The real truth behind cream based moisturisers.

For the truth seekers...

Cream based moisturisers have been around for years - they’re a big part of what’s available on the shelves. Many of us are conditioned to believe that the way to moisturise is with a cream. But what many people don’t know, is this suits the big manufacturers and is not what suits our skin.

 

Creams are a water based formulation, which means they have a water component. Water is cheap for manufacturers to use in formulations, requires preservatives to avoid mould growth, a binder and emulsifier to keep the water bound in the mixture - so it doesn’t separate.

 

All this means that its smart business for large manufacturers - cheaper formulations mean a greater return on the sale of their products.

 

Commercially made creams are designed to coat your skin. The ingredients are bound together, often with a fragrance. People typically buy a product based on the fragrance and the feel of the smooth cream going onto their skin. It becomes a habit, reaching for the moisturiser when your skin is dry, although this is actually adding another layer of coating on your skin - giving you the feel of the cream and the aroma of the fragrance. It all adds up to you using the product and a lot of it.

Also important are the ingredients used in the formulation. We'll save this for another blog as it's a whole other discussion. 

 

Is an expensive cream better than a cheaper cream? Not really. The basic formulation of commercial creams are the same. There may be different ingredients, and the more expensive creams may have a patented ingredient (you’ll see this in the ingredient list with a capital letter and sometimes a trademark after it). It doesn’t mean it’s a 'super' ingredient, but that a lot of money was spent on making it look that way. This adds to the cost of the formulation. Large manufacturers have a greater spend on their packaging, marketing, overheads, and their profit expectation, and this is what costs you. 

 

Basically, buying cream moisturisers from large companies is more about the ‘idea’ of moisturising, than actually doing the right thing by your skin.

 

A natural, pure and organic oil is the best way to moisturise. It has far less human intervention than the commercial products - it's basically just extracted. Jojoba oil is a great example. It has a natural composition that mimics the skin’s own sebum, making it easily absorbed and utilised by the body. Rosehip and even sweet almond oils are other great options.

 

That’s honest skincare.

You can read more about the skincare that looks after your skin in our blogs and if you're looking for Organic Jojoba Oil in our store, you can find it here.