The right moisturizer for the job

Last week, we talked about how showers tend to dry out the skin, especially at this time of year. It is recommended that you slather on some moisturizer within three minutes of your shower to prevent the loss of your own natural oils and to protect the skin throughout the day. But what to use? You might be surprised.

There are generally four categories of moisturizers: balms/ointments, oils, creams and lotions. Lotions are the most popular of all the moisturizers. The reason is that they contain alcohol, which keeps them from being too greasy. They absorb easily into the skin and generally leave little to no residue. These lotions are not the best solution for dry skin, however – the alcohol (the ingredient that makes it so popular) counteracts the moisturizing ingredients! Further, many popular lotions today are rated a 5 or above at the EWG’s Skin Deep Database.

Take a hugely popular product, Lubriderm’s Daily Moisture Lotion. Check out this list of ingredients:

WATER, MINERAL OIL, PETROLATUM, SORBITOL SOLUTION, STEARIC ACID, LANOLIN, LANOLIN ALCOHOL, CETYL ALCOHOL, GLYCERYL STEARATE/PEG-100 STEARATE, TRIETHANOLAMINE, DIMETHICONE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX, TRI CITRATE PPG-3 MYRISTYL ETHER, DIMETHICONE EDTA, METHYLPARABEN, ETHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, FRAGRANCE, XANTHAN GUM, BUTYLPARABEN, METHYLDIBROMO GLUTARONITRILE

Are there enough petroleum-based ingredients and parabens in here for ya? LOL! According to the EWG, this product is rated a whopping 7 (out of 10). They list the following as high level concerns: Endocrine disruption, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Contamination concerns.

Lubriderm is not alone in this. Go check out the Skin Deep Database and see where you lotion rates. You might be unpleasantly surprised!

The second most popular moisturizer is the cream. These are very much like lotions in that they absorb very easily and don’t leave a lot of residue. Why? You guessed it – most of these have some form of alcohol in them! These seem to have a lower rating on Skin Deep (lower is good!), but if you look at the ingredients in these products (Eucerin Cream, Neutrogena Hand Cream, etc.), they are, like lotions, made from petroleum-based products and are full of parabens. Not good!

The next category is oils. This is a great way to moisturize, but as you can imagine, many people don’t like to use oils because of the residue. However, this is a far more natural way to moisturize – assuming you are using a pure oil, that is! (Stay away from mineral oil and anything containing it!) My recommendation would be to use sweet almond oil, grape seed oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, etc. You don’t need a lot – a little goes a long way. Rub it into still-damp skin right after your shower.

Copyright: Five Seed

And if you really need some help for super dry skin, the BEST thing you can use is an oil- and wax-based balm. I think many people cringe when they hear this because we’ve been taught that waxes and oils clog our pores. But these are natural products and they know how to interact with our skin – and vice versa. Oils enhance our skin’s natural moisture and wax seals that moisture in, protecting us for hours after application. In my personal line, I use Coconut Vanilla Bean Balm (or the Tonka Balm) as a body moisturizer and for my face, I use Flower Balm in the morning and Flower Elixir at night (to give my skin some “breathing room” while I sleep). I’ve been doing this for two years now and I believe it has truly healed my skin from years of treating it with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.

If you want to make your own, I highly recommend using organic oils and combine them with a semi-solid butter – cocoa butter and shea butter are my favorites. I also recommend beeswax for the skin, though candelilla wax is another favorite of mine and is plant-based for all you vegans out there. If you prefer to buy them, make sure to look for a list of all-natural ingredients. Balms do not need preservatives or petroleum-based products or parabens or any other such nonsense!

Yes, oils and balms leave more of a residue, it’s true. This is why they are the least popular moisturizers despite their efficacy. There is a simple remedy for this, however. First of all, only apply a little at a time. You will find that you do not need nearly as much of these products as you would need of lotions or creams. Secondly, you can use a dry washcloth to blot off the excess. Make sure you give your skin a few minutes to truly absorb the oils/balms before you blot – this will help a lot, as well.

What kinds of moisturizers have you found to work the best on your skin?

Getting to Know Natural Moisturizers

If you have never used natural, homemade moisturizers before, you might be surprised by how different – and how amazing – they are. When you buy a commercial moisturizer from the store, it is filled with preservatives. These preservatives keep commercial moisturizers “fresh” sometimes for years at a time! These moisturizers also typically contain artificial dyes and fragrances, which are suspected of causing a multitude of health problems.

If you visit Skin Deep, you will find that an unsettling amount of moisturizers, lotions, and body powders rate a 7 or higher (meaning “high hazard” to your health). This includes moisturizers by popular companies like Lubriderm, Neutrogena, and Jergens.

The safest thing to do is to ditch all those chemicals and use natural moisturizers. Right now, we offer Orange Cocoa Moisturizer, and you can get a variety of different moisturizers from one of our favorite natural bath and body companies:  Terressentials. What makes them different from commercial brands?

First, natural moisturizers are better for you, plain and simple. They do not include toxic ingredients, they are not filled with preservatives, nor do they negatively affect the earth, as they are not made with petro-chemicals.

These creams and lotions are typically much richer than commercial brands, as well, and yes, a bit greasier. This is because they are made with oils and butters, and they do not contain alcohol (yes, commercial brands often contain alcohol, which seems counter-intuitive to the idea of moisturizing!). You will find that you don’t need much – a little goes a LONG way. If your hands are still a bit greasy after applying, simply rub them onto any exposed skin – your legs, wrists, forearms, elbows, decolletage, and neck are some areas that typically are ignored. Wiping the excess cream from your hands onto these areas will “de-grease” your palms while hydrated the rest of you!

Natural creams and lotions are made from emulsifying water and oil – two ingredients that don’t like to be mixed. Just think of how often you shake your Italian salad dressing before pouring. Because of this, it is very common to find large drops of water forming on the surface of your moisturizer, and to find them forming on your hands when you scoop some out and apply it. This is completely normal and doesn’t affect the quality of your moisturizer in any way. You can drain any excess water from your jar when you find it, if you like, but it is visible proof of the moisturizer’s hydrating capabilities.

Temperature plays a role in natural moisturizers, as well. The ingredients each have different melting points, making them sensitive to temperature changes. Further, there are no stabilizers, thickeners, or any other synthetic ingredients that keep these moisturizers at a fixed level of viscosity. So when it’s warm, your moisturizer will be softer. When it’s cold, it will harden.

Finally, it is important to remember that natural moisturizers have a shorter shelf life. Most stay fresh for about six months. Doesn’t it feel good to apply a moisturizer that hasn’t been sitting on a shelf for a year previous to your purchase?

For some, it takes a while to get used to natural moisturizers. We are so used to instantaneous (and chemically-aided) absorption, synthetic fragrances, and homogenized formulas that it can be a challenge to leave our comfort zone and try something new. But at 5 Seed, we challenge you to take baby steps into “greenifying” your skin care routine. And if you can get softer skin from natural, non-toxic products, then why not give it a try?