Anti-Aging Benefits of a Face Moisturizer

Face moisturizers seal in your skin’s natural oils to prevent water loss. They may also include ingredients that address specific skin concerns.

For example, people with oily or acne-prone skin may want a product that contains alpha hydroxy acids (which are also anti-aging). While those with dry skin should look for occlusives like petrolatum and other fatty substances to keep moisture locked in.

Moisture

Face moisturizers are a skin care staple that boost hydration, keep face soft and smooth and create a protective barrier to irritants. The right moisturizer can also offer anti-aging benefits. Consistently moisturizing your skin can help to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.

There are many face moisturizers on the market to suit any skin type or concern. Some have anti-aging ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and peptides to firm and plump skin, while others are formulated with soothing and calming ingredients such as shea butter and chamomile extract. There are even moisturizers formulated for sensitive skin that have been dermatologist tested and clinically proven to be noncomedogenic and won’t cause acne breakouts.

Moisturizers work in two ways: They either trap moisture in the outer layer of your skin, creating a seal or they replenish lost moisture in the outer layers of your skin by using emollients that help soften and smooth the surface of your face. There are four classes of ingredients that moisturizers use: Occlusives like petrolatum help form a protective seal; Humectants such as glycerin pull in water from the deeper levels of your skin or from the air; Emollients such as shea butter and chamomile smooth the surface of your face; and barrier-repair ingredients such as ceramides and polyhydroxy acids (PHA) gluconolactone replace natural fats and help the skin barrier function properly.

Sunscreen

Sunscreens protect skin from UV rays that can cause damage, and moisturizers help keep skin hydrated. Combining the two into one product makes for a super simple face care routine that’s also effective, and this formula from Neutrogena is one of our favorites. The lotion rubs in easily, doesn’t feel greasy or oily, and blends face moisturizer into skin without leaving a white cast or pilling. It also has a nice light scent and blends into skin tones well, making it the best face moisturizer with SPF for all skin types.

Another option we like is La Roche Posay’s Anthelios Cooling Water-Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50, which comes in a tube and has an easy-to-apply applicator for the body. The lotion is a clear gel, so it doesn’t have a white cast like most other physical sunscreens we’ve tried. But, some testers felt it left their faces looking dewy before it dried down.

This moisturizer with SPF contains cerium, which shields skin from blue light, and tiger grass, which helps calm redness. It’s also free of fragrance, sulfates, oxybenzone, and parabens.

A good moisturizing face cream for sensitive skin should contain calming ingredients and be noncomedogenic (won’t clog pores). Boston-based double board-certified dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch recommends looking for hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane. And, if you’re especially prone to clogged pores, try one with pore-clearing ingredients, like salicylic acid.

Antioxidants

While powerhouse anti-agers like retinol and peptides get all the attention, it’s antioxidants that are the unsung heroes of skincare. These supercharged molecules are proven to neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that cause wrinkles, sun damage, and discoloration. And the best face moisturizers can be packed with them.

Antioxidant ingredients are key for maintaining a healthy skin barrier, which keeps out pollution and moisture-sucking dirt, while also keeping your natural oils in place. This helps prevent breakouts, redness and sensitivity. The most effective antioxidants to look for in a moisturizer include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, pomegranate, goji berry and resveratrol.

They also work to stimulate collagen production to minimize fine lines and wrinkles, which is especially important as you age. In addition, many antioxidants—including Vitamin A and Vitamin C—are microencapsulated so they stay stable and effective until they reach your skin. This means they’re more absorbed than ordinary vitamins and less likely to be wasted on your face’s surface.

Another way antioxidants boost your skin is by calming inflammation. They do this by lowering the levels of inflammatory enzymes in your skin, skin care kit which can trigger acne, redness and other skin problems. They can also reduce the appearance of stretch marks and speed up wound healing.

Firming

In the skincare aisle, you’ll often see creams that promise to firm loose skin and tighten crepey neck lines. But here’s the deal: A good moisturizer will make your face feel more taut, but won’t produce results similar to dermal fillers or cosmetic surgery. What happens is that some ingredients like film-forming agents create a sort of instant “tightening” effect on the surface of your skin. Those same ingredients also work to plump your complexion and give it a more lifted appearance, which will smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.

In some cases, ingredients like peptides and botanicals can help boost your skin’s collagen and elastin levels to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time. Other ingredients, like shiitake mushrooms and caffeine, can help to constrict blood vessels and reduce excess fluid in the face, which can further smooth out the skin.

Another ingredient to keep an eye out for is baking soda, which works on the same receptors as Retinol and can be a great natural alternative for people with sensitive skin or who are pregnant or breastfeeding. The key is to look for a product that’s non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog pores.