Journal

Choosing the best face moisturizer for your unique skin needs is perhaps one of the key aspects of an effective skincare routine. Even though it is one of the oldest kinds of skincare products, I feel it is not very well understood. In this journal entry, I will talk about some of the fundamental components of a moisturizer and which of these ingredients are important for different skin types. I hope this will help you select the best face moisturizer for your skin.~Larissa Carwalo

Nerd Corner: Moisturizers traditionally had three types of ingredients:

1. Humectants - absorb moisture from the air and bind it in the upper layers of skin, thus supporting your NMF and keeping skin hydrated. Examples - hyaluronic acid, glycerine, lactic acid
2. Occlusives - form a thick protective lipid layer on the skin to lock in moisture and prevent trans-epidermal water loss. Example - mineral oil, shea butter
3. Emollients - travel deep into the skin and work to soothe and smooth the skin’s surface by filling cracks as intercellular lipids. Example  ceramides, jojoba oil

In addition to these, most modern face moisturizers may also contain - 

• Antioxidants - protect against oxidative stress. Example - Vitamin C
• Active ingredients - help repair skin, boost collagen production, or fade spots. Example - peptides, bakuchiol, gallic acid
• Probiotics - help promote a healthy (good) microbiome on the skin surface. Example - saccharomyces lysate

How to choose the best face moisturizer for your skin?

Each skin type has different needs. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right moisturizer:

Dry skin: Use moisturizer or cream with a high concentration of humectants such as antarticine, hyaluronic acid, or glycerine; occlusives such as natural butter, oils, and emollients such as ceramides. This will help nourish and hydrate your skin from inside and for the long term.  Aminu’s Hydrating Cream with multifunctional ingredients in high concentration performs each of these functions and is specifically designed for dry skin. 

Sensitive skin: Look for a formula with a high concentration of soothing agents such as CICA, Tazman Pepper Berry; humectants such as hyaluronic acid to hydrate & probiotics to fortify the skin barrier and help sensitive skin feel calm, hydrated, and protected. Soothing Cream is Aminu’s answer to sensitive skin’s demand for immediate relief and long-term repair & hydration.

Oily, normal, combination, or acne-prone skin: Choose a product with a high concentration of hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Make sure it's lightweight with fewer ingredients and is non-comedogenic, so it won't clog your pores. In case you have pigmentation or dark spots, you should check out the Night Repair Cream which hydrates, nourishes, repairs, and helps fade dark spots.

Mature skin: For mature skin, you need everything. It needs humectants to keep your skin deeply hydrated, occlusives to replenish the lipid barrier, and better-aging ingredients to keep your skin firm, elastic, and glowing. Ingredients such as blue-green algae, bakuchiol, bisabolol, hyaluronic acid, collagen-boosting peptides, and amino acids combined together take care of maturing skin's nourishment. Try Aminu’s Bio-Retinol Cream, which will hydrate, soothe your skin, help even out fine lines & wrinkles, and restore elasticity. 

ALERT: If any of the below is true in your case, please make sure that your face moisturizer provides an extra boost of hydration to your skin because each of these tends to reduce the moisture supply to your skin:

• Wearing waterproof makeup regularly and for long hours
• Spending long hours in an air-conditioned room 
• Using harsh skincare products, especially those that contain drying alcohol
• Unprotected sun exposure for an extended period
• Living in regions with extremely dry weather (Northern & North Eastern Parts of India during winters)

Please feel free to drop an email at care@aminu.life if you have any queries or reach out to Aminu's team of skin experts via the chat in case you would like help on figuring out the best moisturizer for your skin.