It’s no secret that lotion is the most important part of a skincare routine. Not only does it help to moisturize your skin, but it also provides the perfect opportunity to pamper yourself with some self-care.
A lotion is a skincare product that can help to keep your skin moist, soft, and supple when applied. It can also make your skin look more youthful by protecting it from chemicals, harsh temperatures, and other environmental stressors.
So whether you’re in the high desert or the humid tropics, it’s important to put on lotion after bathing or showering. This article discusses the benefits of using lotion on your skin, what to look for and what to avoid when choosing a lotion. Let’s get it.
Benefits of Using Lotion on Your Skin
1. Softens Skin
Regardless of your skin type, applying a lotion is important for keeping your skin looking soft and supple. Lotions help your skin stay soft by forming a barrier between the natural oils in your skin and the harsh elements in the environment.
2. Prevents Premature Aging
Lotions are an essential part of any anti-aging skincare routine. Moisturizers work to keep the skin hydrated and healthy, which can help prevent wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of premature aging.
3. Fights Acne
A lotion is an important part of any acne-care routine. When you use a lotion, it will add extra hydration to your skin. Hydrated skin is healthier and more resilient to acne breakouts than dehydrated skin.
4. Improve the Appearance of Damaged Skin
Lotion plays a key role in rejuvenating dull, dry, or damaged skin. Most lotions contain ingredients like antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals that cause damage to cells, which can contribute to dull, damaged skin.
5. Prevents Moisture Loss
Lotions can help maintain healthy skin by preventing moisture loss in the form of evaporation. Skin gets dry when its outer protective barrier (which prevents moisture loss) becomes damaged.
When you apply lotion to your skin, it helps fill in the cracks in your skin’s protective barrier with a layer of water or oil that prevents moisture from escaping.
6. Reduces Dryness
A good lotion should keep your skin hydrated, which is the key to healthy skin. Your skin’s natural barrier protects it from chemicals in the air, temperature extremes, and other environmental stressors.
However, when your skin becomes dehydrated, it can’t do its job anymore. That’s why you need a good lotion to do it for you.
7. Soothes Sensitive Skin
If you experience dry or sensitive skin, it’s mostly because your skin isn’t getting enough moisture. Lotion can help to soothe sensitive skin in a variety of ways.
Some lotions contain ingredients that help reduce irritation and inflammation, while others contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid that help lock in moisture.
8. Helps Your Skin Glow
Healthy, glowing skin is not solely the result of good genes. One of the oldest tricks to achieving healthy, radiant skin is by using a lotion regularly.
Lotions do the job of filling the voids in your skin with water and oils to replenish lost moisture. They can also help you fight off harmful cells and stop blemishes before they start.
9. Sun Protection
Most lotions contain an SPF protector to protect your skin from UV rays, which can cause skin cancer and premature aging. Lotions are also an effective way to hydrate and soothe skin after it’s been exposed to the sun.
To maintain healthy skin, use lotion and sunscreen together. When you use them together, you’re better protected from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays.
10. Smells So Good
Not only does lotion make your skin healthy, but it also makes you smell good. Applying lotion on your skin regularly helps to compliment the scent of your perfume and also makes it last longer.
Ingredients to Look for When Choosing Lotion
Ceramides
Ceramides are glue ingredients that hold the outermost layer of your skin together. They help improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and rough texture, protecting your skin against things like dust and smoke.
These ingredients also prevent excessive water loss from the skin and they may improve elasticity. Examples of ceramides are N-stearoyl sphinganine, N-stearoyl phytosphingosine, and alpha-hydroxy sphingosine.
Humectants
Humectants are substances that help retain moisture in your skin. They work by attracting water molecules to the surface of your skin.
These ingredients are especially good for preventing signs of aging like wrinkles and dryness, as well as for keeping your skin smooth and elastic.
Examples include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, sodium PCA, urea, lactic acid, propylene glycol, sorbitol, or erythritol.
Occlusives
Occlusives seal in moisture by forming a barrier on the surface of the skin. They work well for people with dry or sensitive skin because they block out irritants that might cause a rash or other irritation.
They are also not soluble in water, which means they cannot be washed away with water alone. Some common occlusives include petrolatum (also known as petroleum jelly), butter, lard, glycerin, and lanolin.
SPF
If you live in a sunny climate, you’ll need more than sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30. As you get older, it becomes more important to use a moisturizer that contains sunscreen or an ingredient like zinc oxide.
You should look for one that has at least SPF 15 and is labeled “broad spectrum.” This means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
Vitamins
Vitamins play a vital role in the health and well-being of your skin. While it is important to eat a healthy diet rich in vitamins, it’s also important to make sure your lotion contains vitamins.
You can achieve healthy skin by using lotions that contain vitamins like vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6 that support the integral structure of the skin.
These vitamins can help improve the appearance of your skin by helping with dryness or flaking, fine lines, wrinkles, and even uneven tone.
Ingredients to Avoid When Choosing Lotion
A lotion is an essential part of your skincare routine. But not all lotions are created equal. Avoiding certain ingredients can make a huge difference in how smooth and healthy your skin feels.
Here are the most common ingredients that you want to avoid when picking out a lotion:
Mineral oil
Mineral oil is a petroleum product that clogs pores and interferes with the skin’s ability to breathe. It can also trap bacteria in your pores, leading to breakouts and irritation.
If you have whiteheads or blackheads on your face or body, ensure to read product labels and avoid any lotions that contain mineral oil.
Alcohol
The alcohol in some pricey lotions may give you a temporary boost, but it doesn’t do your skin any favors. Using a lotion that contains alcohol can cause dryness, redness, and irritation on your skin.
Over time, this ingredient can lead to rosacea or even more serious issues like acne and eczema. Instead, look for products that are free from alcohol and other ingredients that can irritate your skin.
Artificial fragrances
Lotions with artificial fragrances are one of the most common skin irritants. The chemicals that make up these fragrances can cause allergic reactions, trigger asthma and skin rashes, and other unwanted effects.
Many people who are sensitive to scents don’t realize they’re reacting to their lotion until it is too late. Always ensure to choose a lotion that doesn’t contain fragrance so as not to aggravate your skin condition or make matters worse in the long run.
Silicones
You’re probably unaware that a great number of lotions contain silicones, which cause premature aging and inhibit the skin’s natural ability to breathe.
Silicones do not get absorbed by the skin and sit on top of it, where they attract dirt and oil. This can cause blackheads and other blemishes to form around the hairline, chin, forehead, and nose.
Steroids
Dermatologists recommend you avoid lotions with steroids. This is because they can make your skin thinner, damage your skin cells, and leave your skin more vulnerable to sunburn or rashes.
It is greatly important to avoid lotions containing steroids if you’re pregnant because they can worsen your skin condition (and even cause stretch marks).
How to Apply Lotion to Your Skin
- Start by cleansing and exfoliating your skin.
- Squeeze a sufficient amount of lotion on your hands and apply it to damp skin.
- Rub the lotion in, using circular strokes to ensure that you are spreading the lotion evenly.
- Repeat until you have covered all areas of your skin with lotion.
Other things to note:
- When applying lotion, ensure you rub it onto the skin. Rubbing the lotion onto the skin helps to increase the absorption rate of the lotion.
- Ensure to apply lotion to all areas of the skin. This includes the hands, feet, arms, legs, neck, etc.
- Use a lotion that is made specifically for your skin type to avoid irritations.
FAQs
Should you put lotion on your skin every day?
Yes, you should. Put lotion on your skin twice a day after cleansing and exfoliating to moisturize your skin and improve the overall appearance of your skin.
Applying lotion on your skin every day will help increase the moisture balance of the skin, which prevents water loss and dryness. It will also help improve the suppleness and elasticity of the skin, thereby preventing fine lines and wrinkles.
How often should you use lotion?
Twice a day. Use lotion twice a day: once in the morning and once in the evening after you bathe or shower, because the skin will be more absorbent at this time.
However, don’t overdo it. People often think they need to apply a thick coat of lotion after bathing because their skin feels so dry, but that’s not true. All you have to do is apply a thin layer to get the full benefits of your lotion.
Can lotion brighten dark spots on the skin?
Yes, it can. A lotion is a skincare product that can help reduce the appearance of dark spots by protecting your skin against chemicals, dust, and other environmental toxins.
Moreover, most lotions contain ingredients like vitamin C, glycolic acid, retinol, and niacinamide which can help reduce melanin production and shed away dead skin cells that form dark spots on the skin.
Conclusion
Being dry is not an option. A lotion is the first line of defense against dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, and other factors that can leave your skin looking dull and damaged.
There are many benefits of using a good quality lotion on your skin. For one, it makes your skin look and feels more radiant and soft. It also helps to prevent cracking and other skin conditions. All you need to do is apply it to your skin daily.
Thanks for reading.
Visit Serum101 to learn more about lotions and other kinds of moisturizers.
