If you’re a keen beauty buff and like to take care of your skin with the latest tips, tricks and treatments you’ll likely have heard about the hype over moisture. Many articles, blogs and talk about the importance of hydration – so there are plenty of myths floating around which can cause you to inadvertently do more harm than good to your skin. Here we share several facts to help you to understand the relationship between moisture and the health of your skin.
Moisture is important – but not essential
Let’s get this out of the way straight away – since it’s one of the biggest myths going in skincare. Moisturiser alone will not prevent skin ageing. Unless your daily or nightly moisturiser contains clinically proven active ingredients or sunscreens it will not prevent the development of wrinkles on its own.
So what’s the point in moisturising?
You might feel a little cheated upon hearing that – since moisturisation is seen as one of the most important steps in a standard skincare routine. Alongside cleansing it’s one of the most popular ways women and men care for their skin. It’s important to stress that although moisturiser is of little importance when combatting the skin ageing process, it should still form still a crucial part of your daily regime. A good moisturiser keeps your skin superficially hydrated – which can offer protection against harsh freezing temperatures, cleansers and dry weather. It also offers immediate beautification – since it smooths skin, alleviates dry patches and flaking and adds water to plump up the skin and make fine lines appear less visible. The key takeaway here is that all these effects are transient and temporary – and they simply will not influence a lasting result to prevent ageing in the long-term.
Choosing the best moisturiser for your skin
So now you understand more about the role moisture has the play in the health of your skin (and the less significant role it plays in the ageing process), how can you maximise your moisturiser and achieve the results you desire without loads of products or lots of hassle and fuss? Unless you have severe skin complaints or a specialist requirement, the best approach is to choose a moisturiser with benefits. Opt for a formula that offers superior hydration whilst also infusing active ingredients into the top layers of skin to fight the key signs of ageing. Your moisturiser should also feature some sort of SPF to protect against sun damage. Oily skin still needs moisture – so choose a light formula to keep overactive sebum regulators at bay.
Hydration from within is crucial
Many beauty gurus focus on what goes on the outside – but in fact when it comes to moisturising your skin it’s important to remember that hydration occurs from the inside out. If you’re severely dehydrated or frequently grab a coffee or fizzy drink over a glass of water, your skin will suffer. This is because it doesn’t have access to sufficient hydration from within – and even the most expensive moisturiser will have trouble having a significant effect on skin that’s dehydrated in this way. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and avoid caffeinated beverages that acts as diuretics, depleting your body’s natural moisture stores.
