Healthy skin doesn’t require an extensive daily routine. But this tends to get glossed over on skincare sites and in TikTok posts because the few items that matter most are often the least glamorous.
Moisturizer is one of them (along with sunscreen and cleanser). Everyone could benefit from using moisturizer. Here’s why: Our skin loses water—about a Starbucks Tall worth of it every day, according to some studies—and moisturizer helps to replenish it.
This natural process, called transepidermal water loss, is normal, but failing to replenish moisture—both internally (through drinking water) and externally (with moisturizer)—can lead to varying degrees of dry skin.
When skin dries out, it can respond in different ways. Namely, it can look dull and feel rough, and it can accentuate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Dry skin can also be itchy, flaky, and inflamed. So using moisturizer can have aesthetic benefits as well as contribute to skin health and function.
What to look for in a moisturizer
While face and body moisturizers differ slightly (more on this in a moment), a top-notch moisturizer of any kind will not only replenish lost moisture but also prevent too much moisture from evaporating from your skin. These moisturizers generally include some blend of the following:
Humectants: Ingredients that pull water into the skin, like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and glycol.
Emollients: Ingredients that soften the skin and hold onto the moisture, like niacinamide and squalane.
Occlusives: Ingredients that create a barrier to further lock in hydration and prevent water loss. These include ceramides, as well as natural oils, such as avocado oil.
Something to keep in mind when you start shopping for a moisturizer and reading labels: Some ingredients fall into more than one category. Niacinamide, for example, can be classified as a humectant, an emollient, and an occlusive. So a shorter list of ingredients doesn’t necessarily mean you’re missing out on anything vital.
What’s the difference between face and body moisturizers?
If you’re just embarking on a daily skincare routine, the idea of applying moisturizer—let alone multiple kinds of moisturizer—once or twice a day can feel like a heavy lift. As is true of all habits, this will get easier with time.
Meanwhile, you can simplify matters by using a body moisturizer on your face as well. But—and this is a big but—you need to read product labels and, if shopping online, descriptions carefully when selecting a moisturizer to pull double duty. Many will specify that they can be used on the face and body. This usually means that they’re noncomedogenic. In other words, they won’t clog your pores.
That said, if you have acne-prone skin, sensitive skin, or eczema-prone skin, you may be better off using a moisturizer that’s specifically formulated for the face.
Many face moisturizers are designed to target visible signs of aging and uneven skin tone. Some are also intended to address certain skin concerns, like acne, eczema, and sensitivity. Face moisturizers are also generally lighter because the skin on the face is slightly thinner than it is across the rest of the body, which makes them less likely to clog pores.
As much as all of this may sound like a chore, find a moisturizer (or moisturizers) you love and moisturizing just may become one of the best parts of your day.
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