Facial cleansing, facial moisturizing, and sun protection are the important 3 steps of basic skincare. If you will not be exposed to the sun, you can avoid sun protection. But regardless of the season, you must moisturize your face every day.

Facial moisturizing is an important part of skin care routines to maintain moisture in the stratum corneum, maintain skin elasticity, and promote skin barrier function repair. Many facial moisturizers also add functional ingredients to achieve skin lightening, anti-aging, and other purposes.

Healthy skin should be smooth, moisturized, and elastic, and these appearance signs are closely related to the function of the skin’s moisturizing system. The function of the moisturizing system is to maintain the certain moisture content of the skin and resist the dryness and brittleness caused by irritating factors to the skin.

See this guide to the facial moisturizing regimen.

Water Ecosystem of The Skin

The internal manifestations of skin dehydration:

• The water content of the stratum corneum is less than 10%.

The external manifestations of skin dehydration:

• Dehydration, Decrustation
• Fine lines
• Allergies, Itching
• Accelerate skin aging
• Unnatural makeup

The water ecosystem of the skin is composed of sebum film, stratum corneum, and dermis.

1. Sebum film

As the outermost line of defense of the skin, the sebum film contains waxes, triglycerides, free fatty acids, squalane, and other ingredients.

One of the most important functions of the sebum film is to prevent the evaporation of water.

2. Stratum corneum

The role of the stratum corneum is to prevent the loss of water in the skin, lock in moisture, resist damage from external stimuli, and maintain the health of the skin. The water content of the stratum corneum is 10% to 15%.

The stratum corneum is the first line of defense that constitutes the skin barrier. The stratum corneum is composed of keratinocytes, intercellular lipids, and natural moisturizing factors.

The keratinocytes are very rigidification and moisture cannot easily penetrate the keratinocytes, which can seal moisture well in the stratum corneum.

Intercellular lipids include ceramide, cholesterol, and fatty acids. Intercellular lipids can effectively prevent the loss of water, nutrients, and electrolytes in the body, and have a deep moisturizing function.

Lack of intercellular lipids can lead to skin damage, dryness, and skin inflammation. At this time, intercellular lipids need to be supplemented to repair the skin barrier.

Natural moisturizing factors are a mixture of inside the keratinocytes, including amino acids, lactic acid, urea, and electrolytes. The natural moisturizing factor has a very strong water-absorbing capacity, it helps to maintain the moisture of the stratum corneum, can tightly absorb the surrounding moisture, and prevent the moisture from leaving.

3. Dermis

The dermis is one of the reservoirs of the human body. The moisture content of the dermis is 60%~70%. If it is below the normal range, the skin will appear dry, wrinkled, and other dehydrated conditions.

The dermis provides moisture to the stratum corneum and keeps the skin moisturized.

The dermis makes the skin extensible, elastic, heat-preserving and shock-absorbing, and provides a channel for the skin to absorb moisture and nutrients.

Causes of skin dehydration:

• Insufficient sebum film causes the moisture in the stratum corneum to evaporate slowly.
• Moisture loss from the stratum corneum.
• The dermis has insufficient water content to provide enough water to the stratum corneum, and the face appears dry.

A Powerful Moisturizing Regimen For The Skin

According to the analysis of the water ecosystem of skin, corresponding moisturizing regimens can be proposed:

1. Supplemental sealing agents

Principle: The role of the sealing agents is to simulate the outermost sebum film of the skin to prevent the evaporation of moisture

Ingredients: Vaseline, Lanolin, Lanolin alcohol, Paraffin oil, Shea butter, Avocado oil, Mineral oil, Paraffin, Whale wax, Beeswax, Brazilian palm wax, Candelilla wax, Squalane, Dimethicone, Oxyxane, Cyclomethicon, Cocoa butter, Stearate.

A sealing agent is a layer of artificial sebum on the skin. The sebum film is the oil secreted by the sebaceous glands. These oils slowly flow out of the pores and spread on the skin surface to prevent the evaporation of moisture in the stratum corneum.

When the sebum membrane is secreted too little or the sebum membrane is destroyed, we can use the sealing agent to replace the sebum membrane to complete the work of protecting the skin.

Note: The sealing agent is sticky. Improper use may block the opening of the sebaceous glands, and the oil cannot flow out of the pores smoothly, finally causing acne.

2. Supplement emollients

Principle: The role of the emollient is to simulate intercellular lipids and prevent moisture loss in the stratum corneum

Ingredients: Ceramide, Fatty Acid, Cholesterol, Lanolin Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin.

Supplementing these ingredients is to supplement the stratum corneum with intercellular lipids and rebuild a healthy stratum corneum.

When the skin barrier is damaged due to various factors, a large number of intercellular lipids in the stratum corneum will be lost, and the skin cannot lock moisture normally, showing dryness, molting, and even fine lines. Replenishing these ingredients in a timely manner will help the skin restore a healthy state.

3. Supplement humectants

Principle: The role of the humectant is to simulate the natural moisturizing factor and tightly absorb the surrounding moisture.

Ingredients: Glycerol, Hyaluronic acid, PCA sodium, urea, AHA (Alpha hydroxy acid), Butanediol, Propylene glycol, Sorbitol, Honey, Sodium lactate, Pyrrolidine, Carboxylic acid, Animal glue, Vitamin and Protein, other Sugars, etc.

The characteristic of this type of ingredient is that it has a certain capacity to absorb moisture, and it can firmly absorb moisture to achieve the effect of moisturizing the skin.

It should be noted that ingredients such as urea and lactic acid may cause skin irritation, so be careful not to use too high a concentration.

Also, due to their strong water absorption capacity, if used improperly, they may absorb too much moisture in the dermis layer, resulting in facial dryness.

When using these humectants, pay attention to using sealing agents to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the skin surface, otherwise, it may absorb the moisture in the dermis.

How To Pick A Facial Moisturizer That Works For You?

Facial moisturizers with the strong moisturizing ability add sealing agents, emollients, and humectants. Facial moisturizers with weaker moisturizing capacity have only one or two of these three ingredients.

1. Oily skin

Oily skin has strong oil secretion, is not prone to wrinkles, and is generally not sensitive to external stimuli.

Oily skin should use fewer sealing agents, just use emollients and humectants. Moreover, the oil in the sealing agents can easily clog pores, increasing the risk of acne.

2. Dry skin

Dry skin lacks oil and feels tight after washing your face, prone to wrinkles, and is more sensitive to changes in climate and temperature.

If the surrounding environment is very dry, you can choose facial moisturizers that contain humectants, emollients, and sealing agents to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture.

3. Normal skin

Normal skin is the most ideal skin type, with moderate oil secretion, not dry or greasy, and adaptable to external stimuli.

If the surrounding environment is very dry, you should also choose facial moisturizers that contain humectants, emollients, and sealing agents. If the surrounding environment is not dry, you can only use emollients and moisturizers.

4. Combination skin

Combination skin has more oil on the forehead and nose, and these areas are called T-zones. The cheeks and jaw are relatively dry, and these areas are called U-zones.

The T-zones of combination skin follows the moisturizing regimen for oily skin, and the U-zones follows the moisturizing regimen for dry skin.

5. Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin is more sensitive to external stimuli and is prone to redness, swelling, and itching.

For sensitive skin, try to choose high-efficiency facial moisturizers that are less irritating, especially those that contain less perfume and preservatives. Perfume and preservatives are most likely to cause skin irritation. This will not burden the skin, but also relieve dryness.

Conclusion

Facial moisturizing is one of the three major steps of basic skin care. Skincare products are not the more expensive the better, the best for you is the best. You should choose the right moisturizing ingredients according to your skin condition.

Please use less sealant for oily skin.

Use moisturizers, emollients, and sealing agents for dry skin.

For normal skin, choose according to needs. Use strong facial moisturizers in cold and dry seasons, and use moisturizing products with weaker moisturizing capacity in hot and humid seasons.

Combination skin requires a different moisturizing regimen for different areas of the face.

For sensitive skin, choose moisturizing products with simple ingredients to make the face less irritated.