1. Prevents dryness
As well as having naturally dry skin or becoming dehydrated, there are many environmental factors that can affect our skin. Extremes of temperatures will draw moisture from our skin, so being in very hot or very cold climates can cause skin dryness. As can spending long periods of time in a centrally heated or air conditioned room or car.
Therefore, adding a layer of moisturiser to our skin each day (or twice a day in the case of the skin on our face, assuming we’re cleansing before bed and in the morning) can help to preserve moisture levels.
Moisturisers work by trapping moisture within the upper layers of skin cells, keeping them happy and hydrated. There are three main types of ingredients used in both facial and body moisturisers:
• Emollients – add oil to the skin and the spaces between the skin cells, i.e., plant oils and ceramides.
• Humectants – attract moisture from the air to the skin, i.e., hyaluronic acid and glycerine.
• Occlusives – trap moisture in the skin and prevent it from escaping, i.e., Vaseline, mineral oil and lanolin.
Many moisturisers will contain a combination of ingredients to prevent or manage dry skin.
