Do you suffer from cracked, peeling, itchy, flaky, even red irritated skin?
Are you using the thickest creams or lotions and your skin STILL feels very dry? What is the best moisturizer for dry skin in the winter? How about the best moisturizer for dry skin caused from acne medications?
The best moisturizer for dry skin in winter, or all year round will have a high amount of humectants, some emollients, and some level of occlusiveness. This post does not go into best moisturizers that are anti aging or brightening creams.
Typically these are treatment creams that have moisturizing properties so they do not emphasize hydration.
The emphasis of this post is to go over the best moisturizing creams for dry, cracked hands with a hand amount of humectants and emollients.
If you find that your skin feels this mostly in the winter, you may have a dry skin CONDITION rather than dry skin TYPE.
If you DON”T know if you have DRY skin vs DEHYDRATED skin to treat your skin correctly, then please watch the video.
This Video will show you how to Get Rid of Dry vs Dehydrated Skin.
Skin Condition
Skin conditions can change daily, sometimes several times during the day, depending on the environment, activity level,etc.
The most obvious condition is seasonally.
Other factors include:
-weather
-hormonal
-age
-diet
-diseases/disorders (Psoriasis, Eczema, Rosacea etc.)
-product use
Skin Type:
Skin type is what you are born with and due to genetic disposition. For example, Alipoid skin has a low production of oil due to under active, smaller sebaceous glands. This is more commonly known ad dry skin.
During the winter, factors such as indoor heaters will lower the humidity in the air.
Longer, hot showers to stay warm in the winter can dehydrate the skin because the water leeches the Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) from the skin and affects it’s lipid content. This can rob your skin from the moisture and oil.
The cold temperature in the winter also slows down activity of the sebaceous glands.
The three basic categories of ingredients that are used in lotions, creams, and balms are:
EMOLLIENTS: These are lubricants that increases the skins flexibility and smoothness . It gives the products a silky texture.
Some common emollients are:
Lanolin-Thick, yellow , waxy substance-basically sheep sebum (typically not for break out prone skin)
Isopropyl Palmitate-Thickening agent
Jojoba Oil-Although referred to an oil, it is really a wax. This closely resebles the human sebum. This dissolves sebum and limits oil production which is better suited for oily skin.
Emollients are more common in lotions and milky lotions. Typically, products that are thin in consistency.
They don’t usually add any additional moisture to the skin.
If you are using a moisturizer that is higher in emollients rich ingredients, this is NOT going to solve your dry, itchy, cracked winter skin.
OCCLUSIVES-this is the second category. How this helps dry skin in the winter is that it keeps moisture levels in the skin from escaping or evaporating. This helps prevent Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL).
Occlusive agents do NOT penetrate the skin. It sits on TOP of the skin.
Ingredients such as;
-Petroleum/Petrolatum (this can also be used as an emollient)
-Silicone/Dimethicone, (usually ending in ~cone)-although Dimethicone does NOT reduce Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL). It is also permeable to water vapor.
-Most oils-mineral oil, coconut oil, etc.
-Cocoa Butter
HUMECTANTS-this draws moisture to the skin. It can add moisture to the skin from the moisture in the air or up from the skin. Products that have a higher percentage of humectant ingredients address the crinkly, flaky, irritated itchy skin.
Humectants are able to increase the water content in the skin by increasing water absorption from the dermis to the epidermis.
Unlike, occlusive agents, humectant ingredients have hydrophilic properties (meaning water loving or the ability to attract and hold water molecules).
Now in drier climates (indoors with the heater on, or arid climates), humectants can have an OPPOSITE effect where it can also cause excess water absorption up from the dermis through evaporation in environments where there is lower humidity.
Some Humectant ingredients include:
-Hydroxy Acids
-Propylene Glycol
-Urea
-Sodium Hyaluronate
-Hyaluronic Acid
-Glycerin
Although Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is the more glamorized humectant in the last few years (Hyaluronic Acid: What the Beauty Industry Doesn’t Want You To Know)
Glycerin or Glycerol is most commonly found in lotions and creams.
Do you know what is unique about glycerin?
Glycerin has this unique ability to produce moisturizing effect in the skin long after the ingredients is no longer present.
When glycerin is combined with occlusive agents, it can produce substantial hydrating properties in the skin.
***Check out our Home Remedies for Dry, Dehydrated skin !
***PRO TIP**
Avoid using hand sanitizers in the winter time.
For those of you who suffer from Atopic Dermatitis (common in the winter) or Eczema, you can greatly benefit from ceramides. Ceramides are lipids that help make up the Stratum Corneum and assist to maintain the function of the skin barrier.
Since ceramides are also oil soluble, they have been added to moisturizers to help improve the Stratum Corneum of dry, dehydrated skin.
*There are several moisturizers that say they have added ceramides in their ingredients. BUT, unless, the ingredients list also show it has cholesterol and free fatty acids , and has the ratio of these ingredients are balanced, then the ceramides can’t do their work.
Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin with a Compromised Lipid Barrier:
A product that is really helpful for people who have very dry skin and/or Atopic Dermatitis/Eczema and NOT break out prone or tend to have Bumpy skin, I recommend:
Cerave Moisturizing lotion: (pump)This lotion has a good balance of ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol.
Cerave Moisturizing Cream: Jar
According to their ingredients list (January, 2019) (Please note-ingredients can change)
The second ingredient list is Glycerine which is the BEST Humectant.
***The third and fourth ingredient combined-Cetareth-20 and Cetaryl Alcohol combined has some pore clogging activity than Cetearyl Alcohol by itself.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate-naturally from rapeseed oil. used as an emulsifier.
Not only does it contain Hyaluronic Acid but also it contains:
Ceramide 1-contains Linoieic Acid-promotes skin cell survival. (Best Facial oils explain the difference between Linoleic and Oleic fatty acids and which one is better for you.)
Ceramide 3-synthetic ceramide-skin agent
Ceramide 6-II- naturally found in the Stratum Corneum-Improves the skin barrier function.
Petrolatum-occlusive agent that has been known to clog pores, cause break outs and bumpy skin for some individuals.
IF you tend get bumpy skin or break outs, but your skin is drying out due to use of acne control products, then another product that my be better suited is the Yu-Be product line.
Best Moisturizer for Bumpy Skin, Oily Skin, or Break out Prone Skin:
Best Moisturizer for Break out Prone Skin
This product line was created by a Japanese Pharmacist in 1957 to help women treat dry, cracked hands.
The Yu-Be product line is glycerin concentrated. The original formula has a camphor scent. The new Advanced Formula is non scented, paraben free, and reduces inflammation. It is also enriched with Vitamin E and Vitamin B2.
There are no ingredients added that can cause break outs or clog pores.
Yu-Be comes in a variety of sizes ( Jar, Tube, and Pump):
Yu-Be 10.25 oz Pump-Great for body, legs and elbows
Yu-Be Advanced Formula (non scented, anti inflammation) Tube– Great for all skin types. GREAT for break out prone skin and sensitive skin.
Yu-Be Lip Balm– NOT your waxy chap stick that doesn’t work. This really keeps the lips hydrated. No color. Goes on really smooth and not waxy.
Please stay tuned for our upcoming post on Drugstore Moisturizing Cream Review .
The product review will be based on a poll that I sent out in my YouTube community. Based on what they voted on will be what we will be reviewing.
Stay tuned!! Thanks again for reading!
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