How I hate the cold winter weather! Biting winds and
central heating can make your skin feel dry and uncomfortable as it strips away
the skin’s moisture levels. The skin is the body’s natural barrier, so you need
to look after it to make sure that it functions properly. You don’t want to end
up with flaky or cracked skin.
There is no need to spend a fortune on moisturisers. It’s
about finding products that work for you.
“Emollients are often used in the management of dry skin
conditions and work by reducing moisture loss from skin by covering it with a
protective layer,” says Bevis Man, spokesman for the British Skin
Foundation. “Although they can be greasy, there are formulas now that are more
like conventional moisturisers, so you ought to be able to find a suitable
product when talking to a pharmacist about it.”
Here is the science bit. Moisturisers generally work in a
couple of ways. Humectants such as glycerine, urea and hyaluronic acid, attract water helping the
stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the skin) boost its moisture content.
Occlusives for example, mineral oil and petroleum jelly, tend to be greasy as they
consist of oils. They work by providing a layer of oil on the surface of the
skin which slows down water loss. Therefore, the moisture content of the
stratum corneum is increased.
Some emollients contain both types as well as a host of
other ingredients such as fatty alcohols, which are used as thickeners and also
soften and smooth the skin, emulsifiers, which keeps two substances such as oil
and water mixed together, and preservatives.
Skin doesn’t become dependent on a moisturiser, so use it whenever your skin needs it.
The choice of emollient depends upon the area of the body
and the degree of dryness and scaling of the skin. It’s worth checking out
ranges such as E45, especially if you suffer from eczema or have dry, sensitive
skin.
By Daralyn Danns
