For me, moisturiser is more of a necessity rather than anything else. I need it or else my skin cracks up. It does make one’s skin smoother, so that might then give credence to the ‘healthier’ skin claim. Because trust me, cracked-up skin does not look healthy.

A good moisturizer can do wonders. Trying to treat dry skin from the outside without being healthy won’t work.

It protects the skin from dirt and grime and it keeps it soft and pliable. I can tell you that when I use a moisturizer with glycol in it age spots and freckles disappear. There is a visible difference. It also helps make-up to go on smoother.

@Judi I have a spot and freckle issue… what moisturizer do you use?

I have very dry skin that flakes in some areas. Drinking mass is a tiny bit helpful, but it does nothing compared to slathering on some good moisturizer. I think some claims are pretty far-fetched though. I don’t expect a moisturizer to completely get rid of my crows feet or make my neck look tighter and younger.

@Likeradar DDF Glycolic

@Judi Thanks, might give it a shot.

@Judi ooo good stuff :)

Instead of using a moisturizer or lotion, as soon as I get out of the shower and Im still wet, I lather my ENTIRE body with a dime sized amount of baby oil, then towel dry. My skin feels baby bottom smooth all day.

@kerryyylynn May I suggest switching to a different oil?

@kerryyylynn Do you use it on your face too?

@Facade Yeahhhhno. You can if you want, but I loveeee it.

@Likeradar Not so much for me, but I guess you could.

@kerryyylynn I assume it would make you break out, so I wouldn’t use it on my face.

@kerryyylynn Mineral oil is bad for your skin. Take a trip to your local health food store and check out the oils they have available. You could also use olive oil. It’s cheap and effective :)

Dry skin looks bad and feels bad. If I don’t put lotion on when I get out of the shower or wash my face, it gets veeery dry, even in the summer, and starts to sort of “peel”. It doesn’t peel like a sunburn, but it just is so dry that it kind of flakes off if I touch it. It’s really weird, I hate it, so yes moisterizer does something for me! :)

Thanks for the answers – but I wonder still if everyone above stopped using moisturiser for a couple months would their body then adjust and once again naturally produce it’s protective oils.

This is just a theory but it seems to me that marketing targeted at young girls has them believe that they can have “young looking” skin their entire lives and the way to do that is to moisturise. So the young girls start moisturising everyday and then can’t stop because if they do they have even drier skin compared to when they started…

thoughts?

@btko I think you are right possibly about if we stopped using it our skin would adjust. I was going to say how I really do think your skin gets used to it. Same goes with chap stick. I never used to use it until I bought a tube because I was hiking in Arizona and it was so dry, and since then I use it daily…hourly…every 10 minutes or so, when I can. I’m pretty sure that I’ve just gotten used to it, and if I stopped using it it would probably not even bother me, but whatever, Burts Bees just feels so good.

@deni your chapstick probably had unhealthy oils in it.

@btko, I don’t really moisturize much/at all, and I don’t really have issues with having dry skin. Unless I’m doing dishes or swimming a lot, but that’s expected.

Another thing to consider—some people have naturally more ‘oily’ skin than others. People like that (me, for instance) can usually get away with not using a moisturizer.

But make sure to USE SUNBLOCK!!!! It’s the best anti-aging cream out there. :)

@facade, Burts Bees has lots of good stuff, no bad oils. :) Link
And it’s minty fresh!

@evegrimm I know all about burt’s bees ;)

@Facade Nope! I only ever use Burts Bees. No crap there.

@btko, I have oily skin already. I wear it to protect from sun damage, protect my pores from pollution, to build collegen reduce age spots, and keep my skin soft. It also creates a smooth palet for my make-up.