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Moisturizers and Skin Types

A moisturizer does three possible jobs, and knowing which one your skin needs explains why the same product feels perfect on one person and greasy or useless on another. Most products combine all three in different proportions, and reading a label for those proportions is more useful than reading the marketing.

The three ingredient types

Humectants draw water into the skin. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid are the common ones. Emollients smooth and soften by filling gaps between skin cells; oils, fatty acids and ceramides do this. Occlusives sit on top and stop water evaporating; petrolatum, shea butter and dimethicone are examples. A light gel moisturizer is mostly humectant. A rich cream is heavy on emollients and occlusives. Skin that is dehydrated wants humectants; skin that is dry wants emollients and something to seal them in.

Oily skin still needs one

Skipping moisturizer on oily skin is a common mistake and it tends to make oiliness worse, since dehydrated skin overproduces oil. The answer is a light, oil-free gel or lotion rather than nothing. If a product leaves oily skin greasy, the product is too heavy, not moisturizer as a category.

Dry and very dry skin

A cream with ceramides and a proper occlusive, applied to damp skin, and reapplied at night. In a Michigan winter, when indoor heating has been running for months, skin that is fine in summer often needs a heavier cream and sometimes a layer of plain petrolatum over the top at night. That is not old-fashioned; it is the most effective occlusive there is.

Layering

Thinnest to thickest. Water-based serums and humectants first on damp skin, then moisturizer, then an occlusive if you use one, then sunscreen in the morning. Applying a heavy cream first stops anything lighter getting through. Give each layer a minute to settle before the next.

What to look for and what to ignore

Look for the ingredient types above matched to your skin. Fragrance-free if you are sensitive or breakout-prone. Ignore anything promising to change your skin's structure, and be cautious with words like natural, which describes nothing about how a product performs. A moisturizer's job is modest and important, and the right one for you may be inexpensive.