By Dr. Josh Zeichner For Men’s Life Today
Knowing how moisturizers work can help you select the best one for your individual skin needs.
In general, moisturizers are products that improve the function of the skin barrier. They usually contain ingredients that help increase the amount of water in the skin. Here are three categories that moisturizing ingredients may fall into:
- Emollients: molecules that hydrate the skin. Examples include oils or lipids, such as petrolatum or dimethicone. (Products like: Eucerin, Intensive Moisture Balance by Dermalogica and Cetaphil)
- Humectants: molecules that attract water to the skin surface from deep in the skin and from the environment and that may also hydrate the skin. One example is glycerol. (Products like: Daily Moisture Defense w/ SPF 15 by Lab Series, Vitamin C Serum by Anthony Logistics and Enviroprotect by Raw Men’s Skincare)
- Occlusives: ingredients that provide a physical barrier that prevents water loss from the skin. Examples include petrolatum and lanolin. (Products like: Night Recovery Lotion by Lab Series, and Lanolin for Him Rejuvenating Night Creme by Wild Ferns)
Moisturizers help bring the outer layer of the skin back to as normal a state as possible by soothing the skin and filling in tiny breaks. They increase the water content of the skin and prevent excess water from evaporating from the skin’s surface and into the environment. The newest moisturizers also help replace fats that may be lacking in people with dry skin.
No one moisturizer on the market is perfect for everyone’s skin type, since there can be up to five different types (i.e., normal, dry, oily, combination and sensitive). My general rule of thumb is to find one that you like and will use since the best moisturizer is the one that actually gets applied to the skin. . — Reviewed by Craig the Barber, a skin- and hair- care expert who specializes in men of all ethnicities, and the editor in chief of the grooming blog TheMensRoom.com.
I use a moisturizer right out of the shower. After a pat dry I apply it everywhere. It has done wonders for my skin. I’m not much of a colone user so that doesn’t matter. I wish I would have used moisturizer from the beginning.
I was sucked into the whole using a moisturizer as an aftershave “myth” was good for your skin that is common knowledge. After spending some time on the forums, the experienced members showed me that there is nothing better for the skin than a good ole aftershave splash.
I was watching an upscale master barber from Ireland performing at the waldorf astoria or ritz was it on youtube and he confirmed this by using good ole aftershave splash. I will trust the experience of guys like that and from the forums.
I actually let some of the alcohol burn off for about 5-10 seconds before applying, but obviously everyone’s skin is different so try for yourself what works. As for an actual balm type of moisturizer, I use it at night time only. I prefer the thinnest moisturizer possible as not to get acne. I don’t know why, but it works for me. Whenever I use a thick balm I break out – even hydrolast conditioner (which unfortunately is a top performer).
So I use the shave den aftershave milk. I do like trumpers skin food, but it didn’t seem to moisturize quite enough. I also have that ocean kelp gel from Art of Shaving on the radar to try out if I get the courage to spend that much, because I heard that the seaweed in it helps wrinkles.
No moisturizers for me. Too many cancer chemicals and other nasties in those jars. Aftershave splashes still seem the best post shave treatment for a healthy skin.
Every brand now of course carries their own men’s post shave balms and moisturizers and what not. They are tremendously profitable products that cost pennies to make and sell for a dozen or so dollars, so of course they are marketed as the must have treatment.
The only thing moisturizers do is make the skin oily during the day, clogging pores.
The skin is best moisturized from within, of course. This has to do with what you eat. The whole externally-applied balm thing seems like a big marketing myth invented back in the 1950s to sell women a new range of cosmetics.
I usually go for 99% organic/natural ingredients in my products. Apparantly all these “parabens” arent good for the skin once they soak in???. Not sure what other peoples views are on this?. Is it a myth or not???
Hello Martin,
There is quite a bit of information that can be found in regards to the dangers of parabens. For many with normal skin, parabens are for the most part, non-irritating. However for some men and women, they can cause some skin irritation. So choosing organic ingredients in your products is certainly a decision that can’t hurt!
Being a recent convert to the DE razor, I am trying to use moisturizers. I look for low/no alcohol in the product and something that does not feel too greasy. I liked the Billy Jealousy product I was using. Now I am trying one by Burt’s Bees. Does it hurt to apply an aftershave after the moisturizer application?
Hi Paul thanks for the comment!
No it doesn’t hurt to apply an aftershave after the moisturizer application. Just make sure that the aftershave isn’t being applied to areas of the face that was freshly shaven. The back of the neck or behind the ears work best.
Hope that helps!
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