If it is hydrating but not locked in, the moisturizing effect will actually be greatly reduced! According to the 4 major skin types, formulate a moisturizing strategy, select skin care products, and master the 3-stage maintenance, so that the moisture will be filled from the inside out without loss, and you will create a dewy, radiant and confident glow!
Moisturizing your skin well will not only prevent dry and peeling skin, but also prevent problems such as dullness, redness, sensitivity, and acne. Whether you have oily skin, dry skin, or combination skin, people with any skin type should correctly understand how to maintain skin moisture and reduce water loss. It can be said to be the most basic skill of "maintenance".
Demystifying the principles of skin moisturizing: Does your skin need to be hydrated or locked in?
30% of our skin's structure is water. This water allows cell functions to function normally and keeps it supple and smooth. The so-called "moisturizing" refers to the ability to "retain moisture", including slowing down loss and replenishing moisture, so that the skin can maintain a reasonable moisture content. Let’s first get to know the three major contributors to skin moisturizing:
1.Sebum film：It is formed by the secretion and accumulation of sebaceous glands and is located on the stratum corneum. It can resist external damage and retain skin moisture.
2. Cuticle:Contains keratin and natural moisturizing factors, which help absorb and lock moisture to keep the skin moist; the lipid layer between cells can also prevent water loss. The normal moisture content of the stratum corneum should be between 20% and 30%. If it is less than 10%, dryness may easily occur.
3. Natural moisturizing factors:It is a general term for many moisturizing ingredients in the skin. The ingredients include amino acids, lactic acid, urea, etc., which are present in keratinocytes and have excellent moisturizing properties.
Understand the 4 major skin types and the key points of moisturizing
Different skin types are suitable for different moisturizing methods. The simplest way to judge is to wait half an hour to an hour without applying skin care products after washing your face, and then observe the secretion of facial oil. According to the results, it can be divided into the following Four types:
1. Oily skin:
Characteristics: The whole face is oily and shiny.
Key points for moisturizing: Use products with low oil content and refreshing texture, such as essences, gels, etc.
2. Dry skin:
Features: Almost no oil production, tightness, and dry skin.
Focus on moisturizing: Use products with high oil content and excellent moisturizing power, such as essence ampoules, creams, etc.
3. Combination skin:
Characteristics: Oiliness in the T-zone and dryness on the cheeks.
Key points for moisturizing: use refreshing skin care products for oily areas; use products with strong moisturizing power for dry areas, focusing on "zonal moisturizing".
4.中性肌膚：
Features: Moderate oil output, not greasy or drying.
In addition to natural conditions, skin condition is still affected by many factors, including diet, work and rest, age, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly observe changes in skin condition and then adjust corresponding maintenance strategies to effectively moisturize.
Turns out it was due to insufficient moisturizing! 5 common symptoms of dehydrated skin
After understanding the moisturizing structure and type of skin, let’s take a look at the problems that may be caused by improper moisturizing:
1. Peeling and dryness
There are not enough fixatives between skin cells to connect them to each other, causing old cells to fall off, causing dandruff to fall off. At the same time, it is easy to feel dry, rough, and tight.
2. Dull skin color
If your skin looks dull, unevenly colored, or slightly tired, it may be because your skin is dehydrated, which affects its hydration and light transmittance.
3. Redness and itching
Lack of water may also cause skin inflammation such as redness, swelling, and itching, or aggravate your own allergic symptoms.
4. Acne, pimples
Dehydrated skin can easily cause the body to secrete more oil to lock in moisture, leading to uneven oil and water, clogged pores, and acne breakouts.
5. Fine lines and dark circles
Lack of water will reduce the skin's elasticity and support, prone to fine lines and wrinkles, and may also cause the appearance of dark circles.
Understand the 6 major causes of dry skin and do a good job of moisturizing properly
Insufficient moisturizing may cause dryness, redness, dullness, etc., so we need to understand the causes of dry skin and the corresponding solutions:
1. Overexposure
If you stay under the scorching sun for a long time or at noon without proper sun protection, it may accelerate the loss of skin moisture and evaporate into the air. Therefore, you should usually use a sunscreen lotion with a sun protection factor of SPF 30 or above that can resist long-wave ultraviolet rays (UVA), and use it with physical sun protection such as a parasol and a hat to avoid moisture loss and prevent ultraviolet rays from penetrating into the skin and damaging important components such as collagen.
2. Insufficient moisture
The moisture in the skin comes from the blood circulation supply and is lost every day through sweating, urination and contact with the air. Therefore, adults need to consume about 35ml High-quality food keeps skin moisturized and elastic, preventing dryness and fine lines.
3. Over-cleaning
If the cleansing power of the facial cleanser is too strong, or the water temperature is too high (higher than 40 degrees), it will easily wash away the beneficial substances, acids and sebum that maintain moisture on the face, destroying the natural moisturizing barrier. Therefore, choose a facial cleanser that is gentle and non-irritating. Products that won’t leave you feeling tight after washing; if you have dry skin, you can choose products rich in moisturizing ingredients.
4. Dry and cold environment
The skin will be affected by environmental changes. If the environment is dry and cold, there will be less moisture in the air, which will make the skin appear drier. For example, if you stay in an air-conditioned room for a long time, or in autumn and winter. You can usually carry a moisturizing spray or place a humidifier indoors with windows open for ventilation to help your skin instantly rehydrate and relieve dryness and discomfort.
5. Physical condition
Dry skin may be caused by your natural constitution. For example, the stratum corneum is relatively fragile and the internal moisturizing factors, lipids, and moisture content are incomplete. It may also be a warning sign of physical health. You need to seek medical attention to confirm the cause and prescribe appropriate medicine to relieve dryness and discomfort.
5. Physical condition
The secretion of sebum, which has the function of locking water, begins to gradually decrease from about the age of 20, and continues to slow down with age. After the age of 25, the rate of collagen production also slows down, making the skin prone to losing elasticity and moisture. Therefore, it is necessary to combine it with a healthy and balanced diet, a stable daily routine, and the cleansing and maintenance procedures described in the next paragraph to keep the skin moist and radiant.
Introduction to 3 major moisturizing ingredients that help your skin become hydrated
Moisturizing ingredient 1: Ceramide
Ceramide is an important component of the skin. It has good hydrophilicity and lipophilicity. It can simultaneously moisturize and lock in water, help the skin maintain elasticity, resist external stimulation, and repair the skin barrier.
Moisturizing ingredient 2: hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid exists in the dermis and has good moisturizing effect and viscosity. It can firmly grasp the moisture in the skin. One molecule can absorb more than 500-1000 times more moisture than itself. However, hyaluronic acid does not have the function of producing moisture, so it is necessary to Combined with other moisturizing ingredients, a more comprehensive moisturizing mechanism can be established.
Moisturizing ingredient 3: Provitamin B5
The structure of provitamin B5 is similar to that of the sebum film, so it is easily absorbed by the skin. It has good moisturizing and water-locking functions, can alleviate the problem of dry skin, and can also strengthen the defense of the skin barrier. Because provitamin B5 can penetrate deep into the skin, it can help reduce fine lines and make the skin supple and moist, thus achieving the effect of beautifying and beautifying the skin.
Moisturizing feeling! Learn the correct way to moisturize your skin in 3 steps
"Moisturizing" is not just about applying moisturizing products, but also a step-by-step and phased maintenance: from cleansing, replenishing to finally locking in moisture, each step is interconnected and has its own meaning:
Moisturizing Step 1: Cleanse
The most basic step before moisturizing is to cleanse your face. After removing makeup, wash your face to remove dust, dirt, and bacteria accumulated throughout the day, so that subsequent skin care products can be smoothly and effectively absorbed by the skin.
• Choose a gentle facial cleanser that does not contain fragrance or irritating ingredients, so as not to cause tightness after washing.
• When washing your face, use your hands to make small circles on your face and press gently to gently wash away dirt without rubbing hard.
• Wash your face with water at normal temperature. Do not use hot water above 40 degrees or ice water below 0 degrees. It will be too irritating to the skin.
• You can use facial exfoliating gels, scrubs and other products 1-2 times a week to moderately promote cell metabolism and improve pore clogging.
Moisturizing Step 2: Hydrate
After the face is cleansed, the next step is to "replenish moisture" to dry skin. Moisturizing products for replenishing water are usually refreshing water-like or liquid-like textures with high fluidity, such as lotions and essences.
• Immediately after washing your face, apply lotion and moisturizing essence to add moisture to the skin, soften cuticles, and improve the penetration effect of subsequent skin care products.
• Pat it gently with your hands to speed up absorption, or soak a cotton pad and apply it on your face.
• You can use a moisturizing mask to enhance the hydrating effect, but you need to pay attention to the product instructions to confirm whether different moisturizing products can be used in combination.
Moisturizing Step 3: Lock in moisture
After replenishing moisture, apply lotion and cream to lock the moisture in the skin, slow down the rate of moisture loss, and keep the skin light, translucent, and radiant for a long time.
• People with dry skin are suitable to use "cream" because it is rich in oil and has a better moisture-locking effect.
• People with oily skin are suitable to use "gels and lotions" with low oil content to avoid adding too much oil while achieving the function of locking in moisture.
• People with combination skin should perform "divided care", using cream for dry areas and lotion for oily areas.
Frequently asked questions about moisturizing: Deciphering when we need to moisturize!
There are various myths and doubts surrounding the topic of "moisturizing", so here we will answer common questions about oily skin and lack of water and oil.
Q1. Does oily skin not need moisturizing?
A: People with oily skin also need to moisturize. The difference between skin types mainly lies in the amount of sebum secretion and innate constitution. People with oily skin just have more sebum than others, which does not mean that their skin will not be dehydrated. If the skin is compared to a "container", since sebum is mainly responsible for locking water, having more sebum is like covering the lid of the container more tightly. The water inside evaporates more slowly, but it does not mean that there is sufficient water in the container. .
Q2. Is the skin classified into water-deficient and oil-deficient?
A: Lack of water and oil are used to describe the oil-water balance of the skin:
- Dehydration: Tight and dull skin, rough to the touch, dry and fine lines, and even dry, itchy and reddish skin may be signs of skin lacking moisture.
- Lack of oil: Take an oil-absorbing tissue and press it gently on your face. If you can barely see any oil stains, it means your face doesn’t have enough oil.
Lack of water and oil may be caused by the innate constitution. For example, the whole face is obviously dehydrated after taking a bath, which is usually dry skin. In addition, it may also be affected by environmental changes, aging, diet and rest, such as The weather is dry in autumn and winter, and your skin is prone to dehydration and dryness if you stay in an air-conditioned room for a long time. But no matter what, these can be gradually improved through the maintenance procedures mentioned above, as well as good daily routine, sun protection and hydration habits.
Moisture is an important component for maintaining the functioning of human cells, so "moisturizing" is actually the foundation of skin care and maintenance: only by doing basic moisturizing can other skin care products be effectively absorbed, and subsequent makeup can be applied more naturally. The first step in moisturizing is to understand your skin type, and then gradually adjust the moisturizing strategy to replenish and lock water according to changes in weather, body constitution, age, and skin condition, so that the skin can maintain confident and radiant skin for a long time!
Disclaimer: The condition of skin care products after use will vary depending on individual usage methods and skin conditions. Please follow the correct usage method.
