HOW TO: Find The Best Moisturizer


Photo credits: store.eveorganicsbeauty.com

I was in a supermarket the other day, and there was this couple who were both examining a tub of what seems like a facial moisturizer. The guy quipped: "They're all white and creamy. What's the diff? Just grab one and let's go!" Being the beauty blogger that I am, I almost wanted to butt in and say "Dude, that's not how it works." But thanks to the guy, I was inspired to write this post.

Finding the best moisturizer is not as easy as spotting one on a shelf at the beauty aisle of the supermarket, shoving it into the cart, and paying for it. There are certain ingredients in a moisturizer to be wary of-especially if you have food allergenicity-not to mention your skin type and other personal concerns should be considered too. Settling for the best moisturizer does not only help your skin and health, but also your wallet!

First things first. Moisturizer-basically, it's meant to impart and retain moisture on top of your skin and in the long run, it helps delay the formation of wrinkles on its own, even if you're still skeptic of anti-aging products. Why and how? Because moisturizer maintains your skin's equilibrium, its natural state-it's balanced, dewy, soft, and has the perfect elasticity. (skin bounce, as others would call it)

The key to finding the best moisturizer for you is all in the label and its texture. The ingredients list will give you an idea of how the moisturizer will feel like on your skin, and address your moisturizing needs. Click READ MORE and I'll explain in detail.



FOR NORMAL SKIN

Choose a moisturizer that's in between watery and creamy because it will fit your skin's natural state-you just need the moisturizer to coat your skin with a protective film whenever you're outdoors. Most moisturizers for normal skin contain a healthy mix of oil and water ingredients.


Photo Credits: herroyalbleakness.blogspot.com

FOR OILY SKIN

Excessive oil means there is a lack of water on the skin's surface, or the skin does not have enough ability to retain moisture. If your skin detects that it's running out of its water reserves, it starts excreting oil to maintain the health of the cutaneous surface. Opt for a gel- based moisturizer (which is the best moisturizers for oily skin types in my opinion) because it balances out your skin, making it think that it has enough water on the surface, thus it won't produce loads of sebum so bye bye clogging! There are also matte moisturizers that help prolong makeup, and oil- free cream moisturizers for those who still prefer the classic. Oil extracts such as Jojoba will not aggravate oily skin because it naturally mimics your skin's sebum, but steer clear of thicker oils such as Sunflower and nut- derived oils and say NO to mineral oil.

FOR DRY SKIN

People with this skin type could use a little loving from oil extracts. Dry skin needs something more beyond water, as water evaporates eventually-it needs oil to anchor water right into the skin as well as to keep it soft and flake- free throughout the day.


Photo Credits: elizabetharden.com

FOR COMBINATION SKIN

Combination skin is categorized into the following: Oily-Dry, Normal-Oily, Normal-Dry. Combination skin types will heavily rely on the ingredients to find the best moisturizer. Just keep in mind the tips for oily, dry, and normal skin.

TARGETED MOISTURIZERS

Or moisturizers that are developed to suit a certain skin condition or address a skin concern. Some over-the-counter moisturizers help maintain Rosacea, Acne, severe dryness, hyper pigmentation, and even ageing. These moisturizers will give you more than what it's supposed to do, but you should not consider them as treatments.

Photo Credits: ranker.com

SENSITIVE SKIN

You could be dry-sensitive, normal-sensitive, oily sensitive, or combination-sensitive. Now for this skin type, you can't just grab and pay for a moisturizer, unless you want to take a trip to your dermatologist anytime soon. All moisturizers for oily, dry, normal, and combination skin types have counterparts for sensitive skin so just stay on the safe side and go for the latter.

I'd like to remind everyone as well that certain skin care ingredients can trigger allergic reactions. Depending on what food you're allergic to, please stay away from products that contain these ingredients:

1. Nut Allergies- Shea Butter, Sweet Almond, or other nut by- products
2. Bee Allergies- Royal Jelly, Honey, Beeswax or other bee by- products
3. Wheat Allergies- oat, oat bran, rice bran, or other wheat by-products
4. Milk Allergies- any form of milk- derived extracts or milk by- products

Other ingredients to avoid:

1. Perfume, especially for sensitive skin
2. Alcohol, especially for dry skin

For entry-premium and premium brands, it's easier to gauge if a moisturizer will suit you because there are testers available, but for supermarket and drugstore brands, this list will come handy for you.

That's all! Hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know if you still have any questions!

Post a Comment

17 Comments

  1. This post is so timely! I'm currently on the lookout for a new moisturizer.

    I have fallen in love with the Acai moisturizer from Kiehl's because it makes my face feel so... protected from the elements. LOL. I don't know how to describe it, basta it feels like there's a protective film covering my face, making it invincible. haha. I also love the scent.

    Kaya lang, it caused tiny bumps on my face. Boo. I did love using it though, but I must move on. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. true..there are really things to consider before buying moisturizers..i have combination skin (normal to oily) and i still haven't found a moisturizer that really suits my skin's needs..thanks for this post ms. m :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amen! Thats a comprehensive list madam martha!im dying to try nivea baby smooth something. Rave ni projectvanity and bless my bag un. Im currently using physiogel.

    Napakaganda nh point that uve made na thirsty skin causes it to be oily

    ReplyDelete
  4. thank you Ms.M, im loving the nivea smoothy cream for almost a year now only to find out it contains mineral oil. :( Moisturizers are freaking me out up to now can't seem to find a good one. Cheap and effective for my combination skin oily-dry.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! Super informative. Anyway, I didn't know there's a matte moisturizer. What brands have it? :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have that Cetaphil but it still make my face oily, siguro its better to switch that Neutrogena, to know the result.:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great post, Martha! I love trying out new moisturizer brands which will fit my skin type and I'm glad na ever since I started reading beauty blogs, I have gotten to realize how things really work and it's not just one product for all skin-type like how I used to think about beauty stuff when I was still boyish-y back in college. Haha! :D

    Usually guys hate shopping and going into details like us, girls. Currently dating a guy like that kaya I never ask him to accompany me when I go shopping baka magkaroon kami ng ganyang moment. Hahaha! :D


    xoxo,
    Gelleesh.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. You pick a good product moisturizers here beauty junkee! I actually like most of them, especially the Neutrogena and Elizabeth Arden..

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jenny: Hi there! Welcome to my blog! Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you liked it. :)

    Gellesh: Hi there! Thanks for sharing your insights too. :)

    Ohms: Hope you find the right one for your skin! :)

    Rizza: Kiehl's has one, and it's the blue herbal moisturizer. Cetaphil has one, and it's the matte moisturizer with spf. :)

    Stephanie: Hi there! Glad you liked this post. Elizabeth Arden's got a moisturizer for combi oily-dry skin type. :)

    Eloise: Thank you too! Been wanting to try that as well, but for my body-not the face. :D

    CJ: You're welcome! :)

    BrownOso: Awww...Maybe you're sensitive to Acai berry? I dunno. Kiehl's has lighter alternative so please check 'em out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi! finding your review very informative. :) I just wanna ask why mineral oil is not good for oily skin. Thanks! :D

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous: Hi there! Good question. In general, Mineral Oil is actually good because it comes from the earth and contains components that are beneficial to the skin. However, there are skin types (like mine) that cannot tolerate it as it's very rich and can be clogging on oily skin. :) It will work best on Normal and Dry skin, methinks. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love Kiehl's although pricey!!I only use Cetaphil! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi. I'm not sure if my skin type is oily or combination. I am currently using neutrogena balckhead removal (facial wash and toner). I still don't have a moisturiser. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Martha! Need your help. I'm currently using Physiogel's Calming Relief face cream and so far it hasn't been doing any "calming" at all. Using that product only caused tiny bumps on my face, and it's super oily/sticky once applied. Is Neutrogena good for sensitive skin? And do you have other recommendations for moisturizers (The Face Shop, Laneige, etc.)? Thanks for your help!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello! Oh no! So sorry to hear about that. Do you have oily skin? If yes, maybe you should stick to moisturizers with a lighter, transparent consistency. Can't say if Neutrogena is good for sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin, try VMV Hypoallergenics or Clinique.

      Delete
  15. Hi Martha! I'm Stephanie. I've never tried moisturizers before and my colleague tells me to apply some to prevent wrinkles. So I have a very oily skin type is Neutrogena Hydro Boost water-gel good for my skin? Your reply would be much appreciated. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Skin looks younger because cells are replaced faster; in effect it generates new skin. Replacing them via topical applications will prove an invaluable
    aid to our overall appearance, leaving our skin healthy and unblemished, while its ability to reconstruct our skin with its collagen ingredients is fast and efficient. Rose hip oil has helped a variety of skin conditions including:dermatitis, acne, eczema, sunburns, brittle nails, scars,mature skin and wrinkles.More info click here best moisturizer for dry skin

    ReplyDelete

Let me know what you think of this post! :)