The Best Ingredients For A Face Moisturizer

With hundreds of facial moisturizer creams and serums available on the market, it can be difficult to choose the right one. Quickly narrow your choices by scanning the ingredients label on the moisturizer you're considering. Think about why you need a moisturizer, and choose the one with several specific ingredients that will provide the beneficial effects for your skin.

Humectants

Humectants actively moisturize your skin by drawing water from moisture in the air and pulling it to the skin's surface. The Mayo Clinic says humectants are especially helpful for softening and hydrating scaly or thick skin. Common humectant ingredients include glycerin and urea. Glycerin is the most common ingredient in moisturizers, according to the Skin Sciences Institute.

Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids

Alpha hydroxy acids make your skin smoother by increasing exfoliation and skin cell turnover, according to the Skin Sciences Institute. They're beneficial if you want even-toned, smooth facial skin. Example ingredients include glycolic acid and lactic acid. Salicylic acid, a form of beta hydroxy acid, works similarly and can help keep your pores clear.

Emollients

Emollients lubricate your skin and smooth in the area between your skin cells for instantly softer skin, according to the Mayo Clinic. Common emollients include petrolatum, mineral oil and lanolin.

Silicone

Silicone is perfect for facial moisturizers because it makes your skin feel instantly silky smooth, according to cosmetics expert Paula Begoun. It can help fill in wrinkles for a more flawless finish, and can help lend your moisturizer a matte finish.

Retinol

Retinol is one of the best anti-aging ingredients available in over-the-counter facial moisturizers, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Look for it if you wish to minimize the appearance of aging in your skin, including a reduction of fine wrinkles.

Sunscreens

If you plan to wear your facial moisturizer during the day, it should have some level of built-in sunscreen protection. The sun's damaging rays can cause skin discoloration and wrinkles, warns the University of Columbia's Health Services. The university recommends picking a moisturizer with a minimum SPF rating of 15. Example sunscreen ingredients include titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and oxybenzone.