By Amy Nutt
A good facial moisturizer is an important tool in a good skin care regimen. However, like any tool, if they aren’t used properly then they aren’t much good at all. You might think that all there is to the proper use of skin moisturizers is simply applying it to your face after you wash, or when you’re experiencing discomfort from dry skin. That covers the basics, but to really get the most out of a facial moisturizer, you have to know how to optimize its use.
The basic function of a facial moisturizer is to retain moisture in the outer layers of skin. Normally, any moisture evaporates from the skin quite quickly, which can leave it dry. This problem usually gets worse as people get older. A good moisturizer will keep the moisture in, making dry or aged skin feeling smooth to the touch, and looking a lot nicer too. The ingredients in the moisturizer do most of the work, but there are things that we can do when we apply moisturizer to help it work to its fullest potential.
The first useful tip is to always use your moisturizer right after you finished cleaning you face, while the skin is still damp. Remember that a moisturizer works to lock in water, which it can’t do especially well if there’s nothing to lock in. After a washing, your will have a good amount of moisture to seal in. If you opt to use toner on your face as well, you shouldn’t wipe it off before moisturizing. Apply the moisturizer while the toner is still damp and it will help to seal in the beneficial ingredients in the toner. Remember that the key word is damp – if you try to apply moisturizer when the face is still sopping wet, it will simply drip right off.
Next, pay attention to where you’re moisturizing. You would think that facial moisturizers would be usable on the entire face, but that’s not exactly accurate. In particular, you should avoid moisturizing around the eyes. The skin that surrounds the eyes is somewhat different when compared to the skin from other areas of the face. Facial moisturizers may be too potent and can lead to irritation and other problems if used on the eyes. They make specific creams for the eyes, and those are what should be used.
You also might think that they’d only be useful on the face, but that’s also incorrect. For instance, the neck area can benefit from the application of facial moisturizer. Start at the base and apply the moisturizer in broad upward strokes. A lot of people don’t consider the effect that the neck has on their overall appearance, but a neck with bad skin can look very unappealing.
A final tip: while you should apply moisturizer to a damp face, you should let the moisturizer dry completely before applying any cosmetic foundation. Otherwise, it can become very runny or get completely ruined.
These tips aren’t exactly life changing, but they do show you a few ways that you can better use your facial moisturizer.
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