You may be one of those people who is blessed with baby soft skin,and you never have to moisturise it to have it feeling silky soft and smooth. But what happens if you never moisturise your skin when it really needs it? We’re here to untangle the answers to this question for you!
What Happens If You Never Moisturise Your Skin?
You may be lucky enough to never have to moisturise your skin, and that’s great! However, for most of us, our skin needs a little extra.
Moisturising your skin can help protect it against the outside world, as it forms a protective layer between you and the elements.
It can also help prevent wrinkles, as it provides a good, deep moisturiser for your skin that can help protect against fine lines and wrinkles.
Not moisturising your skin can cause issues such as:
- Dryness. Dry skin is tight and uncomfortable, and leaving it this way can encourage more line to develop.
- Redness. Skin turns red with inflammation, when the body is sending blood to the area. Moisturising can soothe this.
- Wrinkles. While moisturising can’t reverse or stop the signs of ageing, daily moisturising can help keep your skin supple.
- Inflammation. If you suffer from problems like dry skin, dermatitis or eczema, your skin will definitely benefit from some extra moisture.
Daily moisturising will not necessarily remove all of these problems for good, but it can certainly help the condition of your skin.
Is It OK To Not Use Moisturiser?
If your skin is happy enough without being moisturised, then of course you are free to not use it – it’s your skin, after all!
In fact there is a school of thought that suggests that excessive moisturiser can actually be bad for your skin.
The skin is a living organ, that produces its own natural oils and even its own moisture (no, we’re not talking about sweat here!)
If you constantly fill your skin with moisture, it can, over time, encourage it to stop producing its own.
This is great news for moisturiser manufacturers, as you will then be stuck in a loop where you need to moisturise constantly.
The most important skin cream you can use, without a doubt, is sunscreen. Protecting your skin against the dangers of the sun is just about the best thing you can do for it!
Does Skin Really Need Moisturiser?
When we are young, skin tends to not need moisturising as it produces its own natural oils and moisture.
There is also the added bonus of our skin producing its own elastin and collagen, which makes for smooth, young looking skin.
However, as we age – some time after around 25 – the skin slows down the production of these useful things, and this is what contributes to old, tired looking skin.
It is a good idea to use a light daily moisturiser once you are in your 20s, to start helping your skin out a little.
The other benefit to using moisturiser is that it creates a physical barrier between your skin and the world around us.
All day every day, our faces are bombarded with pollution, bacteria and other unpleasantnesses. The skin forms a barrier that stops these things from getting into your body.
Putting a moisturiser on your face is an extra layer of protection for your skin, which can help prevent nasties from reaching your skin.
However, it is advised that you give your skin a break from the moisturiser for a couple of days a week, to ensure that it continues producing its own natural moisturisers.
Does Moisturising Prevent Ageing?
Nothing can reverse the ageing process, we will tell you now (we’re sorry. If we could find a product that would actually halt ageing skin, we’d be millionaires by now!)
However, using a good moisturiser can help to combat those pesky signs of ageing, like:
- Fine lines. The constant, daily movements we make with our faces can get set into our skin over time. Moisturising can make the skin more supple.
- Deeper wrinkles. As signs of ageing go, this is one of the worst! Help to combat it by keeping your skin hydrated.
- Dry skin. Dry skin is not only uncomfortable but it can be unsightly if it progresses to dry, flaking skin.
- Loss of elasticity. All skin loses its elasticity over time, but we can help it retain the plumpness of youth with a bit of moisturiser.
If you use a good moisturiser every day, preferably one that contains retinol, you will be doing your skin a favour.
Skin starts to produce less and less of its own moisture over time, so giving it a helping hand to be a little smoother and fuller will definitely improve your appearance.
Start using a good daily moisturiser after the age of around 20-25, and your skin will thank you by retaining its youthful look for longer.
Can Moisturiser Cause Acne?
Although moisturiser doesn’t cause acne, per se, it can cause problems if you already have skin that is prone to breakouts.
If you have naturally oily skin, applying moisturiser can make the problem worse, and you will have to find one that is formulated for oily skin.
An especially thick, oily moisturiser can trap bacteria next to the skin, and contribute to an excess of spots.
Lighter moisturisers, whose main ingredient is water, are the best things to use on skin that is prone to spots.
If you have skin that makes you feel like you are stuck in a limbo of teenagerhood, stay away from heavy moisturisers that are filled with lipids, and stick to the lighter ones.
Final Words
You don’t have to go all out on really fancy, expensive moisturisers to get your skin looking and feeling its best.
However, a good dose of moisture, especially after a shower or a swim, can really benefit your skin and help it retain its elasticity and healthy glow.
