Moisturising your skin is a must if you want to maintain clear, healthy skin. It prevents your skin from being dry. But, there are certain moisturising mistakes you may be making that may be affecting your skin.
Below are some of the mistakes:
You’re using oil alone to moisturize
While oils are great for hydrating and soothing dry and irritated skin, they’re not meant to be used in place of your standard moisturizer. Moisturizers contain ingredients that draw water molecules into the skin, while oil-based products contain emollient ingredients that merely treat the skin on a surface level.
You’re applying moisturizer to dry skin
Moisturizers are most effective when the skin is still damp, as damp skin best absorbs the moisture and locks it in for a longer time. While waiting a few minutes or hours after washing your skin before moisturizing isn’t really a bad habit, it is not very good for it.
You’re rubbing it in too hard
Moisturisers should be gently massaged into the skin. While physically massaging the skin can increase blood circulation which can help with the absorption of the product, working the skin too hard can cause over-exfoliation. Too much rubbing can weaken the skin’s barrier function and cause inflammation.
You’re using your day cream at night
Your skin is in its peak state of repair and rebuilding at night, with the majority of cell turnover and regeneration occurring when your body is asleep. For this reason, you should apply products that help with this recovery stage at night. So do not use your day cream at night.
You’re exfoliating dry skin instead of moisturizing it
When anything happens to your skin, the first thing some people do is to reach for a body scrub or peel to smooth out the texture. But your skin might be begging for moisture. Exfoliating at this time could damage the skin.
You’re not using the right moisturizer for your skin type
The best moisturizer is the one that fits your own skin’s needs. Just because your best friend likes the feel of a particular product does not mean it will work well for you. With so many products on the market, you can select the ideal formulation for your preference. Better still, you can see skincare experts recommend a moisturiser.
By Damilola Faustino
