Quick Moisturising Tips

Ok. We all know how essential moisturizing is to our skin, thanks to relentless marketing campaigns by the beauty brands.

The top layer of our skin comprises dead cells – which are prone to losing water, giving a dull, flaky appearance. Moisturizers plump them up and prevent further loss by coating them. You can do a Google or even wiki the topic and have a plethora of information on the same. 

However, despite the market being flooded by all sorts of lotions to suit all types, it seems that very few Indian women actually use it. Whenever I use the public transport, especially trains I have generally observed that the majority of women have extremely unhealthy skin, which has seen years of neglect. You can clearly see extensive sun-damage, dull, dry skin that looks tired and defeated. 

While this may be due to multiple reasons, I really feel that healthy skin is imperative to looking good. You can apply all the eyeliner and latest shades in lip color, but if your skin is lack luster, ridden with acne and marks, it’s not a pretty sight. 

Some ingredients that you must look out for in your Moisturizer

Vitamin E: Also called tocopherol acetate, it is added to most lotions these days. Unfortunately it is in the synthetic form that does not help skin at all.

• Natural sources include wheat-germ oil, almond oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, eggs and milk.
  
• If you can’t find it in your cream, a good choice would be to buy any of the oils mentioned above and use a drop everyday along with your moisturizer to massage your face.

Vitamin A: Also called tretinoin, it helps skin heal faster and better.

• It is generally used in acne preparations and anti-aging products such as Renova and can be irritating to skin if used without a doctor’s prescription.
  
• It can cause peeling and intense drying of skin.
  
• However you can use the natural form which is found abundantly in mangoes.
• One of my favorite treats is to use a spoonful of mango pulp as face pack. It leaves the skin very soft and silky.
  
• You can also use papaya, which will not only provide Vitamin A but also gentle exfoliation thanks to papin enzymes.

Natural plant oils: for example Jojoba oil (it is actually a wax, but it resembles sebum – the natural oil on our skin very very closely, making it highly moisturizing), avocado oil etc.

• Make sure the product has it quantities that exceed 1%.
  
• Natural extracts when added in minute quantities below 1% do little for your skin than help the marketing manager create a fictitious USP for his/her product.

Humectants: these are substances that help bind water to your cells by attracting it.

• Natural humectants include glycerin and honey.
• They can be added in quantities of about 10% to any face pack or lotion you create at home.
  
• Try not to exceed this value, when added in huge amounts they end up drawing out water from your skin instead. That is not what you want.

Easy Mist Moisturizer

Take this with you and mist your face whenever you feel it is drying out. I carry this with me all the time & is very cooling during sunny afternoons.

To 100 ml rosewater in a mist bottle,

add 2 drops wheat germ oil,

2 drops of jojoba oil and

2 drops glycerin.

Carry in purse and shake well before each use. Mist face 2 to 3 times a day.