Why You Need to Moisturize Your Skin

You may think that moisturizing your skin is something you do just for aesthetic purposes, but the fact is that regularly moisturizing skin should be part of any good skin care regimen. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and taking good care of it can go a long way in keeping it looking and feeling its best. It can also keep skin healthier.

Here are 6 good reasons to moisturize your skin every day:

1. It helps reduce skin problems. Keeping your skin well-moisturized helps keep it supple and elastic. This prevents extreme dryness, which can lead to itchiness, redness and flakiness. It also stops skin from becoming too oily (as long as you use an oil-free moisturizer). This makes it less likely you’ll break out or experience acne.
2. It helps fight wrinkles. Your skin plumps up when you apply moisturizer. This makes skin look firmer so it shows fewer wrinkles. When skin is drier, wrinkles become more pronounced.
3. It helps skin repair itself. Your skin is constantly shedding old skin cells and regenerating new ones. Applying moisturizer helps the skin repair itself, allowing younger skin cells to rise to the surface. As you massage your skin when applying lotion, it also stimulates blood circulation, which encourages new cell generation. By repairing itself, the skin serves as a more effective barrier against bacteria that may otherwise get into areas under the skin’s surface, leading to serious infections requiring antibiotics.
4. It helps even out skin tones. When your skin is dry, differences in skin tone and blemishes are more obvious. Moisturizing makes skin have a slight sheen, which hides imperfections. Using a moisturizer with a slight tint can even out differences in skin tones.
5. It offsets the effects of bathing. Hot water strips your skin of moisture and oils, leaving it dry. Rubbing your skin dry also depletes moisture. Applying moisturizer right after you get out of a shower or bath helps replenish much-needed moisture.
6. It protects your skin from external irritants. When you moisturize your skin, you fill your pores with products that keep skin hydrated. This makes it less likely that environmental pollutants in the air can get into your pores so it helps keep skin healthier.

How to Keep Skin Well-Moisturized

Now that you know why it’s so important to moisturize your skin, here are a few tips to help you get the job done:

• Drink up. Not only is it a good idea to use a topical moisturizer, but it’s also important to keep your body well-hydrated. Much of the moisture your skin receives comes from inside your body. Drinking water is not only good for your skin but for every cell and organ in your body.
• Use mild soaps and cleansers. Soaps, shampoos and lotions may contain ingredients that strip skin of its natural oils. Look for gentle, fragrance-free skin-care and cleaning products.
• Turn on a humidifier. Indoor air can get extremely dry, especially in the winter when it’s cold outside and the heat is cranking. Use a humidifier to add much-needed moisture to the air.
• Keep showers or baths short. The longer you bathe, the more you strip away your skin’s natural oils. Turn down the temperature since hot water is more drying than lukewarm or cool water.