Having a tedious skincare routine can sometimes not be very practical considering the number of things we have to handle in our day to day life. It’s easy to miss or ‘accidentally’ skip a few steps. However, there is one step that is absolutely essential and that you must not skip. Especially considering that it’s winter season. Moisturizing. After going through this list, you’ll realize precisely why:
1. Your Skin Gets Dull And Dry
While this should be a no brainer, a lot of people don’t understand the extent to how much not moisturizing can dry up your skin. The dryness will just keep getting worse as the air gets chillier, and the humidity drops. If you live in a cold climate, the process will be aggravated further. Avoiding moisturizer will cause your skin to start flaking and making it appear drier. The ideal solution to this would be to make sure you moisturize at least twice a day, once in the morning and once before going to bed. Your skin should be cleaned before moisturizing it to avoid trapping in moisture.
2. Fine Lines And Wrinkles Are More Visible
Dry and dehydrated skin can cause fine lines and wrinkles to be a lot more visible. If you already have wrinkles, you didn’t really notice before they will begin to pop out more as your face dries out. Forgoing using a moisturizing cream could lead to the formation of considerably more wrinkles. When your skin dries out, it can cause a breakdown of collagen, which can lead to your skin looking prematurely aged.
3. Acne Breakouts Could Get Way Worse
If you think using moisturizer is aggravating your acne, it’s actually quite the opposite. The dryness caused by lack of using moisturizer can simply exacerbate your skin to break out even more than it regularly does. If you have skin that’s prone to getting oily, switch out your regular moisturizer for an oil-free moisturizer or one that is water-based instead.
4. You Would Expose Your Skin To Sun Damage
While it might seem like quite the task to apply both sunscreen and moisturizer, it’s absolutely necessary to protect your skin from sun damage. The good news is that most good quality moisturizing creams these days contain SPF. In case you’re thinking of skipping the lotion altogether, you’d be making a big mistake. This can promptly lead to sun damage.
5. Your Skin Becomes More Vulnerable
Moisturizing lotion creates a protective boundary, so when there is no layer of protection, it exposes your skin to outer elements. Using harsh chemicals on it like salicylic acid or retinoids, can cause even further damage and turn your skin red. This could also strip the skin of nutrients and cause your skin to get super sensitive. Cracked skin would also cause the lower layers to be exposed to the elements, and this can often lead to infections and unnecessary itchiness.
6. Your Makeup Will Start To Look Cakey
Nobody likes cakey makeup. Items like concealers and foundations tend to stick to dry skin and threaten to expose fine lines. This causes them to be more visible and have a more caked-on appearance if you choose not to moisturize your skin. Considering how delicate the skin on your face is, it’s advised to use a different moisturizer for your face than the rest of your skin.
7. Tight And Itchy Skin
It’s no surprise that your skin will start to turn super itchy if you avoid moisturizing. Your skin will also get tight and taut in this regard; and not in a good way. The decreased elasticity in your skin will make it more vulnerable to stretching painfully. This is probably why you notice chapped skin at the corners of your mouth during the winter season. If your skin gets super tight, this can also cause it to itch further if it’s stretched or chapped beyond a certain extent.
Final Take
Moisturizing is more important than we give it credit for and considering how exposed your skin gets during the winter season, it’s no surprise that dermatologists recommend keeping your skin moisturized. The benefits clearly outweigh the cons (which are none) of using moisturizer.
Moisturizer leaves you with plump, glowing, healthy-looking skin and makes sure it feels soft to the touch. Sure, some moisturizers can be super greasy and take what feels like ages to dry up, but it’s very easy to find good moisturizers for your skin type. Those with oily skin should avoid using oil-based moisturizers, and those with super dry skin should use thicker moisturizers that contain oil.
Do you use a moisturizer regularly? Have you ever noticed the changes that occur on your skin when you don’t use your moisturizer every day? Share your experience with us in the comments below.