SKIN MOISTURISATION

Dry skin can make you look dull and old. It is absolutely essential to provide your skin hydration so that it looks healthy. But it is not just the people with dry skin who need to do this. Not many know that even people with normal, combination, and oily skin must also moisturize their skin. No matter the season, a moisturizer is essential for beautiful skin. Using a moisturizer every day can make your skin glow and provide deep hydration. The sun’s UV rays, along with seasonal changes in weather can cause a lot of damage to the skin, making it very dry. This dryness further leads to itching, dry patches, and many other skin problems. If you want your skin to stay free of these problems, you’ll need to moisturize it daily.

Although there are many moisturizers available in retail shops and online stores, you could do with some ingredients found right at your home. These homemade moisturizers contain fresh nutrients and can provide amazing results. Here they are!

The ingredients that can moisturize your skin
Moisturizers, which rehydrate the top layer of skin cells and seal in the water, are one of the best ways to treat dry skin. They contain three main types of ingredients:
1. Humectants. These substances help attract moisture. They include ceramides (pronounced ser-A-mids), glycerin, sorbitol, hyaluronic acid, and lecithin.

2. Occlusives. These ingredients —including petrolatum (petroleum jelly), silicone, lanolin, and various oils—help seal moisture within the skin.

3. Emollients. These products contain oil, water, and an emulsifier to keep the two from separating. They are lighter and easier to apply than petrolatum or oils. Many commercial moisturizers contain both an emollient and a humectant, such as linoleic, linolenic, and lauric acids.

In general, the thicker and greasier a product, the more effectively it will moisturize your skin. Some of the most effective and least expensive are petroleum jelly and its vegetable-based alternatives, and moisturizing oils, including vegetable oils. Because they contain no water, they're best used while the skin is still damp from bathing, to seal in the moisture.

Lotions designed to moisturize your skin contain water as well as oil, in varying proportions. They usually include both humectants and emollients and can be applied to skin throughout the day.

Moisturize your skin
Moisturizers are the first, but not the only ways to treat dry skin. It can also help to do the following:
• Use a humidifier in the winter. Set it to around 60%, a level that should be sufficient to moisturize your skin.

• Keep showers short. Limit yourself to one 5- to 10-minute bath or shower daily. If you bathe more than that, you may strip away much of the skin's oily layer and cause it to lose moisture. Use lukewarm rather than hot water, which can wash away natural oils.

• Minimize your use of soaps. Consider soap-free cleansers. Steer clear of deodorant soaps, perfumed soaps, and alcohol products, which can strip away natural oils. Use fragrance-free laundry detergents and avoid fabric softeners, too.

• Be gentle to your skin. Stay away from bath sponges, scrub brushes, and rough washcloths. For the same reason, pat or blot (don't rub) the skin when toweling dry.

• Don't scratch. Most of the time, a moisturizer can control the itch. You can also use a cold pack or compress to relieve itchy spots.

• Prune your wardrobe. If you find that clothing containing wool, acrylics, or other fabrics irritates your skin, give those garments away.