Have you heard of hyaluronic acid? We naturally produce it in the skin when we are young, but the older we become, the less we produce. Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water. It is a bit like those little crystals we put in flower pots to make sure the soil doesn’t dry out so quickly.

Hyaluronic acid can increase the water levels and plump up the skin cells when they are dehydrated. Imagine what a peach looks like if it sits on your kitchen counter too long. It will start to loose water, and then wrinkles appear. Same thing happens with your skin, especially after menopause.

So, if you want to keep your skin plump, youthful and moisturized, all you need is a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid in it. But people have many different opinions on what a moisturizer actually is.

What is a Moisturizer?

A moisturizer has to contain moisture, which is another word for water! I have heard representatives from other skincare companies say that their products are better because they don’t contain any water, because “you don’t want to pay for water!!!” Well, guess what, unless a product contains water, it can’t actually hydrate your skin cells.

A moisturizer is supposed to increase the water levels in your skin cells and plump them back up when they are dehydrated. Dehydration creates wrinkles. By plumping them back up, many of these lines disappear. If your moisturizer contains both water and hyaluronic acid, that is even better, because the hyaluronic acid has the ability to keep the water in the skin cells longer.

An oily balm or a thick cream that doesn’t contain much water is therefore not actually a moisturizer! Rich creams can protect and soften the skin by creating a soothing barrier. They can even prevent water from evaporating, but that still doesn’t qualify them as moisturizers. Why? Because they don’t contain water! This is why you sometimes feel like your skin is dry under your creams!

Other Moisturizing Ingredients

As for other ingredients with moisturizing effect, bio-fermented sea kelp is my favorite. Bio-fermented sea kelp is a watery gel that is full of minerals and vitamins that nurture the skin. Kelp is also known for its ability to protect itself from drying out.

Personally, I like using a light moisturizing serum with lots of water, hyaluronic acid and bio-fermented sea kelp. After moisturizing, I add a protective layer of thicker, oilier creams on top. This allows the moisturizer to penetrate deep into the skin cells, while the thicker creams stay on top to protect, soften and repair. Hence my philosophy that layering of the products work better!

I hope this clarified some of the confusion about what a moisturizer really is, and how to use a combination of serums and creams for maximum skin benefit. Please leave your comments below, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about specific issues…

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash