Body Moisturiser: 9 steps to healthy, hydrated skin

Do you know the importance of proper body hydration? The skin is the largest organ of our body and one of its main functions is to protect us against external agents, such as pollution, bacteria, etc. However, on many occasions, we do not dedicate the necessary time to it nor do we use the products that are most suitable for us.

For this reason, we want you to know what a body moisturiser is and when it is necessary. In this article, we will also explain how to moisturise your body and the different types of creams that exist depending on your skin type.

What is body hydration and when is it necessary?

More than 60% of the composition of the human body is water, hence the great importance of proper body hydration. But, do we know what it consists of? Its definition refers to the sum of actions aimed at keeping the skin hydrated and reducing, as far as possible, water loss.

In this way, it is important to emphasise that it is necessary to moisturise the skin all year round. However, the skin’s needs change according to the time of year. Therefore, cleansing and moisturising the body should be carried out in all seasons, but especially during the warmer or colder months.

In winter, external agents such as the cold and air dry out the skin. It is therefore very important to moisturise the dermis to protect the skin barrier, thus making the skin juicier and more elastic. In summer, on the other hand, body hydration is key, not only because of the heat that makes us lose water from the body but also because of chlorine, seawater and sun exposure.

How is body moisturising done?

Did you know that dehydration can be the reason for looking dry, dull or tight? If you want to achieve healthy, moisturised skin, it is essential to moisturise your body properly and, even more importantly, to be consistent. In short, moisturising your skin should be part of a daily routine that includes the following steps:

1. Stay hydrated from the inside out. If you would like to have healthy skin it is important to start with hydration from the inside, and for this, it is enough to drink between 1.5 and 2 litres of water a day. This is because 20% of our body’s water is stored in our skin.
2. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. The appearance of our skin is directly related to the quality of our diet, which should be composed of proteins, vitamins and fatty acids. In addition to eating healthy, you can also help hydrate your body by incorporating nutritional supplements.
3. Exfoliate the skin. The passage of time and external agents cause dead cells to accumulate on our skin that prevent the correct absorption of hydration. So there is no point in applying creams if we don’t exfoliate the dermis from time to time. How often? It is enough to do it every two weeks, but if you have sensitive skin, it is better to do it more often.
4. Rest. Good rest and restorative sleep are essential to promote collagen production and thus keep the skin hydrated.
5. Showers should be taken with lukewarm water, as heat favours dryness. It is also essential to choose the time of day when you take a shower, as evening showers help to remove the remains of the day’s pollution from the skin. The product you choose must be gentle to avoid modifying the hydrolipidic film.
6. Avoid alcohol and tobacco. If your goal is to look younger with smoother, more hydrated skin, it’s best not to smoke or drink alcoholic beverages. The nicotine in tobacco constricts blood vessels, causing toxins to build up and promoting oxidative stress in the body. Alcohol also decreases oxygen in the blood which leads to a loss of collagen.
7. Practise sport. Exercising is very beneficial for the body, and in particular for the skin, as sweating helps to eliminate toxins from the body and helps to cleanse the pores.
8. Protect yourself from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation is, to a large extent, one of the possible causes of skin cancer. One way to avoid them is to avoid exposure to the sun and use sunscreen.
9. Moisturising ritual. Finally, after all the previous steps, it is essential to moisturise your body. The best moment? Just after bathing with the skin still a little damp and with the right products for your skin type -as we will see later-.

Types of cream according to skin type

As you probably know, there are different types of skin: normal, combination, oily, oily, dry… And, for this reason, they all need to be properly moisturised. For example, just because you have oily skin does not mean that you don’t need to moisturise your body. It just means that each of them should use different textures and active ingredients. Based on this, we can find 4 groups of creams according to the moisturising active ingredients they use:

• Emollients. These creams have two functions: on contact with the skin, they prevent water evaporation and also increase lipids. These moisturisers are often accompanied by a humectant, such as urea.
• Occlusives. This type of moisturiser prevents the skin from suffering water loss by increasing the presence of water. Here we can find Vaseline, paraffin, beeswax, etcetera.
• Moisturisers. In this case, Fthey aim to keep the water reserves in an optimal state and, in this way, the skin looks more supple and facilitates desquamation. These creams contain substances such as urea, glycerine, sorbitol, etc. in their composition.
• Film-forming. Finally, this type of lotion retains water in the dermis and improves the appearance of the skin barrier. These include liposomes, nanoparticles, and so on.

In addition to the active ingredients, you can also choose your cream based on the texture you prefer. For example, Silicium Rosehip Silicium is a light cream that deeply moisturises, brightens and reduces fine lines. You can also find gels, such as Soriaskin 150 ml, ideal for damaged, irritated, itchy skin with a tendency to dryness and flaking, or Silicium G5 Gel 150 ml, which quickly penetrates the skin to moisturise, regenerate and firm with the highest concentration of organic silica on the market. Finally, Silicium Serum & Elixir Essentiel, with an oily texture that promotes skin regeneration and the production of collagen and elastin.

Are you ready to give your skin a good body moisturiser? Now you know what type of cream is best for your skin type and what you can do to keep your skin looking healthy, cared for and free from signs of ageing.