Today, we’re talking all about moisturisers and how something so commonplace and easy can make such a massive difference to your appearance, confidence and skin health.
Here’s some feedback lifted directly from an email we received (genuinely and honestly). It’s one of hundreds we get but this was front of mind.
Since receiving the products, I have been vigorously testing them. I’ve been using the moisturiser every morning when I get up, the sunscreen when needed, and the Daily Repair Moisturiser every night before bed. I have never been one to put much effort into skincare. Sure, I use suncream, but definitely not enough. Putting the sun protection to one side and just from a skincare perspective, the results in a mere 10 days have been extraordinary. I never considered myself to have bad skin, but using the two moisturisers daily has made my skin look younger, and my pores are definitely smaller. My girlfriend noticed the same, so it can’t be placebo. This did however prove her right in my argument that a quick rinse with soapy water counts as a skincare routine.
We're not sharing this report for marketing or advertising purposes. More to demonstrate how easy it can be to get noticeable results.
But - because science is such an important part of our DNA - let’s understand why the person above (and hundreds of LifeJacket customers) have had this experience. We'll also include some practical tips on upping your moisturiser game.
Tired as old boots.
Do you own a pair of leather boots that you’ve had for years and put through its paces?
Being honest, when did you last properly polish them?
And how do they look? Tired, old, aged, grey, cracked, worn, wrinkled?
Imagine those leather boots are your skin (which is considerably less robust). Like those old boots, it takes a few small steps to make big improvements, bringing them back to life. So, let’s bring your skin back to life. But first, a little biology.
Skin design
The skin is the largest organ in the human body.
The top layer of the epidermis, known as the stratum corneum, is made up of a combination of skin cells and lipids. The skin cells form the most part and the lipids act as a glue to hold the cells together (a bit like bricks and mortar in a wall). Together, they form a protective barrier around our body shielding you from environmental damage and external aggressors, such as UV light, infections and pollution.
The problem is that we lose up to one pint of water every day through the outer layer of our skin, just through day-to-day living (assuming no sport or excessive sweating). This water is lost into the atmosphere which is how your skin becomes dehydrated. Dry skin is different but can have the same outcome. Dry skin is due to a lack of lipids (sometimes also called sebum or natural oils) in the stratum corneum.
Dehydrated or dry skin can make your skin look like a pair of old boots: dull, sallow, and your eyes sunken. It can impact how your skin feels. Symptoms of dry skin can also be redness, itchiness, cracking or flaking.
So the key to healthy-looking (and better-feeling) skin is hydration.
Practical moisturiser tips
Here are our top tips on getting healthy, hydrated, happy skin that will make you look and feel tip top.
1. TRY TO MOISTURISE TWICE A DAY
As you've learnt, your skin becomes dry when it doesn't retain enough moisture.
On top of this, the epidermis gets thinner with age often due to the cumulative effect of sun damage. Thinner skin doesn’t retain moisture as well. Natural oil production also slows with age.
But you don’t have to settle for flaking and rough skin because of the climate or ageing. Moisturising twice a day can be your saviour. Cosmetic moisturisers have been shown to increase the water content in the stratum corneum, the skin’s outermost layer, relieving dryness. They do that either by preventing water loss or pulling moisture from the environment into your skin.
You brush your teeth twice a day. Take an extra 10 seconds at each end of the day and moisturise too. You’ll see a noticeable difference.
2. USE AN SPF MOISTURISER IN THE MORNING
Here’s the most important thing you’ll read in this post.
Skincare isn’t skincare if you’re not protecting your skin. UV rays from the sun damage your skin every single day. Even on cloudy or overcast days. It's the one thing dermatologists universally agree on. UVB levels are lower in winter, so the risk of sunburn, tanning and skin cancer is lower, while UVA rays – which contribute to skin ageing, dark spots and skin cancer – are relatively constant throughout the year.
If you're awake and it's daytime, you should be using a moisturiser that contains SPF to help block these rays damaging your skin (we recommend a minimum of SPF 30).
3. EVENING SKIN RECOVERY IS A THING
Overnight, the skin recovers from your day out in the big wide world. It doesn't come under attack in bed (we’d hope). Because skin cells work to our circadian rhythm, they attempt to repair skin damage caused during the day, while we sleep. We also lose more water through our skin at night.
Your evening moisturiser doesn't need to contain SPF but throwing something on before your head hits the pillow can really make a difference.
4. SOAP AND SHOWERS
Hot showers and harsh soaps strip the lipids or natural oils in your skin, leaving behind, well, dry skin cells. Use non-soap-based cleansers, keep your shower as cool as you can manage and under 10 minutes if possible.
5. TOWEL DRY SKIN
A common mistake is to moisturise too soon after showering and everything just slides off your skin because the skin is too wet to hold onto any product. Instead, moisturise after towel-drying to trap any moisture straight from your bath or shower.
6. DRINK
Maintain cellular moisture from the inside out by drinking up. Especially if you’re active, outside and sweating. Try and target 2-4 litres a day.
Get started on a daily moisturiser routine today and let us know how you get on. We'd love to hear from you.
