The Cosmedics
Tips on how to select a moisturiser
Making the selection simple!
We want you to be able to choose the most affordable skincare possible, but we’re aware there are so many different moisturisers it’s impossible to know which one is best for you. So these handy tips should help to narrow down the selection process.
Contains SPF
Protect protect protect
When it comes to choosing your daytime moisturiser the brands, textures and claims are endless. To simplify this we want pyou to simply pick a moisturiser that aims to do one thing.. protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Believe it or not the ingredients in moisturisers (as fancy as they sound) will not penetrate more than the very upper layers of your dead shedding skin, but the sun’s rays can. The sun can penetrate deep into the lower layers of skin tissue colliding with anything in its path and destroying it. Did you know that a sun tan is where the melanin (dark pigment) attempts to cluster around your DNA to protect it from the damaging rays? A sun tan is the sign that damage is already done. So if you can do just one thing for your skin it’s wear SPF.
The product you choose should say contains SPF on the packaging. However there are a few ingredients that you could look for which may help you when you select your moisturiser. There are two types of sun screening agents. These are known as either chemical or physical filters. Chemical filters are clever energy converters. When you apply this type of cream to your skin, the UV radiation can still penetrate the skin, however the chemical agents absorb this harmful energy and convert it into non harmful heat energy. Look out for oxybenzone and octinoxate on the back of products. Creams with chemical filters are so much easier to formulate with and offer more variety in terms of textures. One thing to consider is that chemical sunscreens can be extremely damaging to coral reefs so avoid this ingredient if you are swimming in the sea. Physical or mineral filters are the more familiar white paste creams that we know to apply in the sun. They stop skin damage by blocking the UV radiation from penetrating the skin. Look for titanium dioxide or zinc oxide on the ingredients list. Also if you have darker skin tones then opt for a product that is either clear or tinted. It’ll reduce the so called “ashy” effect that inevitably occurs in use.
Priming
Prime prime prime
If you’re a make up wearer then another way to select a moisturiser is to look at ingredients that help to prime your skin. Dimethicone is an ingredient that gives formulations a velvety, silky skin feel. It notoriously has a bad reputation mainly owing to it not fitting the “natural” and “clean” ingredient list (learn more on that later). Really all you need to know is it’s a great emollient that smoothes the skin surface, providing a great canvas for applying make up.
Water loving ingredients
Prep Prep Prep
Prep skin for the day ahead so look for another type of ingredient known as humectant. Humectants are water loving ingredients that actually give moisturisers their kudos by attracting molecules to them. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that can hold 1000 times its molecular weight in water. So look for this ingredient in your moisturiser and you should expect a perceived improvement in the appearance of your skin. Other humectants to look out for on the ingredients list are glycerin, aloe vera and honey.
Sustainably sourced skin care
Planet planet planet
Remember the planet
Finally, when you’re faced with a choice of hundreds of different creams all containing SPF and each with a superb list of moisturising ingredients, then revert to this final point as a selection aid. Choose a moisturiser where the company/brand uses recycled packaging or places a lot of emphasis from sourcing ingredients that are either sustainable, fair trade or both. Because if they are all essentially offering the same claims, you might as well increase the profits of the brand that are at the very least attempting to care for the planet.
Night time moisturiser
So if daytime moisturiser is to protect your skin then what’s the reason for night time moisturiser? Following the double cleansing step it’s natural to lose a little of our natural oils. The night time moisturising step replaces the oil to lubricate your skin while you toss, turn and rub your face against your pillow during sleep. Additionally at night you don’t tend to drink. So you’re not replenishing the water your body is losing when you respire. So adding a lovely layer or moisturising oils helps the skin barrier by preventing water loss from the skin surface.
Interestingly your body has its own body clock and at night all bodily functions are geared up to repair repair repair. Remember the outer layers of skin is dead shedding skin cells so moisturising your face at night will help to ensure the skin sheds more uniformly. This means you wake up with skin that looks more even. So when choosing a night time moisturiser use these key tips. Use a moisturiser with hydrating ingredients like propylene glycol, glycerin or hyaluronic acid. Look for ingredients like oils that are fairly high on the ingredients list. Pick a moisturiser with a fragrance that encourages sleep, like lavender or chamomile