moisturizing matters

Moisturizing is to showering what flossing is to brushing your teeth. It may not FEEL necessary, but it’s seriously good for you and your future self will thank you for it. Moisturizing your body prevents dry skin and it is a good habit to start early and continue doing as you get older. However, as with most things in life, it only works if you do it right.

When should I moisturize?

The best time to moisturize is right after you get out of the shower. Your pores are open and ready to accept moisture, which helps to hydrate your skin better. If you don’t have time to moisturize then, the next best time (or a good second time to do it, if you prefer to moisturize twice a day, you overachievers) is right before bed. That’s because you’re getting into some comfy (hopefully cotton) pajamas and going right to sleep, which gives the moisturizer time to sink in as opposed to being sweat or wiped off while you’re moving around during the day.

What types of products should I use?

The next logical question is, what should I be using to moisturize my skin? Moisturizers come in three levels, from most hydrating to least. The first and most hydrating being ointments, that would include things like Vaseline and Aquaphor (this category is not usually people’s first choice for something to put all over their bodies just because they tend to be greasy). The next level is a cream and below that we have lotions. Lotions are the least hydrating and tend to be more liquidy than creams. It is difficult to know whether you are using a cream or a lotion because some companies use the names interchangeably in their marketing but generally, the thicker the moisturizer the more hydrating it will be for your skin.

No matter what you choose to slather on, moisturizing is something that everyone should start doing as often as they can (that means you too, boys). Your soft skin will thank you later.