What type of moisturizer works best

The market is saturated with different types of body lotions and moisturizers each touting their ingredients produce better results than competitive brands. Browsing the body care aisle can be overwhelming so here are a few tips to narrow down options while making sure that you are purchasing products with high quality ingredients.

What are the most effective moisturizing ingredients?Glycerin: Glycerin is a humectant which means, it attracts moisture to the skin. It is also hygroscopic which means that it absorbs water from the air. Glycerin based products are going to be more effective in humid climates.

• Hyaluronic Acid is a type of carbohydrate, specifically a mucopolysaccharide which naturally occurs in the body. Hyaluronic acid nourishes and hydrates collagen, the substance that gives the skin its firmness. Hyaluronic acid binds to water to maintain hydrated and wrinkle-free skin.
• Ceramides are natural lipids (types of fat) and are a major component of the skins structure. Ceramides allow skin to retain its moisture.

Ingredients to avoid in moisturizers
Petroleum and mineral oil are petrochemicals (byproducts of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil) and are more expensive to dispose of than to purchase. Due to the low cost of mineral oil, it is commonly used in moisturizers and cosmetics. Mineral oil and petroleum are difficult to absorb into the skin, block pores which can lead to acne and also prevent the skin from eliminating toxins. Once mineral oil passes through the skin it is broken down by the liver and steals vital nutrients and vitamins from the body as it passes through the small intestines which can eventually lead to nutritional deficiencies or other illnesses. Look for products that contain natural, lipid rich carrier oils such as almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, grapefruit seed oil, sunflower oil or any other natural carrier oil which moisturizes the skin while providing valuable nutrients to the body.

Additional ingredients to avoid

There is much controversy about certain ingredients being used in skin care and cosmetics. The best way to be sure you are choosing products that are safe for your skin is to become an educated consumer and research products prior to purchase. EWG, the Environmental Working Group, has created Skin Deep ®, a cosmetic database including product and ingredient safety ratings designed to educate consumers about products in the marketplace.

List of controversial chemicals in cosmetics can be found here