Tip #3: Hold Moisture In

The role of our skin is to separate us from the environment. We are mostly water and the air is relatively dry; our bodies could not function if we lost too much water to the air, so our skin has to be relatively impermeable to water. Also, our cells must be protected from microbes that would be only too happy to multiply inside us. The skin has to be impermeable to spores, bacteria, and more. The upper layer is rich in “lipids”, a mixture of amino acids and derivatives with great binding capacity for water. These metabolites, with the important role of keeping the skin hydrated, are lost with frequent hand washing. Sun damage, detergents and mistreatment can lead the skin to lose its impermeability to water. You can help keep the skin barrier intact by using skin care products containing "chemicals" that will act as supplements. And guess what? You, me, everything on and beyond earth is one big "chemical" reaction.

It always tickle me when some "savvy consumer" walks into my store and demand that I produce a chemical-free product.