5 Moisturizers Mistakes to Avoid

5 Moisturizer Mistakes to Avoid

By now, the majority of you already know that moisturizing morning and night are skincare essential steps to prevent skin dryness and premature signs of aging.  Avoiding common moisturizer mistakes will help improve skin texture, fight acne breakouts and soothe sensitive skin. The simple fact is that moisturizers do help with skin health as they supply water to the skin. Source  Here are the top five moisturizer mistakes to avoid for oily skin, dry skin, and everything in between regardless of skin type.

Moisturizer Mistake 1: Not Being Consistent 

Consistency is required to achieve and maintain healthy skin complexion and combat premature aging  that may cause dull and dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles. Whatever your skincare routine, try to stick with it morning and night.  If you don’t have one already, start with the most easy essential steps. In the mornings, cleanse, moisturize and apply broad spectrum light-weight sunscreen without the heavy chemicals.

After a long day, wash your face to remove dead skin, excess oil, makeup, and everyday pollutants to allow your skin to breathe.  Try Soul Story pH balanced Purifying Cleansing Foam, formulated without harsh or abrasive ingredients such as detergents (SLS & SLES), alcohol and parabens.  Right after you cleanse with a gentle yet effective cleanser, moisturize to lock in skin moisture. Giving your skin an opportunity to rejuvenate overnight.  On average, it takes only 28 days to see improvements such as skin texture and brighter skin complexion. It’s a win-win for your skin morning and night.

Moisturizer Mistake 2: Waiting Too Long Or Skipping Routine

The best time to moisturize your skin is right after showering or washing your face. In other words, skip the towel or tissue paper to dry your face. That way, the moisturizer can lock water on your skin before your skin starts feeling tight.  According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the best time to apply moisturizer is when your skin is damp, as this can help lock in the hydration.  Therefore, use your moisturizer before your skin has fully dried, post-cleansing. 

Those with oily skin or acne-prone skin fear that moisturizing will only make it worse and that’s a definite moisturizer mistake.  “Instead they use harsh products and cleansers to dry their skin out,” Dr. Imahiyerobo-Ip says. This, she explains, is counterintuitive, since over washing your skin can actually cause it to produce even more oil. Probably not the goal you’re hoping to achieve.  If you have oily or acne-prone skin, use oil-free and light-weight moisturizer.

Never skip moisturizing in your skincare routine as it is especially important when we are sitting indoors all day in circulated air, whether in air conditioning or heating. Circulated air lowersair humidity and, over time, robs moisture from your skin and dries it out. Research shows that dehydrated skin is less flexible, duller, and can’t repair itself effectively.  “A lack of water means less radiance and more sag,” says Dr. Mona Gohara, a dermatologist in Connecticut, USA.  Overnight, during your skin routine, moisturizing will allow repairing of the skin barrier.

You might be using the most expensive skincare products, but if you’re not moisturizing before applying sunscreen, or moisturizing but skipping sunscreen, you will likely be seeing some early signs of premature aging.

Moisturizer Mistake 3: Not Moisturizing Before Applying Sunscreen

Rain or Shine!  You might be using  the most expensive skincare products, but if you’re not moisturizing before applying sunscreen, or moisturizing but skipping sunscreen, you will likely be seeing some early signs of premature aging.  “Even low levels of sun exposure add up over a lifetime and contribute both to the development of skin cancers and premature wrinkling,” says Dr. Zeichner.

Bottom line, sunscreen is an important step in your skincare routine. Sunscreen should always be applied after moisturizer but before putting on makeup.  The purpose of  broad spectrum sunscreen is to provide a protective film.  As a result, this lawyer will act as a shield against harmful UVA and UVB rays. Broad spectrum sunscreen is used not to restore moisture balance, but to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays. Therefore, moisturize beforehand and always apply sunscreen even on rainy and cloudy days.  Try Soul Story’s healthy Sun Warrior Sunscreen – a broad spectrum sunscreen that also brightens skin complexion while being ocean friendly as it’s made without oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Sun Warrior Sunscreen

Try our light-weight & non-greasy Sun Warrior Sunscreen

Free of harmful chemicals that 80% of other brands use

LEARN MORE

Moisturizer Mistake 4: Skipping Your Neck and Chest

The skin on your neck is really no different than the skin on your face.  Therefore, when you moisturize your face, spread the love by moisturizing your neck and chest at the same time. The moisturizer will help trap the water and moisture on your skin surface.  While it keeps your skin hydrated, a coat of  broad spectrum sunscreen also helps protect your neck and chest from harmful UVB and UVA rays.   

“Most people are not aware of the importance of skin hydration,” notes Dr. Joyce Imahiyerobo-Ip, Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at South Shore Medical Center, Massachusetts, USA.  Dehydrated skin on your neck and chest can lead to issues like inflammation and premature signs of aging.

It is important to understand that oils have different size fatty acid molecules that will determine how the oil will benefit your skin.  Most importantly, whether it can actually get through your skin barrier.

Moisturizer Mistake 5: Exclusively Using Oil 

Some people use oil as their stand-alone source of moisturizer.  For some people oil will work well, but Soul Story recommends to apply oil on top of your moisturizer and here’s why:  “Most oils that are applied to the skin end up forming more of a protective barrier on its surface, rather than actually penetrating the skin,” says Dr. T. Hollmig, Director of Laser and Aesthetic Dermatology at Standford Health Care. So, although oils are moisturizing and may indirectly increase the amount of hydration in the skin, they are not technically hydrating.

It is important to understand that oils have different size fatty acid molecules that will determine how the oil will benefit your skin.  Most importantly, whether it can actually get through your skin barrier.  If they are too big, the oil will only sit on top and act as occlusives to keep water in. If the fatty acid molecules are small enough, the oil will be able to penetrate to deeper layers.  Allowing to strengthen the outer layer of your skin (a.k.a. stratum corneum).

“Moisturizers contain humectant ingredients that draw water molecules into the skin, while oil-based products contain emollient ingredients that merely treat the skin on a surface level,” explains Lily Talakoub, M.D., dermatologist at McLean Dermatology and Skincare Center.

Oils are certainly not for everyone and can be a moisturizer mistake for people with sensitive skin and especially for those who are prone to allergies. For example, if you have sensitive skin or allergies to botanical ingredients, you will need to be cautious when using facial oils. As a healthy reminder:”just because something is natural, doesn’t mean it’s inherently safe.” Source: Soul Story.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ. Most importantly, your skin protects you. Make it a habit to protect your skin every day, morning and night as it will represent you for a very long time.