How Often Do You Really Need To Moisturize?

For those who simply go off intuition, it might seem normal to moisturize your face only when it feels dry. However, a proper moisturizer should always be in your skincare routine, and using it will require much more discipline. It can be an easy habit to fall into, where your skin reminds you that it needs to be moisturized because it starts feeling tight or dry. While finding the right products for your skin type may take some time, staying regimented with moisturizing should be non-negotiable and it will help you remain in control of your skincare goals.

Healthline states that dry skin is very common and seems to occur more often as people age. Unfortunately, not all moisturizers are made the same and some might be less effective than others depending on your climate, what cleanser you use, or even how much water you consume. That's why it can be good to rotate through a few products on your face to see what your skin likes. You may even use different moisturizers based on the seasons.

While the frequency of moisturizing can often depend on your specific skin needs, there is a bare minimum for everyone.

While moisturizing adds hydration back to your skin, it actually does a lot more. It can help control dryness as well as oiliness. Our skin produces natural oils and, after we exfoliate or cleanse, those get stripped from our skin along with dead skin cells. Therefore, going in with a good moisturizer after taking your makeup off, cleansing, or taking a shower, will restore your skin barrier.

Marisa Garshick, a board-certified dermatologist, explained to Real Simple that there are three main ingredients in moisturizers that are used to support the skin: humectants, emollients, and occlusives. While humectants improve the skin's hydration by taking in moisture from the air, emollients work to improve skin's texture and occlusives create that skin barrier to hold in the moisture.

With all of these beneficial ingredients, it makes sense that moisturizers are considered a must in every skincare routine. When it comes to frequency, everyone should be moisturizing at least twice a day on a clean face. However, this number will increase based on how often you're washing your face and what activities are done throughout the day. Of course, if your skin is getting dry in between your morning and nighttime skincare routines, don't hesitate to moisturize again in the afternoon.

The more you know about skincare and how ingredients work, the less overwhelming skincare will feel. With so many moisturizers out there on the market, it can be hard to feel like you're choosing the right one. Many skincare brands will offer free quizzes on their sites so that you can figure out your skin type and ensure you're not using the wrong moisturizer. Once you know if you are acne prone, oily, dry, or have combination skin, it will be much easier to start narrowing down the products that are right for you.

While you should definitely still be using moisturizer if you have oily skin, there are certain kinds to look for. Both oily skin and acne-prone skin will benefit from using moisturizers that are water-based because they don't include any oils and won't make your face look greasy. On the other hand, thick and heavy creams that are oil and water-based are perfect additions to a skincare routine for dry skin because they add a thick layer of moisture and absorb into the skin over time. If your skin is a combination of dry and oily, a variety of moisturizers will likely work for you.

Ultimately, your skincare journey will involve a little bit of trial and error but remembering to prioritize some form of cleansing and moisturizing twice a day will set your skin up for success.