Moisturizers: Properties, Uses, and Brands

In today’s article, we will talk about something that most women use regularly and, increasingly, men as well. Fortunately, little by little, men are discovering the great properties of moisturizers and the benefits they bring for maintaining the healthy appearance of our skin. Women, on the other hand, have long known the qualities they bring to improve and nourish the skin of the face, hands, and of course, the body. Therefore, if you agree, let’s start from the beginning to better understand what they are and how we are going to use them.

What is a moisturizer

If we look at the meaning of the name, we understand much of its function. The word hydrate means “restablish the normal degree of moisture of the skin or other tissues” and also “combine a body with water”. This literal meaning is taken from the Royal Academy dictionary. Therefore, when we talk about moisturizers, we are referring to taking water and adding it into our skin. It is like watering ourselves to flourish with all the revitalized properties of the subcutaneous structure.

How they work

As we have seen, moisturizers aim to moisten us. When we apply a small amount with our finger, what really happens is that the hydrating molecules start to seep into the dermis, the deepest layer of the skin. The goal of this transfer is to reach the cells and tissues. And once the lower layer of the skin is reached, the constant dripping creates a rich environment of nutrients so that the tissues that make up the skin can nourish and supply themselves with water rich in essential elements.

As we mentioned, the main goal of moisturizers is to restore the moisture balance in the skin but we all know that not all creams are equally good and work as well as one might expect. The issue is the percentages and the products they contain.

What substances they contain

Man and woman do not live by water alone. Besides being the main liquid of the body, when we are born we have 75% and as we get older, it decreases to 65% water in our body. By applying moisturizer with a gentle massage, we provide the body with part of the liquid we lose daily. It is true that if we drink a lot of water, we will feel better and appear healthier, but also, besides hydrating ourselves, it is advisable to use body moisturizers as they contain other beneficial substances. Usually, they combine and group various elements with beneficial effects beyond hydration.

Thus, we can find some cosmetic products that among their properties have the ability to capture water. Hyaluronic acid is a great water receptor and a potent moisturizing element, but there are more. Others such as lactate or urea help to prevent water loss. And if we look further, there is also a mix of different properties from other complementary substances such as collagen, Vitamin Cg, aloe vera, glycerin, and many more.

As you can see, some of these substances found in moisturizing products are specific for supplying water to the body, while others, like Vitamin Cg, have properties that revitalize and promote cellular reconstruction.

Properties

The properties of moisturizers are varied. By filling the skin with water, they allow cells to develop in a better environment and suffer less. They provide a rich fluid and provide part of the water we lose with age.

If we consider that we lose 10% of water from childhood to adulthood, it is easy to understand why hydration is so important. Doctors constantly tell us how crucial it is to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily, and although they sometimes advise us to use products to protect our skin from external agents that can harm us, we rarely listen to them.

For guys, it’s quite normal to hear “put on sunscreen” and ignore it, as well as for a girlfriend or wife to mention how rough her hands are. Surely you have heard or said something like your face could improve a lot with a moisturizer I have in the bathroom.

Women sometimes also make mistakes. When it comes to the sun, we often dry ourselves out like figs at the beach or damage our skin with harsh or degreasing creams. If we have those unsightly pimples, we try by all means to get rid of them even if it means burning our facial skin with abrasives. And I say this without mentioning the pounds of makeup we put on, which leads to the obstruction and natural oxygenation of the pores. In the end, what we get is a damaged skin that we do not allow to undergo a healthy hydration cycle.

The properties of moisturizers are to improve skin health and internal cellular structure, and for this purpose, there are creams that hydrate the face, the body, and are also sun protectors, anti-fatigue, and specific for men or women.

Let’s look at the groups of products available for hydration and then move on to the categories distributed according to the body area where we will use them.

Groups of Moisturizers

Once we know what they are and their properties, we can distinguish two main groups based on their type of action. Their benefits will correspond to the area where a bit of product is applied. They are divided as follows:

Occlusive

These are those that aim to protect the epidermis with a greasy film that prevents water evaporation. A very simplistic explanation is to imagine our arm wrapped in transparent cling film. The moisturizing fluids generated by our body can rise from within the dermis to hydrate us, but they cannot escape because the surface of the skin is covered by a thin transparent film.

Occlusive creams for dry skin work very well. This is due to the barrier created by the fatty active ingredients to keep the water where it is needed. Broadly speaking, the effect of occlusive creams is anti-evaporation. They prevent moisture from volatilizing but allow the natural transpiration of the tissues.

Emollient or Moisturizing

Emollient creams hydrate the skin but also soften it and have soothing effects. Many products are in the form of aqueous cream that quickly disappears from the skin. It leaves no trace or oily residue, although there are also emollients in ointment form or with fatty bases for longer-lasting effects. The latter prolong their effects and leave the tissue with an oily feel. Other forms of presentation include soft and liquid paraffin.

Some emollient moisturizing substances are glycerin, urea, and vaselines. There are also medications like keratisdin, natusan, rinovitex, etc.

Emollient moisturizing creams provide essential elements for skin health. Like occlusive creams, this group is recommended for skin diseases and daily use. Emollients are recommended for normal dry skin, scaly dryness, atopic skin, and in some cases of psoriasis under medical prescription.

Once we have seen the groups that define their properties, we can look at what brands of creams exist and how we will use them.

Brands of Moisturizers

These are just a few of the brands of moisturizers that you can buy online and in perfumeries. Listing them all would be quite a task, but these are the most well-known and those that are generally available in any store.

Types of Moisturizers According to Their Use

Here we will mention the types available for each specific part of the body. Many of them have countless things in common, but there are some differences. For example, when we use body milk or body lotion, we are looking for hydration for the skin along with a nutritive support. Generally, when we apply these types of lotions and gels, we expect to find not only hydration and nutrition but also smoothness and softness, so if the hydrating cream has a non-sticky emollient base, that’s even better.

On the other hand, if you are looking to hydrate the skin of the face or the eye area, the greatest advantage is to use a product that, in addition to hydrating, has anti-wrinkle power. In the case of wanting to eliminate dark circles, it is common to find caffeine or Vitamin C to give an energizing and revitalizing touch to a tired expression. It’s like taking an anti-fatigue water that provides a mix of beneficial properties.

This is why we divide moisturizers into groups.

Facial Moisturizer

Here are some examples of facial products and beauty treatments that you can currently purchase in online and traditional stores.

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As you can see, these are specific products for the face. The purpose of facial moisturizers is to improve the skin by providing essential elements. You can use them for other areas, but due to their small size, usually 50ml or less, and their high price, it is not very advisable to use them on other areas. If you are interested in learning more, you have a whole section dedicated to facial creams.

Moisturizers for Oily Skin

Oily skin is often accompanied by acne and blackheads. That’s why it is very important to apply the correct product to avoid clogging pores and to balance pH without adding more oil. When there are imperfections or pimples, it’s best to avoid general moisturizers and look for ones specific to oily skin. The best approach is to find a product that acts on lipids while also providing water to the cellular system.

Moisturizers for the Eye Area

These could well be included in the facial section as they are part of facial care, but since some contain soothing and even anti-inflammatory substances, it is convenient to place them in a separate group. Additionally, this allows for targeting expression wrinkles and refreshing the gaze. The good thing about some eye contour moisturizers is that they come with an applicator, making it much easier to reduce the amount by squeezing the bottle to the maximum.

Moisturizers with Sun Protection

These properties are important when you are going to spend hours in the sun. Often, we only think about the sun protection factor without considering the moisturizing power of the creams. It’s good that they protect us, but they should also address dryness by strengthening the subcutaneous layers.

In this aspect, you can choose to buy a specific moisturizing cream or opt for a sunscreen. The latter are exclusively recommended for sun protection, although some brands also offer good skin nourishment.

Men’s Moisturizers

Many of the creams mentioned in previous sections can work perfectly on male faces, but it’s true that some have very feminine fragrances and are often packaged in ways that appeal more to women. It may seem trivial, but sometimes men’s cosmetics are designed so femininely and so enclosed in women’s design that guys find it difficult to approach traditional products. Generally, men prefer more discreet and less colorful packaging.

And, of course, an important factor: the characteristics of the skin of the other half of the population. Since men’s skin suffers from shaving and older men’s skin is toughened by years of abrasion from blades, it is always beneficial to use creams for men that provide nutrition considering these differences. We believe it is very important to use gender-specific creams.

Luxury Moisturizers. Top of the Most Expensive.

Honestly, we haven’t been able to try, smell, or even touch these in a store. Unfortunately, they are beyond our reach, but given their descriptions, they sound very appealing. They are a step above most people’s reach. So, if you are fortunate enough to try any of these luxury moisturizers, we would love for you to comment on which luxury cosmetics you like the most to make us a bit envious.

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Other Moisturizers That Might Interest You

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  Anti-Wrinkle Creams

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