Winter Skin Care Tips: Moisturize the right way

So, winter is coming…okay, I sound like Game of Throne. I miss Game of Throne.

Anyway so I decided I’d be doing a series of tips on how to take care of your skin/hair etc during this “kind of difficult” season. Let’s start with the very basic. Moisturizers.

Moisturizers for you:

Of course everyone uses moisturizers. Everyone should. Specially during the winter season. Now if you have extremely oily skin like mine, you may get away with no body moisturizing during summer ( I never need one) but for winter and all that follows, you will need to use a decent moisturizer.  If you have normal to dry skin, opt for oil based moisturizers. There are oil based lotions or body oils even body butter if you are looking for that level of protection. If you have oily skin, however, you can use a water based product if you want, though I’ll suggest you to give oil based products a try anyway, your skin might love them during winter.

Tip: Moisturize the right way:

But no, that was not my tip. My tip is (and it’s really a general knowledge but you will surprised to know how many people don’t really follow), always keep your favorite moisturize in your shower. In that way you can put some when your skin is still damp. Not dripping wet. Damp. Because by the time you step out of your shower and reach your dresser it will be too late.

Basic water and Moisturizer chemistry:

Why, you ask? Elementary, my dear lovelies. Winter season will make your skin dry. Skin dries up when all the moisture from the upper layers of your skin is gone. Moisture = water. So you see, what moisturizer does is, it traps the water inside your skin layers. Thus stops it from being dry.

So now, when you shower, your skin comes in contact with water. Some of these water penetrates your skin. Then when you immediately put moisturizer on, it will seal the water for good. But if you wait, the water that entered your skin during shower will evaporate and all you will be left with is some cream/products outside of your skin…nothing inside. All dry.

The problem with putting moisturizer on dry skin:

Now, yes, water based moisturizers contain some water molecules. They will penetrate the skin and keep it from getting dry. But it is never as good as the real thing, which is water. And it’s also not much, quantity wise. I mean imagine all the time you are spending on your shower, imagine all the water skin is coming in contact with. more than a liter?…now look at the quantity of moisturizer you are using, penny size, how much water does it have?

So when you are a using a water based product, it helps, not much but it does help. But the problem is, since most of you will be using oil based products, it will not do your skin any good. Yes, on the outside your skin will feel oily and non-drying, but remember basic chemistry, my dears. Water and oil doesn’t mix. So your oil based products contain no water molecule whatsoever and if you put them on a dry skin, these products are doing nothing in terms of adding moisture to your skin. You have to add the moisture first, and then put these product on. It’s that simple.

Plus it’s so much easier to put, spread, massage products on a damp skin. It will cut your application time into half and will ensure better absorption.

So guys, do your skin a favor this winter and remember to keep a moisturizer on your shower and use it on damp skin…. That’s all for now everyone. I tried to be as thorough as possible, but if you still have any question, let me know. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Here’s to a skin-happy-winter.