Published: May 15, 2022
We hear the words “essential” or “must-have” a little too often these days. It seems that these terms are attached to every new beauty release these days. This begs the question: if every new beauty product is a must-have, is anything really worth having?
At Bionyx, we’re all about finding routines that are tailored to fit your unique skin needs. Despite everyone having unique skin types and concerns, there are a few steps that we believe every skincare routine needs to include. Today, we zero in on moisturizers.
Below, we break down all the reasons why keeping skin moisturized is important.
What is Moisturizer Anyway?
According to Clinical Medicine & Research’s December 2017 issue, the term “moisturizer” has no standardized definition — at least scientifically. The word was coined to market cosmetics that can bring moisture to the skin.
While they are commonly mistaken for one another, there are three common types of moisturizers — each with its designated function. These are:
- Humectants, which deliver hydration to the skin to give it a plump and healthy look;
- Emollients, which soften the skin’s surface; and
- Occlusives, which are primarily oils that form a barrier to keep moisture from escaping the skin.
These three moisturizers are typically combined in lotions and creams. Together, they keep dryness at bay and promote how healthy the skin feels.
Why Skin Moisture is Crucial
Moisturizers are not just a skincare step that can be skipped when you lack the time or feel lazy. Keeping skin moisturized is just as important as keeping the skin clean.
There are a variety of reasons why a good quality moisturizer should always be in your beauty rotation. Some of these reasons are:
Alleviating Discomfort
Think back to a time when you experienced having extremely dry, cracked skin, or even an instance when you were dealing with sunburn or windburn. Whether it’s natural skin dryness or a weather-induced reaction, each of these skin issues brings about its wave of discomfort.
When the skin is dry, it can feel tight, tingly, or even painful. Sometimes, the skin may even have an unusual leather-like look and texture. By quenching the skin’s low oil level, moisturizers can help relieve these visible symptoms of dryness.
While moisturizers cannot protect against sunburn or windburn, they can alleviate the discomfort that comes with these conditions.
Minimizing the Look of Flaking and Peeling
Other symptoms of skin dryness include peeling, cracking, and flaking. These may look like white or reddish veins forming the cheeks or small fragments of shedding skin. Because these are more acute manifestations of dryness, they often come hand-in-hand with pain, itching, or even stinging.
Consistent use of a high-quality moisturizer can help make the skin look and feel better. Those dealing with these skin concerns may want to opt for thicker, more enriching formulations to fast-track progress.
Reducing the Appearance of the Visible Signs of Aging
Aging is a complicated subject. Not only because getting older is a sensitive topic, but because the skin’s aging process can be difficult to understand. Here’s why:
Dryness and the inevitable passing of time work together to bring the visible signs of aging to the surface. As we age, the skin feels drier, looser, and less plump. This is a result of the gradual loss of collagen and natural oils, a natural effect of aging. However, drier skin also makes the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging manifest faster. This is why the thinnest portion of the face, the eye area, is especially delicate.
This highlights yet another important reason for keeping skin moisturized. By ensuring that the skin has ample oils, moisturizing serums and creams can help keep visible signs of aging at bay. While it’s impossible to keep wrinkles on hold forever, keeping skin moisturized can help minimize their appearance.
Helping the Skin Feel Balanced
Here’s an interesting fact about the skin: sometimes, oily skin may not be oily at all.
The skin is smarter and more adaptive than most realize. When the skin is deprived of adequate sebum, it may try and compensate for the lack of oils by kicking the sebaceous glands into overdrive. This means that if you have oily skin, this might not be your actual skin type. Rather, your oily skin state may be a response to your skin’s natural dryness.
This is yet another instance when keeping skin moisturized proves to be important. Quenching the skin’s need for moisture ensures that your skin feels balanced. This prevents it from trying to overcompensate for dryness.
Does My Skin Type Play a Role in Choosing a Moisturizer?
While we’re on the topic of skin types, let us tackle a commonly asked question: should you consider your skin type when selecting a moisturizer?
Put simply, yes. Skin types are determined by several aspects, with the largest factor typically being genetics. These dictate their skin’s characteristics and many of the conditions or concerns that they may encounter.
There are several skin types in existence, but the four most talked-about are:
- Oily
- Normal
- Combination
- Dry
In order to see the best results, you should choose a moisturizer depending on your unique skin type.
Not sure where to start? Below, we break down the best Bionyx products for keeping skin moisturized:
Oily Skin
There are a few telltale signs that can help you identify oily skin. Common characteristics of this skin type include:
- Shiny, greasy-looking skin
- Frequent breakouts
- Tendency to develop blackheads
- Visibly enlarged pores
Because of its propensity to form a layer of grease or shine throughout the day, oily skin is best paired with lightweight moisturizers. To help you in keeping skin moisturized, choose a product with an airy gel consistency. Our pick is Bionyx’s Biolift Platinum Deep Wrinkle Concentrate.
Rather than a thick cream, this product feels more akin to a rich serum. This creates the perfect balance for those with oily skin: while the formula feels light and delicate, within it is a blend of deeply intense ingredients.
Some of the superstar ingredients in the Biolift Platinum Deep Wrinkle Concentrate are cetearyl olivate and sodium hyaluronate. The former is derived from cetearyl alcohol and olive oil fatty acids, which help soften the look of the skin and fortify the feel of the skin. Meanwhile, sodium hyaluronate is closely related to the ever-popular hyaluronic acid. Just like hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate is a humectant that helps the skin look firmer, smoother, and healthier.
Normal and Combination Skin
Normal and combination skin are more similar than they are different. After all, they are both “in-between” skin types, teetering between oily and dry. However, there are a few key characteristics that set them apart.
Let’s talk about normal skin first. Normal skin is the sweet spot of all skin types — not too oily, not too dry. While this skin type is neutral and relatively balanced, it can still be privy to skin concerns like discoloration, dehydration, and dullness.
On the other hand, we have combination skin. As its name suggests, the combination skin type combines oily skin and dry skin, usually manifesting them in “zones.” Those who have this skin type will notice that certain areas of their face are prone to excess sebum, while other areas suffer from dryness or flaking. A common example is having an oily T-zone and dry, patchy cheeks.
If you identify with either of these skin types, we recommend using two separate moisturizers. Our favorite pair is made up of Bionyx’s Rhodium Essential Day Cream and Rhodium Night Recovery Cream.
Comparing these two products’ ingredient lists, you’ll find that they have many of the same components. Both contain glycerin, which hydrates the skin to give it a more supple look. Both also have shea butter, which softens and conditions the feel of the skin. Another ingredient found across both formulations is sunflower seed oil. This plant oil is commonly used in cosmetics as it is an efficient multitasker. As an emollient, it smoothens the feel of the skin. However, it is also an occlusive moisturizer, meaning it helps to lock in hydration for an all-day soft sensation.
Day Creams vs Night Creams
What, then, sets these two Bionyx products apart?
The answer lies in their richness and consistency. Day moisturizers like the Rhodium Essential Day Cream feel light and almost weightless on the skin, making them perfect for morning skincare. Night creams like the Rhodium Night Recovery Cream, on the other hand, are more potent and dense. While night creams are usually too heavy for daytime use, they are ideal for moisturizing the skin overnight.
Those with combination skin can also use these more strategically. Apply the night cream to drier areas and use the day cream for oilier, acne-prone zones.
Dry Skin
Lastly, we have dry skin. We’ve made mention of some of the common symptoms of dryness earlier in this article: flaking, peeling, cracking, and general discomfort are just a handful of examples. Taking this skin type’s natural lack of oil into account, it requires a little extra help in keeping skin moisturized.
Bionyx’s Platinum Transformative Cream is just the right product for the job.
This lush cream brings together a cocktail of hand-picked ingredients that can relieve the skin of dryness almost instantly. Some of the moisturizing agents found within the Platinum Transformative Cream include hydrolyzed wheat protein, sodium hyaluronate, and glycerin. To help combat the discomfort that often accompanies dryness, it also contains allantoin and green tea extract.
This moisturizer also contains an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) called lactic acid. Lactic acid is a popular exfoliant. Now, it may seem strange to include an exfoliating ingredient in a moisturizer at first — however, it makes more sense than you might initially think.
Because dry skin is often accompanied by flaking and peeling, a mild exfoliant like lactic acid can aid in lifting off these dead skin cells. The result? A smoother and more radiant complexion, without the harshness that comes with other exfoliating products.
More Skincare to Keep Skin Moisturized
Now that you’ve found the best product for keeping your skin moisturized, why not complete your Bionyx routine? Here are some other choice products from our skincare lines to help you round out your moisturizing regimen:
Like moisturizers, a cleanser’s formula and consistency play a crucial role in how well the product suits your skin. For those looking to keep their skin moisturized around the clock, mousse-type formulas like Bionyx’s Rhodium Mousse Cleanser are an ideal choice. Compared to foam or gel, mousse cleansers are less likely to strip the skin of its necessary oils.
Follow up your cleanser with the Bionyx Platinum Transformative Serum. This serum contains a powerful blend of vitamins and minerals to keep the skin’s appearance in check. It also contains Licorice Root Extract, Green Tea Extract, and a peptide called Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to keep the skin looking plump and youthful.
Here’s one last step to consider adding to your moisturizing skincare routine: an eyecare product. Because the area surrounding the eyes is thin and delicate, you’ll want to pay extra attention to it.
However, while keeping the eye area moisturized is important, it is also important to choose a product that does not feel too heavy. Our solution is the Bionyx Platinum Intense Eye Serum. Noticeably lighter than an eye cream, this serum feels sheer upon application. Despite its texture, it is enriched with moisturizing peptides to reduce the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and puffiness.
Bionyx Skincare
Here at Bionyx, we put a premium on luxurious face and body care products that get the job done. Our platinum-infused skin solutions work to keep the skin feeling moisturized and radiant.
Discover more platinum-enriched beauty products from Bionyx.