Find the best moisturizer

Best moisturizer and how to find it. The good news is that you can find a product in your price range if you are willing to experiment a bit. Why do you need to experiment? Because despite what the ads say, there is no one product that is perfect for everyone.

So here are 5 tips for finding the product that is best for you.

1. Price is not a good guide to the best moisturizer. As David Goldberg, M.D. saying in his Light Years Younger: the Definitive Guide to Anti-aging Skin Care "...there is no guarantee that a moisturizer that costs $35 or more per ounce is any more effective than one that costs $2 per ounce."
2. Products fall into three main categories: mineral oil based, water based or natural oil bases: A number of skin care specialists suggest avoiding products with mineral oil since this can block your pores and may lead to clogged pores and later skin problems. Also, you need to know that petrolatum is simply a thicker form of mineral oil. So check labels Most natural oil based products use safflower, almond, jojoba or avocado oils. These are light enough to be at least partially absorbed by your body. Most natural oil based products avoid chemicals or include only the most benign of chemicals. Interestingly these products are often less expensive that the mineral oil or petrolatum products. Some skin consultants advise avoiding natural based products that use coconut oil as their base since it is a saturated fat and too heavy for facial use. Lanolin is an oil that is quite like the oils produced by your own body. However, some people are allergic to pure lanolin. Some products contain acetylated lanolin or lanolin alcohol. Many have no problem with these forms of lanolin. The thickener Carbonmet 934 can cause skin irritation though if it is less than 5% of the content, irritation is less likely. The emollient Isopropyl myrstate can be an irritant and sometimes clogs pores.
3. When shopping for the best moisturizer be sure to read the entire ingredient list. Remember that the more chemicals there are in a product, the more likely there will be something that can irritate your skin.
4. Most companies try to sell you their 'large size' or multiple packages. That is a benefit to their 'bottom line'. But when you are trying a product for the first time, if you buy the smallest size you can and try it for 3 - 4 weeks before purchasing a large quantity, you will save money if the product does not agree with your skin.
5. Be prepared to change products after a few years. Many people find a product and after a few months they see that their skin looks and feels better. This lasts for months or even years but then they begin to notice that the signs of dryness reappear. This is not unusually. After awhile many products lose the effectiveness they showed when they were new to your skin. If you want to keep using the best moisturizer for you, you need to be prepared to review effectiveness and look for a new product as your skin changes.

Sources: Anita Guyton. Anti-Wrinkle plan Harper-Collins; David J. Goldberg, M.D. Light Years Younger Capital Books ; Zia Wesley-Hosford, Face Vaule Bantam Books.

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