A recent article in the Daily Mail is one of several discussion articles about Liz Hurley’s skin routine that have been doing the rounds recently. The articles claim that Liz Hurley moisturisers her skin as much as ten times every day. They speculate that this could be the reason for her youthful good looks.
There is a vast difference between moisturisers and ointments used to soothe the dry skin caused by eczema or psoriasis. People with such ailments have impaired barrier function which is why they require the oil-rich lotions that help to soothe the condition. People with genetic skin disorders are,however, in the minority. For the rest, there is little benefit to be had by joining the throngs of people who have taken toover moisturising.
Healthy skin gains no advantage from over moisturising. Itcould, in fact, make your skin look worse than it currently does. It is also not good for the skin cells. We all need healthy skin that is strong and able to function correctly as a barrier. With this in mind, we should help our skin to retain moisture and self-regulate rather than slathering on heaps of rich and oily moisturisers. Over moisturising is a self-indulgence that is not only unnecessary, but it also serves only to smother the skin.
In my experience layering vast amounts of rich moisturisers and other oily substances onto healthy skin serves only to decelerate the skin’s natural ability to shed dead cells. This makes the skin look dull and lacklustre. It also clogs up the pores and may result in breakouts.
Over moisturising causes problems
Unless you have a genetic skin disorder that causes dry and uncomfortable skin, over-moisturising can cause major problems with the skin. If you want to improve your skin the best advice that you can follow is to strengthen your skin and help it to become a healthier barrier.
Studies have shown that retinol and polyhydroxy acids are able to do just this. They help your skin to exfoliate efficiently. This is far better than smothering your skin in sticky moisturisers. The moisturisers keep the dead skin cells in place, leaving your skin looking dull and lacklustre.
Hyaluronic acid is a good alternative to rich moisturisers since it keeps skin moist by storing water in the skin. Whereas some of the heavy moisturisers used by those trying to retain their youthful good looks simply form an oily layer on the skin.
Healthy skin exfoliates naturally, shedding the dead cells that accumulate on the surface of the skin. These cells are known as corneocytes. Rich moisturisers and oils form a sticky layer over the skin preventing the dead cells from dropping off.
Your skin may appear better when first you start to over moisturise as the sticky layer forces the dry and flaky skin down. Because the skin cells can’t come off the dead cell layer will keep getting thicker and thicker. As soon as the moisturiser is fully absorbed your dry and flaky skin will once more emerge. Your skin will gradually get worse as the dead cells build up.
As the layer of dead cells gets thicker and the skin looks duller and dryer, people tend to layer more and more moisturisers onto their skin in the mistaken belief that this will improve the skin’s condition. What they should rather do is to help the skin to shed the dead cells. The application of oils and moisturisers does quite the opposite.
When the exfoliation of dead cells is suppressed, the stem cells in the epidermis receive a signal to produce fewer new cells. By inhibiting the shedding of old cells from the skin surface you are also curbing the healthy regrowth of new cells in the epidermis. The result is dull, unhealthy looking skin.
There are reports that more than half of the women in the UK have problems with dry skin. I don’t believe that this is true. I am of the view that dry skin diagnoses are exaggerated and that this exaggeration has led to an over application of moisturisers and facial oils. This, in turn, has led to various skin problems.
In my view, many of the dry skin problems are the result of dead skin that has become dry and flaky as it has not been shed in the way that it should. A very small portion of the population has true dry skin where the barrier function of the skin has failed to operate as it should.
Treat the underlying problem
Often skin that feels dry can result from something that is totally at odds with dry skin. Skin that feels tight may be inflamed on a micro level. This is common in rosacea skin. If the tightness is caused by inflammation, applying oils or rich moisturisers could make the problem far worse. These products can cause further inflammation in rosacea skin. The inflammation must be treated with the appropriate medication as prescribed by a dermatologist not by deadening the discomfort with skincare products.
Neither rosacea nor acne responds well to oils and heavy moisturisers. These products tend to block the pores and cause breakouts. People with skin that is prone to break into acne should avoid these products even when the skin is dry and feels tight. In these cases, a dermatologist could help to design a skincare routine that will help the skin to self-regulate. These routines often include oral supplements such as collagen and omega 3. These help to regulate skin’s hydration relieving the discomfort without smothering the skin.
Healthy skin can self-regulate
Healthy skin generally does not need a lot of hydration support. If you have been over-moisturising for some time it may take up to three months to return your skin to normal self-regulation. During this time, you may find that your skin looks a little flaky and it may feel dry and dehydrated. This is a temporary situation so stick with it. Your skin will look healthier and more vibrant as you wean it off the heavy moisturising routine to which it has become accustomed.
Join the many people liberating their skin from the heavy-handed use of moisturisers and oils. Allow your skin to breathe and slough off those dull and dead skin cells that are robbing your skin of its lustre. You may be surprised at how much more hydrated your skin feels when you reduce your dependence on moisturisers and facial oils.
