I agree, something is better than nothing, but don't do your skin a disservice.
As alluded to above, you may be putting the products on in the wrong order. I would be surprised if many dudes, use more than three products on their face.
But think of it like making the bed, bottom sheet, top sheet, duvet, followed by the annoying pillows your Mrs wants. The basic rule is start light and work your way up to the thicker products.
For example:
ORDINARY DUDE: cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen.
PAMPERED PUP: cleanser, toner, serum, moisturiser, eye cream then foundation or sunscreen.
Hopefully, by now you just know that sunscreen is extremely important. It's the ultimate in youth preservation.
And what's better than a moisturiser and a sunscreen … a 2 in 1 moisturiser/sunscreen. We acknowledge this product is still relatively limited, and it's more than likely if you have sensitive skin, it would be hard to find one. We are working on this ;)
Think this through; you have dull, flaky, patchy skin. You may have a tendency to scrub, peel or smooth it off, but in reality your face is begging for the cream. The key is to know the difference between dull skin and dry skin. Think about it like a painting, if that paint starts to flake or lack some colour, add a little water to remedy.
We are not kneading bread here; we are dealing with a sensitive balance. I can't write this piece without thinking about discovering "my tools" at whatever age it was. Don't rub too hard !! We massage the moisteriser in to increase blood circulation and to help absorption. If you rub too hard you will cause damage to the skins barrier function. Over exfoliating exposing the face to bacteria cuasing inflammation.
So just be "genital" and let the formula do its job.
Our bodies are not static at any point in time, continually adjusting to the environment around us. Hot, cold, sweat, wind, our body is forever trying to run at an optimum level.
At night, your body is in recovery mode. Similarly, your skin cells are repairing. Night creams are packed with ingredients that aid the repairing mode your body is in.
During the day your body is in combat mode fighting against the elements. Day formulas join the fight against the elements. Essentially, if you are using night products during the day, you are putting a bandaid on a scar that has already healed.
If you have anything else to contribute to the conversation or know of a good product, we would love to try it out.
