"Nature gives you the face you have at twenty. Life shapes the face you have at thirty. But at fifty you get the face you deserve." Coco Chanel
The three pillars to a good skincare routine are to cleanse, tone and moisturise. Using a day cream provides essential nourishment and hydration, while effectively sealing your skin before it is exposed to external elements throughout the rest of the day. Moisturising is the step where you can really indulge and begin to layer your products. To learn more about the benefits of having a targeted AM moisturiser and to see which ones made it into our #SkinFood favourites, keep reading below.
Key Benefits of Day Creams
Hydration
The skin on our face is thinner in comparison with the skin on the rest of our body. Additionally, it goes through daily stress due to being exposed to UVA and UVB rays, HEV light from screens, pollution, changes in temperature and other external aggressors. The outcome of this repeated exposure is that our skin loses its natural moisture and ultimately, elasticity. Therefore, your day cream forms a crucial part of your skincare routine to prevent the depletion of hydration in your skin throughout the day. Introducing this step into your routine will also serve to minimise the development of fine lines and wrinkles over time.
Those with acne-prone skin often worry that, over-hydrating the skin will cause further breakouts. As facialist Charlotte Lawlor mentioned in our Q & A , depleting your skin of moisture actually sends a message to your glands to over-produce sebum, exacerbating your acne long term. Hence, don't skip this step! It could help to regulate your sebum production and balance out your skin long term.
Protection
Your hydrolipidic film is a protective layer that covers your entire body and it sits on the surface of your skin. It is composed of mainly water and sebum and is responsible for defending our skin from bacteria, acting as a crucial barrier and buffer against external aggressors. Our moisturiser, which sits right on top of this layer, critically helps to seal, protect and lock the moisture contained within this film, sustaining its optimal function.
Radiance
#SkinFood fact: radiance and dewiness are sustained by long lasting moisture and hydration. By implementing the correct steps into your routine and moisturising, you can unlock your skin's natural lustre, maximising its radiance and keeping dullness and dehydration at bay. Many day creams are now being formulated with additional antioxidants to counter-act the effect of environmental stressors. These additional ingredients not only help to combat cellular damage, they also encourage a brighter more luminous complexion.
*Things to Note*
Moisturising is typically made up of two steps. After cleansing and toning, your skin is primed and is ready for you to apply your serum which should contain active ingredients, as serums are more of a concentrate for the skin. We recommend using Vitamin C as your day serum and Retinol at night. On top of your serum is where you would layer either a day cream or a night cream. The difference between a day cream and a night cream is often their consistencies. A night cream tends to be heavier and richer as invariably you will be sleeping with it and your skin will need to be supplemented with additional hydration overnight. Day creams, on the other hand, tend to be on the thinner side, often containing additional SPF protection, targeted moisture retaining ingredients and a cocktail of antioxidants.
See below to check out our #SkinFood favourite products!
Sarah Chapman - Dynamic Daily Defense SPF 15
It's hard to choose a definitive favourite between our three #SkinFood favourite day creams as each of them performs beautifully and serves its purpose. If you are after a thinner consistency Sarah Chapman's Dynamic Daily Defense is an excellent option. This lightweight moisturiser includes powerful antioxidants and additional SPF which prevent the loss of hydration and keeps your skin looking perfectly nourished and radiant throughout the day.
Dr Hauschka - Rose Day Cream
Dr Hauschka's Rose Day Cream is somewhat of a cult classic. It's blend of rose and avocado oil and other naturally derived ingredients help to nourish and hydrate the skin leaving it well fed and glowing. This is a perfect option if your skin tends to run on the dry side or if it is sensitive. (There is also a light formulation of this available for those of you that prefer a slightly thinner formula derived from natural ingredients).
Sunday Riley - Tidal
Tidal by Sunday Riley contains two different types of hyaluronic acid (a substance already present in our bodies which is crucial for retaining moisture in our skin and joints) alongside papaya enzymes. Whilst the texture of this is more gel like, its combination of ingredients help to flood the skin with hydration whilst giving it a brighter appearance.
Comments