What is the right moisturizer for your face?

Types of Moisturizers

Creams and Lotions

Both lotions and creams are a composite of water and oil. What differentiates them is their water to oil ratios. A lotion is largely water with oil droplets in it while creams are largely oil with water droplets in it. The oil components are very helpful if you have very dry skin. According to the American Association of Dermatology, creams are more effective and less irritating than lotions. Look for a cream that is formulated with an oil such as olive oil or jojoba oil. Shea butter also works well.

If your skin is on the oilier side it may benefit from a lightweight or oil-free lotion. As your skin is naturally oily, you do not need to add a lot of extra oil to it in the form of a moisturizer.

Gels

Gels are a refreshing and lightweight way to moisturize and hydrate skin without introducing any extra oil on it. Gels are water-based and easily absorbed by skin, supplying it with hydration without adding extra shine. These products are particularly well suited to oilier skin types. “Consumers with oily skin generally prefer to use oil-free products in an attempt to avoid extra oils being introduced into their skin,” says Dr. Angelike Galdi PhD: Chief Scientific Advisor of Garnier SkinActive’s skin care labs. “More importantly, consumers should look for products which are specifically tested and found to be suitable for oily skin.”

Gel Creams

Gel creams are an easy way to get some of the benefits of a gel moisturizer as well as the perks of a cream. “A gel cream is a hybrid formulation and texture which falls between a gel and a cream,” says Dr. Galdi. “It fits well to consumers looking for a texture that is richer and more nourishing than a gel, but lighter and more fresh than a cream. Gel creams can be suitable for all skin types. Please check the final product label to be sure.”

If you’re interested in using a gel cream, Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream for Normal/Combination Skin is a refreshing and easy product to try. It keeps your skin continuously moisturized, gives it long-lasting hydration and makes it look healthy.

The Benefits of Using a Moisturizer

Many moisturizers are fromulated to improve or beautify skin in specific ways. A moisturizer can have multiple attributes — we’re looking at some common ones and how they can help your skin.

Moisturizers help our skin retain moisture and hydration, which in turn can help our skin’s barrier function stay intact and improve its appearance. Without proper hydration our skin can look dull and feel rough to the touch. Keeping skin hydrated can also help it look firm; but without enough hydration it can look deflated and common skin issues such as fine lines can become more apparent.

2. SPF

SPF isn’t just for beach days — you should always protect your skin from harmful UV rays because sun exposure is the number one factor in making our skin age prematurely. Broad spectrum SPF can shield your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and should be applied daily as part of your skin care routine.

“Sun protection needs to be applied every morning,” says Garnier consulting dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes. “Use at least an SPF 15 for daily wear. If you are going to be outside increase your SPF and remember to reapply after two hours. It's best to stay out of the daylight hours between 10 am and 3 pm. Clothing, hats and sunglasses are an easy way to keep skin protected. Remember UV rays damage your skin, which can result in wrinkles, brown spots, sagging and worse skin cancer.”

3. Oil-Regulation

Oilier skin types are likely to look more shiny and the excess oil can make it challenging to wear makeup or maintain a matte complexion throughout the day. Thankfully there are moisturizers formulated specifically for oily skin that can help regulate oil levels and help it appear more matte with continued use.

As we get older our skin starts to show signs of aging as well. Our skin becomes less elastic, becomes rougher to the touch and starts to show fine lines and wrinkles. Some moisturizers can help counteract these signs of aging and provide the appearance of radiant and plump skin. Retinol or pro-retinol is a particularly popular ingredient in anti-aging skin care formulas because of its lightly exfoliating qualities, which can make skin look brighter and also lessens the appearance of fine lines. A great daily moisturizer formulated with retinol is Garnier SkinActive Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Moisturizer. Its formula includes Vitamin E, pro-retinol (a form of Vitamin A) and rice peptides to deeply hydrate skin and improve its elasticity. Bonus- this moisturizer also has SPF 15 which makes it the perfect product to use in the morning before you start your day.

When our skin is exposed to the sun without protection it can produce an excess amount of melanin in response. These areas of hyperpigmentation or dark spots can make your complexion look uneven. On top of being unsightly they are a challenge to address, however with patience and the right products you can help lessen their appearance.

Skin care products formulated with Vitamin C can help fade the appearance of dark spots. We recommend the following three Garnier products formulated specifically to address dark spots caused by sun damage:

Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Anti-Sun Damage Daily Moisturizer SPF30 has a fast absorbing formula with SPF 30 to protect your skin. Formulated with Vitamin C can help reduce the look of visible sun-damage. With continued use, your skin can look more radiant, even-toned, and youthful.

Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Dark Spot Corrector promotes surface cell turnover to help reveal more radiant, even-toned skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots. Formulated with Vitamin C and E, pine bark essence and gentle exfoliating lipo-hydroxyl acid (LHA), use it on areas with dark spots to make them less noticeable over time.

If your skin is generally discolored and you’re looking to make it look radiant try an overnight peel such as Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Overnight Leave-On Peel. Formulated with glycolic alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) and Vitamin C it can help to fade the look of dark spots revealing smooth and radiant skin.

What’s the difference between day and night moisturizers?

Ever wonder what distinguishes a day and night cream? Different formulas cater to different skin needs throughout the day. “Day creams are often formulated with broad spectrum SPF/UVA protection,” says Dr. Madfes. “In addition, they tend to be lighter in texture so they are well suited for layering with other products inone’s beauty routine, such as makeup. Night creams typically tend to be more nourishing and slightly richer in texture.”

The best way to find the right 5-surprising-ways-to-use-moisturizer-on-your-skin for your skin is by assessing your skin type and its needs. There are a plethora of moisturizers in the market but your lotion, cream, gel or gel cream should leave skin feeling soft, protect it from outside influences such as free radicals or moisturizers-for-sun-protection and give it a beautiful glow every day. The right moisturizer can make your skin look its most beautiful.