What you need to know about picking the right moisturiser for your skin type

Moisturisers are available in mind-boggling range with ingredient such as vitamin, minerals ,sunscreens , almonds,milkcream and plant extract like vanilla,liquorice,berries,cherries and even  exotic herbs...they serve our skin well,soften it up and help maintain a healthy glow.Moisturisers are available in a plethora of variant ;some claim to brighten your skin tone,some work hard to reduce flakiness,some come with anti-ageing properties...whatever be their USP,moisturisers increase the skin's water content and encourage an orderly shedding of cells in the topmost layer resulting in silk-smooth skin.

They also protect our skin from drying.When used regurlarly ,they help slow down the ageing process.Dry skin is more prone to wrinkles since the normal barrier function is disturbed and the layer of lipid in the stratum corneum are not formed normally.So water evaporates from the skin's surface allowing the cell to dry out.It further leads to cracking and shrinking of skin surface and reduce the skins ability to act as a natural barrier against allergens,irritants and microbes in our body.

How one should choose the right moisturisers?

Moisturisers comes in varying formulations and types.There are two basic types :Water in oil (W/O) and oil in water (O/W).Depending upon the concentration of oil and water ,different forms of moisturisers are available 1)lotions ,

2)creams

3) and ointments

Although there is no 'right' moisturisers for everyone , it may take a bit of trial and error to find the right kind that suits you best.Knowing the difference between various form certainly helps.

Lotions: Light and non-greasy, these are mixture of oil in water and have a cooling effect.They are easily absorbed and good for mildly dry skin.they are also particularly suitable for hairy areas such as the scalpe or chest.

Creams:Creams are slightly thicker than the lotions,generally non greasy,they are quickly absorbed and often preferred to ointment.

Ointments: Thick occlusive oil based moisturisers are best for very dry areas, though many people dont like them as they are too greasy.

Most people are also perplexed about the quantity of moisturisers to be used.How much and how often .

This depends upon the state of your skin. Generally, it it is recommended that you apply moisturisers liberally and regularly (at least twice a day ) to prevent there skin from drying.

They are most effective when applied on moist skin for example after a bath or shower - but should also be applied at other times depending on how dry your skin is.Particularly dry skin may benefit from frequent application of greasy moisturisers every couple of hours.Using moisturising bath additives and soap substitutes when you wash with often provide maximum rehydration for the skin and help restore its barrrier function.