We all know that lotion is intended to keep our skin soft, hydrated, and youthful, but are you applying it in a way so that you can maximize its benefits? With so many complicated skincare trends popping up, sometimes we can forget the three foundational steps we should all master if we want to step up our moisturizer routine and really put our products to good use.
The basics to any skincare routine are to wash, exfoliate, and moisturize the skin. Add in a few more variables － shaving, having sensitive skin, ingrown hairs, damaged skin, maybe a sunburn, etc. － and things can get a little, well, complicated. Not only that, but we’ve been practicing these skincare techniques (in some form or another) for years, so it’s natural for these things to become something we just do on autopilot, not giving them much thought as to whether or not we’re really using our products or applying them the correct way.
There’s More to Lotion Than Just Moisturizing
We apply lotion to our skin to hydrate the skin or act as a barrier to prevent dry skin (in its various forms), but we’ve found that many commercial lotions contain ingredients that are actually doing the opposite of that. When we put these ingredients on our bodies, they soak into our skin, heading straight into our bloodstream. Just think about the chemicals our bodies could be harbouring after years of continued use of these products made with toxic ingredients!
Here are a few common toxic ingredients found in commercial lotions:
- DMDM Hydantoin: A formaldehyde-releasing preservative that has been known to cause irritation to the eyes and skin. While DMDM hydantoin isn’t a carcinogen, formaldehyde certainly is. We’re shocked that this ingredient can still be found in many lotions.
- Synthetic Fragrance: The “warm vanilla” scent in your lotion may smell nice, but it’s probably not natural. When the ingredients listed on the back of your lotion contain “fragrance” or “parfum,” you can expect a toxic list of chemicals they’re hiding behind that single word. The scary part is that the ingredients of these fragrances are not required to be disclosed. Often they include phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors and toxic to your organs. These synthetic fragrances can cause respiratory issues, pollute indoor air quality, as well as a myriad of other issues when absorbed into the body. Here at JUSTBLiSS Soap we ONLY use Phthalate free fragrances.
- Parabens: Search for parabens on a label under the names: butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben. These ingredients prevent bacteria and fungus from growing, as preservatives, which sounds fine, right? Well, not exactly because they also disrupt hormones by mimicking estrogen and are linked to breast cancer as well as an abundance of other hormonal issues.
- GMO Oils: Many lotions are made with soybean oil or other oils labeled as “vegetable oils” which can be anything from canola oil to corn oil. All of these oils are potentially genetically modified (and even banned in other parts of the world!
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA): This is a food preservative that disrupts the endocrine system and may also be a human carcinogen.
How to Step Up Your Moisturizing Routine
Thankfully, there’s a better way. Becoming one of our most loved products by those who've tried it, our all-natural Silky Lotions can offer you the results you want with all-natural ingredients your body deserves. Another option is also our top seller Rooibos Tea Body Butters.
Outside of using a handful of natural ingredients, one of our favourite things about our Silky Lotion is the Hemp Oil, Prickly Pear Oil and Colloidal Oatmeal. Hemp oil is rich in fatty acids, which help hydrate and soothe inflamed skin. Prickly pear oil is rich in essential fatty acids, omega-6 and -9, as well as vitamin E. On top of the many anti-aging benefits, Prickly pear is very moisturizing and supports the skin barrier.
But the key to vamping up your moisturizer routine isn’t just using products that contain Hemp Oil, it’s what happens before this step. Here are three ways you can step up your moisturizer routine and get the most use out of our skincare products.
Step 1: Wash
When we wash our skin, we want to remove the dirt, oil, and other impurities on our body and start with a clean base for the next steps to follow. Avoiding super hot showers, limiting your time under the water to avoid drying out the skin, and using a high-quality soap or body wash are all things to remember with this step. But don’t this step get over complicated － opt for quality over quantity with the products you choose.
We might be biased, but our go-to is to grab a bar of our artisan hemp oil soap. Because of the anti-inflammatory properties of hemp seed oil, hemp soaps are often used to alleviate the skin when skin rashes and dryness occurs. This helps with the irritation that occurs with dry skin, as well as itchiness that comes with many skin rashes. Few products have such a powerful moisture barrier effect like hemp oil soap. Plus, a single bar can be used to clean your body, face, and even as a shampoo. What could be better than a multi-purpose product that’s all-natural?
Step 2: Exfoliate
It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman, this step can’t be skipped! Exfoliating the skin allows you to scrub away dead skin cell build-up on the body to reveal fresher, younger-looking skin. You can use a bathroom accessory (we love our All Natural Loofah Bag) or a body scrub, but the key here is to find a product that contains ingredients that are healthy for your skin to ingest. Our collection of Body Scrubs are all made using a handful of all-natural ingredients (cane sugar, hemp oil, glycerine and Vitamin E oil. That's it!) that work with your body as it exchanges dead skin cells for nourishing oils.
To get maximum benefits from our sugar scrub, we suggest turning off the water while you exfoliate so that you can make sure the product stays on your skin versus washing down the drain. Apply in gentle, circular motions taking your time to make sure that every part of your body has been exfoliated.
Step 3: Moisturize
After steps 1 and 2, it’s important that you seal in the moisture from your shower. After your bath or shower, grab your favourite lotions or body butter and apply it to damp skin to lock in that additional hydration before it evaporates. Spend an extra 20 seconds during this step to make sure that the lotion is thoroughly massaged into the skin and give it a few extra minutes to dry before putting on your clothes. Rushing during this process can lead to more lotion ending up on your clothes than on your actual skin.
For those who don’t shower every day, note that it’s still important to moisturize certain parts of your body on a daily basis like as your face, hands, and feet as these are typically areas that are exposed to the elements and can benefit from the added moisture. To not overuse your lotion, consider adding a lotion pump to your bottle for accurate dispensing each time you apply.
When you choose all-natural lotions, you avoid the junk that’s used in commercial lotions and your skin reaps the added benefits:
- Less irritation: Our goat milk lotion doesn’t any chemicals, GMO oils, synthetic fragrances, artificial colors, or fillers which can cause redness, irritation, and breakouts for some.
- Hypoallergenic: Our natural lotion/body butters are hypoallergenic, gentle, and will leave your skin feeling smooth and soft. While some individuals may react to natural ingredients, the numbers are far fewer than those who are allergic or react to synthetic ingredients in commercial lotion.
Key Takeaways
We get it － there are going to be some mornings where it’s all you can do to jump into the shower before racing off to take on the day's events. But, taking time to deliberately implement these three steps into your skincare routine can make a big difference between dry, itchy skin and soft, moisturized and healthy skin. In the long run, thoughtful application and implementation of these steps and their associated products can be worth their weight in gold and actually end up saving you money in the end since you won’t be speeding through your products.
As we said above, don’t let this get over complicated － opt for quality over quantity with the products you choose. Because when it comes to you and your health, you and your skin are worth it.
Back to you: Which of these steps will you be trying out in the future? Join the discussion by leaving a comment below!
