ADSactly Beauty: Should You Really Be Using That - Moisturizers and Beyond

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Hello @adsactly readers, Here we are again with a brand new installment on our series on beauty. Today, we’re going to be taking a look at moisturizer, that “necessary” detail of our skincare routine. Like me, you probably own some type of moisturizing cream and use it pretty much regularly (or a few times a week, at least). And like me, you’re probably not seeing huge improvements to your skin. Nowadays, we’re told moisturizing cream is a must-have and that you’re going to ruin your face and get premature wrinkles if you don’t moisturize regularly. But is that really true? About six months ago, I came across this really great article on beauty (you can find it [here](https://theskincareedit.com/2016/05/09/do-you-really-need-moisturizer), if you’re interested). Despite the fact I’m running a series on beauty right now, I’m not huge on beauty blogs and all that, mainly because they’re always trying to push a certain brand – so how can I believe that’s truly useful, you know? But this article got me asking myself just what am I getting out of my moisturizing routine? Does it get me softer, smoother, hydrated skin? Briefly, yes. But most moisturizers out there are nothing but a quick fix for you. So far, the “really good ones” I’ve found only give that smooth feeling for a few hours. After that, I’m back to raw skin. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

_{Photo by [Coline Haslé](https://unsplash.com/photos/YCnycuWG7XY?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/search/photos/skin?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)} Think about it, if this were a medicine you’re taking for an actual illness, then you’d start doubting its healing powers, if the situation didn’t improve, despite regular use. But it’s not and most moisturizing creams don’t really do much (good or bad) so we just keep using them. Don’t think about it. Though maybe we should. Take a second to look on the back of your moisturizer – can you even pronounce half the ingredients on there? Do you honestly know what’s going into your skin? Silicons, preservatives and sulfates – all these things should not be on your face. Period. They are unhealthy and dangerous, not to mention they’re probably adding on to all the pre-existing rashes, breakouts etc. ## Exfoliation vs Moisturizing Yes, I know, most skincare “experts” tell you to exfoliate and then moisturize, because that’s when the skin is at its cleanest. But you’re probably doing more harm than good. See, our skin has its own natural exfoliation process that doesn’t involve any store-bought creams or gels and by constantly slathering moisturizer over your skin, you’re blocking that process. Moisturizer keeps old, dead cells on you longer – cells that should be eliminated, normally, to make room for new ones. A lot of infections and skin issues come from blocked pores and lingering dead cells.

_{Photo by [ANDI WHISKEY](https://unsplash.com/@andiwhiskey) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/RicS6E_SOCU)} Dead skin cells are often the problem. When you’re suffering from dry, dull skin – it’s those dead cells, really. So maybe a better option would be to exfoliate more and moisturize less. Life in today’s world, especially city life, can be really harsh on your skin. There’s a lot of build up of gunk in there and damaging your skin and dabbing lotion on that damaged skin doesn’t really cut it, I’m afraid. Best to get rid of it altogether and exfoliate daily, or at least a few times a week. Oh, did I mention that good exfoliation leaves the skin feeling super-soft and smooth? Another thing our skin is already programmed to do is moisturize itself. Yep,you don’t need to rely on store-bought creams to do something you were supposed to do in the first place. Alas, it’s a profitable business and skincare is a huge industry, so don’t be surprised there’s so many people telling you you must use products to have healthy skin. It’s a lie. By regularly using moisturizer, you’re gradually making your skin weaker and more sensitive, which might sound nice, but it’s not what you want your skin to be, trust me. Sensitive skin means you get rashes and breakouts more, which is not what we’re going for. So, you need to get off moisturizing cream. You have to let your skin do its thing.

_{Photo by [Karim Ghantous](https://unsplash.com/@kdghantous) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/dxS2okXd-zo)} Obviously, there are various factors that interfere with this natural hydration process, such as aging. It’s a well known fact that as we grow older, our body produces less collagen – hence, we get wrinkles and our skin loses that great, youthful feeling. And while this is a very real issue, moisturizer, I’m sad to say, is not the solution. You need to stay hydrated for a lot of good reasons, not just maintaining healthy skin, but to eliminate toxins and stay in good physical condition. A good way to stay hydrated and make sure your cells are absorbing water properly is to make bone soup (which gives your body lots of good minerals and gelatin that in turn, make sure you absorb water properly). Bottom line is, moisturizer is bad for you in many different ways and you should probably stop using it, since it’s doing more harm than good. Again, exfoliate regularly, it makes a huge difference. Oh, and keep an eye out, because we’ll soon be publishing a post on various natural exfoliation methods!

_{Cucumber - also great for moisturizing! [source](https://pixabay.com/photos/toner-skin-skincare-cooling-facial-906142/)} However, it’s natural that you sometimes feel like your skin is extra-dry, for whatever reason, like you just need something – a little pick-me-up for the skin. And that’s okay. I get like that sometimes, too, even though, I’m enjoying my moisturizing-free days. When that happens, don’t reach for your old moisturizer, as it won’t really do much. Instead, try a honey face mask (remember, we talked about them in our last [ADSactly Beauty post](https://steemit.com/beauty/@adsactly/adsactly-beauty-healthy-masks-for-glowing-skin)), or dab some aloe vera on your face (it’s incredibly healing and helps skin regeneration). Shea butter and coconut oil are also great for natural hydration. Oh, and petroleum jelly (or vaseline) – but there’s a big debate on that, whether it is actually good for the face or not, and we won’t get into that now, but anything’s worth a try. And remember, best way to feel moisturized is….exfoliating! But more on that in our next post :) ## What are your skincare tips? We’d love to hear about them in the comments! *References [1](https://theskincareedit.com/2016/05/09/do-you-really-need-moisturizer) [2](https://functionalco.com/blogs/news/why-hydration-is-so-important-and-what-collagen-has-to-do-with-it) [3](https://www.siobeauty.com/blogs/news/hydrating-face-mask)* ##### Authored by @honeydue *[Original Thumbnail Pic](https://unsplash.com/photos/fplnXE5loWo)* ## Click on the coin to join our Discord Chat ## ------ **Vote @adsactly-witness for Steem witness!** Witness proposal is here:

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Originally posted here: https://steemit.com/beauty/@adsactly/adsactly-beauty-should-you-really-be-using-that-moisturizers-and-beyond