Step By Step: Moisturizer

​The next step of the skincare Step by Step series is going to be: Moisturizers. People often think of a cream, but really there are a lot of different formulas that moisturize the skin. However, I will be talking about traditional cream/lotion moisturizers because of how I use them. It won't be very long because it's the easiest step I think aside from cleansing. To be fair though it's a very in depth in regards to how it works for the skin. Even without bells and whistles.

​First you should know how I use my cream moisturizer. I use mine to mainly lock in my treatments at night by using it as the last step and as a barrier. I do this so that the treatments can reach their full potential without having contact with air and so on. Also I use it to hydrate obviously. I'm not "dry" but moisturizer is a key step. It's a key step with fighting wrinkles, to help plump the skin, everything that moisture should do. Because in the skin the startum corneum and lipid or "moisture" barrier breaks down overtime. Thus allowing pollutants and other fun stuff to get deeper into the skin. It's our job to try and replenish those lipids and mimic a moisture barrier as best we can because a lot of moisturizers give a temporary barrier to the skin. Meaning that it covers it and lays on the skin while also, depending on what you use, delivers other ingerdients that may be helpful in replenishing the skin. Lipids are made up of different compostitions, but in the lipid barrier their job is to retain moisture, and electrolytes while blocking environmental damage. That only works properly if it's intact though. Thus the need for moisturizer. I use it right before my SPF in the mornings. Sometimes my night time moisturizer is much thicker than my day time, sometimes I use the same one, it's just whatever the skin needs at that time.

Next you should know that moisturizer is something that can be plain. No bells and whistles or with a bunch of claims and extra ingredients (unless you just want the extra ingredients). Therefore, because it can be simple it can also be very affordable. My advice is avoid "parfum/fragrance" that is listed as an ingredient if you can. The only reason I say that is because there is some research that says added fragrance in the form of a "parfum" is a constant irritant to the skin and can break down the collagen of the skin. I'm not sure how much I agree with it but I do like products that don't have it just because it's one less ingredient. I would also recommend getting a light weight moisturizer and a thicker moisturizer. Eventually you will need both whether for morning and night, or for when your skin is fine and then when your skin needs some extra TLC. Avoid Mineral Oil because it's similar to Petroleum Jelly and it only sits on the skin like a coating. It's hard for any other beneficial ingredient to then aborb into your skin. So it's a bit pointless having it in a moisturizer I feel. Ultimately though, if you have something that you like and that you've seen results from then carry on man! The thing I tell most people is that each person's skin has it's own cocktail. It's own mix of treatments and products that will work the best for it. It takes a while to put it together and get it right. Plus I feel like our skin is ever changing due to weather, stress, age, and so on. So your skincare "wardrobe" will get revamped and re-done often.

So my top 5 moisturizers are as follows:

Dr Jart Ceramidin Cream: my top spot and probably always will. It's thick consistency but doesn't feel heavy and absorbs quickly in the skin. It also is super beneficial after treatments, I find, to sooth the skin. You can use it morning or night. There's also a bunch of different version of the Ceramidin from them. So if you don't like creams, then you have options.

Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base. This is a great morning moisturizer, especially for under the makeup. It has a strong smell due to Geranium and Grapefruit. It also houses some Vitamin A in it as well as Carrot extract which is some of my fave ingredients, plus Vitamin C and E. This can be bought as a travel size I think as well. It seems like it would be thick but it's actually pretty light weight on the face and some people even use it for a primer.

Sanitas Oil Free Moisturizer. This is a plain moisturizer. It does have Vitamin A in it, as well as Squalene and some botanical extracts to soothe irritated skin. Even if you have dry skin this will work for you because it has Hyaluronic Acid along with some Sunflower Seed Oil. It's simple, but it works. Another great day time moisturizer.

Drunk Elephant Lala Whipped Retro cream. Cool packaging. Definitely whipped. Packed with nourishing oils to recharge tired or stressed skin and very very light weight. I use this more so at night if I've used a lot of  oils and creams. I have definitely used it in the morning as well though and it's worked fine for me.

Belmondo Skincare The Cloud. I love this. It's super thick so I only use it at night. It's like a heavy whipped cream almost or a thick icing. Referred to as the Organic Olive Oil face cream, it's good for oily or dry skins and acne prone skin, completely all natural.  The texture is insane and it has minimal ingredients. I LOVE this one!

Some honorable mentions because those were more expensive:
Bioderma Hydrabio (I believe there is two, but either one would be good)
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion very very simple. The only thing it does is moisturize. 
Nutriganics from The Body Shop is supposed to have a nice moisturizer.
Olay Anti Wrinkle SPF 15 lotion. I've always like this used it for years and years before I branched out into other skincare. It has some ingredients I'm not fond of but it's oil free and won't clog pores plus you get some SPF too.