No prescription required: the main principles of moisturizing facial skin
Important point
2019-07-12
In order for cosmetic products to fit perfectly on the skin, every makeup artist must know how to properly care for their face. Yulia Gagarina, a technologist and developer of cosmetics, tells everything about moisturizing facial skin at different times of the year.
The article was first published in the magazine “Makeup&YOU Professional” and is intended for professional makeup artists. 
You can moisturize your skin in several ways: consume it internally and moisturize externally. But before you do this, forget the stereotype that it is not necessary to drink water in the cold. Nothing like this! In a well-heated office, moisture evaporation is as intense as in the desert, and a lack of water leads to the accumulation of toxins. The result: fatigue, headaches and a sallow complexion. Drinkable collagen and hyaluronic acid have proven themselves to be effective in combating the effects of dehydration. They really increase skin hydration and turgor. But in all this magic there is one nuance: the history of the origin of these substances is important, as well as the systematicity and duration of use. It should be daily and in sufficient dose (you cannot take half a serving). And so - for at least 12 weeks. So we stock up on patience and money. Not happy with the script? Let's move on to plan B: we follow the drinking regime (cheap and cheerful) and use moisturizers (there is no need to save money here).
Yulia Gagarina, chemist and technologist-developer of cosmetics
Rule for choosing a cream: if you don’t know what you need, buy basic care. In this case, the word “base” refers to moisturizing. Skin cells react extremely poorly to lack of water. However, like the body as a whole, which in the Sahara Desert refuses to breathe already on the third day...Thirst in life
By the way, about the desert... During the heating season, indoor air humidity drops to the same “desert” level of 10-15%. And this leads to two sad consequences. The upper layers of the skin quickly dehydrate, creating a “baked apple” effect on the face: a network of fine wrinkles appears and deeper wrinkles become worse. And to “cure” your face, there is nothing else left to do but concentrate on proper hydration.There are many roads leading up the mountain
Hydration strategies can be divided into 3 groups: immediate effect, prolonged results and protection against dehydration. If you need to achieve a fast effect, then it is convenient to use facial skin moisturizers with “straightforward” components, for example, glycerin, sorbitol, urea. They provide quick hydration and even smooth out wrinkles, but the duration of this result directly depends on air humidity and the presence of damage to the skin.24 hours hydration
For a long-lasting moisturizing effect, you should choose more “sophisticated” components:- components of a natural moisturizing factor: hyaluronic acid (Hyaluronic Acid) and pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (Sodium PCA);
- Trehalose - a special sugar with a powerful moisturizing effect;
- mannan - extract from the tubers of an Asian plant;
- Hydroxyethyl urea (Hydroxyethyl Urea) is a patented complex that includes urea and lactose derivatives, which, in turn, are components of a natural moisturizing factor;
- aquaporin activators. There are special developments that activate the work of aquaporins (special proteins). As a result, a sufficient amount of moisture enters the cell;
- “good old” aloe vera gel and seaweed extracts.
Give the hungry not a fish, but a fishing rod
But the most important thing is the strategy of moisturizing the skin of the face, which “patches” damage in the protective layer of the skin, because water quickly evaporates through these “holes”, which makes the skin constantly “thirst”. In this case, even high doses of hyaluronic acid cannot help. The solution is to moisturize with oil components. Here is a short list of “especially valuable personnel”:- vegetable oils for moisturizing facial skin are rich in gamma-linolenic and alpha-linolenic acid (including oils of Siberian cedar, black currant, evening primrose, borage, Himalayan cedar);
- lecithin, squalane (squalene), sphingolipids;
- special emulsifiers based on lecithins, which form lamillary emulsions.
Clothes for the season
So, we have decided that it is possible and necessary to moisturize the skin. Now let's determine the features of care by season. The general rule for skin without damage, allergies and other “moods”: in warm weather it is best to use gels and light cream textures to moisturize the skin of the face, and heavy, dense creams are ideal for the cold season. If there are several products with a moisturizing effect (for example, a serum with hyaluronic acid and a cream with a moisturizing effect), then apply the serum as the first layer, and after 15 minutes apply the cream. However, in the warm season, for not very dry skin, only one serum will be enough to achieve the desired moisturizing effects.Drink water, eat water
You can moisturize your skin in several ways: consume it internally and moisturize externally. But before you do this, forget the stereotype that it is not necessary to drink water in the cold. Nothing like this! In a well-heated office, moisture evaporation is as intense as in the desert, and a lack of water leads to the accumulation of toxins. The result: fatigue, headaches and a sallow complexion. Drinkable collagen and hyaluronic acid have proven themselves to be effective in combating the effects of dehydration. They really increase skin hydration and turgor. But in all this magic there is one nuance: the history of the origin of these substances is important, as well as the systematicity and duration of use. It should be daily and in sufficient dose (you cannot take half a serving). And so - for at least 12 weeks. So we stock up on patience and money. Not happy with the script? Let's move on to plan B: we follow the drinking regime (cheap and cheerful) and use moisturizers (there is no need to save money here).Stereotype: special care
Another stereotype that we have to fight: “It is forbidden to use moisturizers in winter - they scratch the skin.” Conduct an experiment to prove otherwise. Jump up... As you can see, the water does not splash out of you (except that your stomach “shook” a little). This is because all the water in the body is in bound form (something like a gel). And since this entire gel structure is “heated” by blood, its structure remains unchanged, without crystals. An exception can only be when the body is severely frostbitten or its temperature has dropped critically. Therefore, let us introduce the following in axiom format: moisturizers can be used at any time of the year. In the cold season, they need to be applied 20-40 minutes before going outside.L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Moisture Cream. Promotes deep hydration and prolongs skin youth.
Clarins HydraQuench Rich Cream for dry and very dry skin. Restores and maintains the natural hydrobalance of the skin, while nourishing it.
Clinique Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator Face Cream. The rich, oil-free formula provides instant, deep hydration for 24 hours.
Rich cream for deep hydration of facial skin Vichy Aqualia Thermal Riche. Provides 48-hour deep hydration.