In our quest for healthy skin, many of us tend to spend months, if not years, finding the perfect harmony of cleansers, serums, and essences. We take deep care in selecting the right serums and cleansers, dedication we abandon when it comes to the final step of moisturizing. In reality, moisturizers are actually the underdogs of our skincare routine. Using moisturizers that aren’t right for your skin type can completely throw any skincare progress out the window. To guide you in the right direction amongst the plethora of moisturizers on the market, we’re suggesting what kind of moisturizers are most suited for your skin type.

Oily and Acne-prone Skin

I’m sure by now we’re all familiar with the myth that oily skin doesn’t need moisturizer, and how it’s just that…a myth. Your skin needs to be properly hydrated in order to function as an organ, and how much oil it produces is not an indicator of how well hydrated it is. In fact, moisturizing is quite an essential step for those with oily and acne-prone skin. By keeping your skin well hydrated, you can regulate oil production. This prevents excessive oil production, which not only reduces oiliness, it also prevents clogged pores, which lead to acne and blackheads. The key is to deliver hydration to your skin while avoiding heavy creams that smother your skin. Lightweight gel moisturizers, like Clinique’s Moisture Surge 72 Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator as well as Erborian’s Bamboo Waterlock, contain non-comedogenic ingredients that don’t block pores and give you the boost of moisture you need!

Combination Skin

As someone with this skin type, I can vouch for the fact that combination skin is definitely a challenge. Aside from the fact that you can have both oily and dry sections on your face, your skin type can reach oily and dry extremes in the span of a week. This is why finding a product that tackles both intense hydration and regulating oil production in one go is important. Basically what I’m trying to say is that balance is key. Since combination skin is a combination of both dry and oily, it is also susceptible to more skin issues like dullness and acne, which is why it is also essential to find moisturizers that cater to these issues and work on calming and maintaining healthy function in the skin. Moisturizers like COSRx’s Oil-Free Ultra Moisturizing Lotion and Missha’s Super Aqua Ultra Water-Full Clear Cream contain ingredients like birch sap, baobab tree extracts, and camelia extract to soothe skin and ensure maximum moisture retention.

Sensitive Skin

For those with sensitive skin, avoiding harsh ingredients in your moisturizers is key. Almost anything can trigger and affect sensitive skin, which is why those with this skin type need to put extra care into picking their moisturizers. Products with minimal ingredients that aim at soothing and hydrating are incredibly important. Moisturizers like Etude House’s SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream and Klairs’s Midnight Blue Calming Cream contain centella, shea butter, and camelia extract which work to alleviate redness and irritation and soothe and hydrate the skin. Etude House’s Soonjung line in fact is perfect for sensitive skin with their minimal ingredients and low pH.

Dry Skin

While moisturizer is a must regardless of skin type, for dry skin it's a lifesaver. This not just refers to those who naturally have dry skin, but also to people who live in dry climates or are exposed to air conditioning and heat a lot. Dry skin, more than any other skin type, gets incredibly thirsty and laps any hint of hydration up in an instant, which is why when it comes to this skin type, it's time to pull out the big guns. Unlike the aforementioned skin types, dry skin can take rich creams and oils. Dense creams like Acwell’s Betaglution Ultra Moisture Cream and Klavuu’s Blue Pearlsation Marine Aqua Enriched Cream contain ingredients like cocoa and shea butter that provide ultimate hydration, eventually helping to tone and rejuvenate the skin. As you grow older, your skin naturally loses more moisture and tends to become dry, form fine lines, and generally look dull. In this case Klavuu’s enriched cream also contains collagen and pearl extract which help prevent fine lines and brighten your skin.

So really, it's all about having an idea of what your skin type is and keeping to a tailored routine that gives your skin the slight boost it needs to do its job! Browse through Sokoglam’s skincare products based on skin type here!