Knowing What Moisturizer to Use Is Knowing About Your Skin, Part 1

If we look back in history, it seems pretty obvious that human beings care about their skin. And why shouldn’t we? As the largest organ of the body, the epidermis (the scientific name for skin) serves an extremely important role of keeping the bodies’ moisture in while keeping foreign material out. It does this by having a protective layer of lipids that coat the body and protect the top layer of skin. When we work and play in our daily lives, the daily activities will often strip our skin of this protective layer. This is why the skin can benefit from the use of a moisturizer at times. Moisturizers contain oil-soluble molecules that help to restore the skin to its natural condition.
There are hundreds of different moisturizers from manufacturers that promise to do everything from restoring your face’s natural moisture to making age lines and wrinkles disappear. If a product can really do this, wouldn’t it be in your best interest to get the best possible brand to enhance your skin? Is there really a difference in all these different products? Don’t they all basically just do the same thing? If all of our skin was exactly the same that would probably be the case. Unfortunately, the skin is a complex organ that has specific properties that are unique to each of us. Therefore one kind of moisturizer can definitely be more effective than another when it comes to treating our own special skin qualities. Knowing what goes in all these products is the key to choosing the type of moisturizer that best fits your skin type.
Most moisturizers are a combination of oil and water soluble parts called an emulsion. More recent advances include vesicles, microscopic bubbles made of biological components. These components are useful in restoring the skin’s protective layer and also carry active ingredients inside the cells. The correct use of moisturizers is important for people with dermatologic disease. Improper application of a product could lead to a worsening of the condition.
Moisturizers claim that they can restore and heal the skin but there is not a very clear definition of exactly what dry skin is. The symptoms include dry and uncomfortable sensations that include pain, itchiness, stinging, and tingling and a rough surface. Redness may also be apparent. More severe cases include dry, white patches on the skin that is flaky or cracked in appearance.