now that we have learned about some of the best green cleansers and toners, and how to create

natural cosmetic products at home, we are ready to seal the results with the right moisturizer. For
many people, moisturizer is the most important— and most expensive—cosmetic product they own.
When our skin feels unusual, we would rather replace the moisturizer than a cleanser or a toner. Many
of us are on a constant quest for the “holy grail” moisturizer, and when we find one, we tend to stick
to it for years, despite the changes occurring in our skin. This simply doesn’t make sense. Just as your
favorite set of underwear isn’t made to last for five years, the same is true of your moisturizer: your
skin changes as your body does, and not a single skin care product is made to meet the ever-changing
needs of human skin.

Do We Really Need a Moisturizer?

No matter what your skin’s condition is, you need a moisturizer, which today serves more purposes
than simply keeping your skin hydrated. For oily, blemish-prone skin, moisturizers deliver
antibacterial and soothing agents. For mature, wrinkled skin, they add an extra dose of softening and
antioxidant ingredients. All of us benefit from sun-shielding mineral components and antioxidant
enzymes, vitamins, and oils that protect our skin from a less-than-pure environment.

How do moisturizers help? They form a film on your skin that reinforces the barrier ability of the
epidermis, helping to prevent transepidermal water loss. They contain certain ingredients that attract
moisture from the environment, and they contain healing substances that soothe irritations and
neutralize free radicals.

Some moisturizers can actually prevent and reverse wrinkles. Just a few years ago, such a notion
would cause a few eyebrows to skeptically rise, as many experts argued that moisturizers applied to
the top layer of the epidermis do not change the physiology of the skin and do not prevent wrinkles
from forming deep inside. While a simple moisturizer can relax fine lines caused by facial tightness,
many advanced ingredients such as coenzyme Q10 and its synthetic and more potent colleague,
idebenone, as well as certain peptides, plant extracts, and amino acids, can relax wrinkles and even
reverse them. This is especially true when these ingredients are used diligently in effective
concentrations and in conjunction with the meticulous use of sunscreens, a smart diet, and positive
lifestyle changes. Classic components of antiaging moisturizers, such as alpha hydroxy acids and
vitamins, can also help to stave off premature aging.

How Moisturizers Work

Every good moisturizer is made of five ingredient groups: emollients, humectants, emulsifiers,
penetration enhancers, and active ingredients. It’s good to know and understand how these
ingredients work so your expectations of your moisturizer will be reasonable, and the next time you
buy a new hydrating lotion or serum, you’ll be armed with the latest knowledge.

Traditionally, moisturizers were believed to work by slowing down water loss from the epidermis
by locking it in with film-forming agents. Water originates in the deeper skin layers and moves
upward to hydrate cells in the stratum corneum, eventually being lost to evaporation. Every day we