10 tips for choosing the best moisturizer
Face cream used to be a simple layer of plaster that smoothed out dry skin, smoothed out wrinkles, and (if you crossed your fingers) didn’t let the skin break out. Then, just like when Clark Kent became Superman, our humble daily moisturizer took on miraculous powers. Like Eminence Rosehip Moisturizer. Amplified by powerful ingredients and popularity on social media, he became a bold skincare star that even lessens the impact over the years. We now have thousands of options, each with its own claim to stand out. It’s confusing? Yes of course. But here’s how to find your ideal skincare moisturizer after 50:
- Find out what you want now. Mature skin is always evolving and reacts to products, heat, cold, hormonal fluctuations, your health, your diet and your habits. It’s practiced. Want a broad spectrum SPF day moisturizer or a day and night cream without sunscreen? Do you prefer totally separate day and night creams? Do you stick with the drugstore products or are you willing to splurge? The success of a moisturizer depends on constant use. The motivation you have to apply the cream daily is key.
- Address your main concern. Very few women over 50 have so-called perfect skin. Sun damage, gravity, genes, and our skincare maintenance history remind us of this with every glance in the mirror. Take care of the problem that bothers you the most, not five things. No moisturizer can solve all problems with equal emphasis. Is your big problem extreme dryness? Sagging skin? Lines and wrinkles? Sensitivity? Dark spots? Redness? Dull and tired skin? Look for clues on the bottle or label with words like moisture (can’t emphasize enough!), Creamy, ultra-calming, nourishing, anti-wrinkle, repairing, firming, skin barrier, radiance, and shine.
- Find the moisturizer that meets that need. Check labels and ingredient lists to identify the most effective ingredients. Hyaluronic acid, the moisturizer that attracts water and traps it in the skin, is a universal gift for all mature faces. You’ll also see it a lot as a main ingredient in newer high-water gel creams and moisturizers for an extra moisture boost.
- The other ingredients matter too. This is a general guide:
For dryness, look for hydrating ingredients like ceramides, shea butter, aloe, vitamin E, and botanical oils. For sagging, sagging skin, look for firming ingredients like peptides, in creams. For lines and wrinkles, look for ingredients that support cell renewal and promote collagen like retinol and pro-retinol. For sensitive skin, look for soothing ingredients like green tea, aloe, soy, colloidal oatmeal, and niacinamide.
For discolorations and dullness, look for brightening ingredients like Vitamin C, Retinol, Alpha Hydroxy Acids (Glycolic, Malic, Lactic Acid).
- Determine if your skin is dry or dehydrated. There is a difference and it affects your selection of moisturizer. Basically, dry skin is devoid of oil; dehydrated skin lacks water. Dry skin feels stiff, rough, uncomfortable, and looks dull because it needs healthier fats like jojoba and olive oil, ceramides, vitamin E, and squalene. They repair the outermost layer of your skin, the barrier that protects against irritation and infection, which is crucial for healthy, smooth skin. The dehydrated skin (which may be dry mixed or oily skin) crushed is flaccid and wrinkled. You need a great water boost from moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which attract and retain moisture in the skin.
- Choose a texture that feels comfortable and appropriate. Moisturizers range from “wet” to creamy, light to bulky. You can’t try them at the drugstore or when shopping online, so look for words that inform you. For dry and super dry skin.
- If you want a double action cream to use day and night, skip the SPF. Sure, you’ll have to add a separate daytime sunscreen, but you don’t need that SPF while you sleep. Look for a light, creamy cream that provide relaxing protection and a great hydration boost. FYI: Any night cream you like can also be used as a day cream if your skin is extremely dry or is going through a period of winter dryness.
- Yes, blemish-prone, oily mature skin still needs moisturizer. Clogged pores, occasional breakouts, and an oily T-zone are a reality for some of us in our 50s. Menopause doesn’t help us, but adult oily skin is thinner and may be dehydrated. Make sure your skin is getting the proper cleansing and exfoliation prep so it benefits from a non-greasy moisturizer.
- Do you want to splurge? Try before you buy. Collect samples from Sephora and department store counters before committing to a more expensive face cream. Order multipurpose sachets instead of single-use foil pouches to get a more realistic idea of the texture and how it works on your skin for a few days. Browsing in the store offers a free opportunity to apply, test, collect samples from many brands and ask questions about the products you are considering or want to compare with your pharmacy brand. I tried all three above and then splurged on one after a two week trial.
- Apply moisturizer to damp skin. Freshly washed skin, still damp (not wet), absorbs moisture and retains it better than dry skin. If you wait three minutes, while having your morning coffee , it is too long. If you apply the moisturizing cream on completely dry skin, all those great benefits will remain on your skin, without penetrating. If you are applying cream later in the day or before going out at night, wash your face again before applying the moisturizer.