or "petrolatum, pruning and panic buttons"
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 By James Whittall
MenEssentials President
Published March 2005
There comes a time in every man's life – this is usually around middle age, after that bitchin' Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet has somehow failed to produce lasting spiritual fulfillment – there comes a time when he pauses for a moment to consider the fathomless mysteries of his existence.
Like moisturizer, for instance.
Who among us (present company excluded, naturally) can say he knows how to select the right moisturizer for his skin type? Oh sure, you buy moisturizer. But do you really know how the stuff works and why?
I didn't think so. Put your hand down.
Moisturizer ignorance is fairly rampant, even among women, so don't feel badly if this great enigma of the ages eludes you. I do guarantee, however, that you'll look at your favorite face cream a little differently by the time you're finished with this article.
One final note before we begin. Some readers have told me that they enjoy my articles but are a little embarrassed to be caught reading them, due to the girly nature of some topics.
As a courtesy, we've included panic buttons throughout the body of this piece. Click any button and you'll be whisked away to an undeniably masculine web site.
No one will be the wiser, I promise.
The Stratum What?
To really get "behind the moisturizer," so to speak, you first have to understand a thing or two about the structure of human skin.
Skin is actually composed of layers. The outermost layer of skin is called the stratum corneum. It consists of flat, dead cells that protect the layers of skin beneath it. The stratum corneum sheds all of its cells, completely, every two weeks. It is continually replaced with cells from the stratum germinativu directly below it.
Cells of the stratum corneum contain keratin, a protein that keeps the skin hydrated by preventing water evaporation. These same cells also absorb water to hydrate the skin. This is why your fingers and toes "prune" in the bath. The stratum corneum literally becomes engorged with water and wrinkles like damp cardboard.
So the stratum corneum 1) absorbs moisture and 2) keeps moisture from evaporating to the external environment.
Remember these functions. They are the reason moisturizers exist.
You Say Occlusives, I say Humectants
There are two primary categories of moisturizer: occlusives and humectants. Occlusives contain oil or silicone, which they deposit atop the stratum corneum to keep moisture from evaporating. Humectants are typically oil-free and absorb into the stratum corneum to promote water retention. Broadly speaking, moisturizers enhance the stratum corneum function (absorb moisture/prevent evaporation) to maintain healthy, well-hydrated skin.
Your skin type determines which category of moisturizer you should use:
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Dry Skin
I've often written, both in my articles and on our forum, about the importance of the skin's natural oils. This protective coating of oil (is anyone other than me thinking about French fries right now?) can be stripped away with harsh soap or detergents, or burned off with hot water or sun exposure. When that happens, the stratum corneum loses its ability to retain moisture. It then becomes dehydrated and starts to degrade, affecting the appearance of your skin with ashen tone and fine lines. The natural aging process produces similar results.
For dry or damaged skin, as for any good anti-aging regimen, an oil-infused occlusive moisturizer (or combination of occlusives) is your best option. These include night creams, eye creams, serums, balms, ointments. And, of course, petrolatum (Vaseline®) and lard. Not that you’d want to immerse your face in either.
Mild-to-moderate dry skin is easily remedied with a general-purpose moisturizer. Very dry, aged or damaged skin responds nicely to layered occlusives: twice a day, start with a serum base, apply moisturizer and finish with under-eye cream.
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Oily or Acne-prone Skin
Products with oil make oily skin oilier (say that five times fast, I dare you). They also complicate acne by clogging pores. For oily skin and zits, glycerin-based humectants protect and hydrate without making it look like you dipped your head in a deep fryer.
Humectants include oil-free lotions, aftershave gels, eye gels, and moisturizers that are tested for comedogenicity (a book-learnin' word for zit-causing).
Beware the ingredients, though. Just 'cuz the label says "oil-free" doesn’t necessarily make it so. Oil-free moisturizers can legally contain oil if the emulsion is oil-in-water – that's trace amounts of oil whipped into water to form a mayonnaise-like substance – and not water-in-oil (dessert topping).
Because oily-skinned guys typically don't show their years on their faces, an anti-aging regimen doesn't really become necessary until much later in life. Gauge the appearance of your skin, then decide if it's necessary to break out the serum and other weapons of mass destruction. You might need only to switch from oil-free to a full occlusive moisturizer.
Combination Skin
Swab your "T" zone (forehead, nose, chin) with an oily-skin toner or low-alcohol astringent and follow with oil-free lotion.
Normal Skin
Pick anything, you lucky bugger. You can swing either way.
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A Dollar Saved
In men's skin care, moisturizers for the face lean toward humectants while full body moisturizers for men are almost always occlusives. If you have oily facial skin, don't assume you'll get more mileage out of your grooming dollar by using body lotion on your kisser. The money you save will likely be reinvested in acne cleansers and spot treatments.
Don't also assume that you get what you pay for when it comes to moisturizers. We've all heard the NASA scientist story behind that $250 scar-removing miracle cream. Believe it, if you want. But trust me – it's all just moisturizer, some of it great and some of it less-than-spectacular. That goes for drug store and premium brands alike.
What you choose to spend of your hard-earned cash is entirely up to you. Just be sure you plunk it down on the right product.
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