Moisturizing Madness

Hola!
Here we are again about to enter the winer season (most of anyway). The cold dry air tends to bring the dry, tight, itchy skin. So moisturizer is Penny's BFF these days. LOL! Sure I could use a better humidifier at home and probably even in the office; and I should drink more water...but its easier to slap on the face cream in the morning and at night. LOL!

Penny has had many a conversation with women about moisturizers and there is one myth I wish everyone could understand the truth about.

Myth:
"Women with oily or acne-prone skin should not use moisturizer."

Fact:
"Oily skin requires a good moisturizer to look soft, supple, and radiant."

EVERYONE should use moisturizer daily (unless instructed otherwise by a dermatologist). Choosing the right moisturizer is key. While choosing moisturizer, you should consider skin type, age, skin sensitivity, and whether the skin is prone to acne. While an oil-based moisturizer is recommended for dry skin, women with oily skin should try an oil-free moisturizer. Water-based moisturizers labeled "noncomedogenic", which means it will not clog the pores, is a good moisturizer for an oily skin. Moisturizer helps to maintain the natural skin moisture by slowing the evaporation of water content from the skin. This helps the skin to stay hydrated and to feel soft and smooth. Plus, it also acts as a protective barrier on the skin surface. (read full story...)

Instead of avoiding a skin moisturizer, you should choose moisturizers with aloe vera, green tea, or other organic ingredients. Oil-free moisturizer is good for acne skin as it adds the required moisture to the skin without clogging the skin pores.

• Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion SPF 15 is one of the branded oily skin moisturizers available in the market.
• Aveno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 15 is another good moisturizer for sensitive skin.
• Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel contains an oil-free hydrating formula which is good for oily skin. It is recommended that glycolic acid or salicylic acid product coupled with a light oil-free moisturizer containing a sunscreen is best for oily skin care.

• Garnier Moisture Rescue is a recently introduced "gel cream" moisturizer that's getting rave reviews and retails for only $7.99 at local drugstores and Target. This formula contains grape water extract and Vitamin E, it absorbs quickly, feels soothing, and is hydrating.

Gel moisturizers are becoming very popular amongst women with oily skin.  Penny has had success with various cream (oil-based) products for my sensitive to dry skin, so I haven't tried too many products particularly for oily prone skin. From my research it is said that dry skin types will like the Garnier gel moisturizer as well since it feels cooling and hydrating on but it doesn’t cure all of our woes; we may still notice flaky areas and dryness, even with continued use. However, if nothing else, it’s a fabulous prep for make-up since it smooths roughness on contact and eases the way for foundation and bases. This is true of most moisturizers. Since this is the time of year when many of us mavens are getting dolled up for the holiday festivities; it might be a good time to try using moisturizer if you don't already.  Penny preps with moisturizer, then primer, then I begin my make-up process. It's good to let each product dry or seep into the skin for about a minute before moving on to the next step.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Be blessed. Be beautiful.
P