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find your dream career! ascpskincare.com/career-toolkits 29 Dewy Epidermis How to select the right moisturizer for your clients' skin type by Mark Lees, PhD Your client says, "My skin is so dry! I need the richest moisturizer you have!" But will the richest moisturizer produce the best result? Why is your client's skin so dry? Is she washing her face with stripping alkaline bar soap? Is she using too many exfoliating agents? Is it seasonal—just during the winter? Or, is it just genetic? Once you've considered the answers to those questions, you'll likely have others when determining which moisturizer is the best for your client. Does your client have mature, poreless skin that is not producing enough protective sebum? Do they have clogged and acne-prone skin with a flaky dehydrated surface? Or, do they have obviously sun-damaged and wrinkled skin with a lack of elasticity? To get answers, let's talk about the types of dryness and get specific about ingredients. TYPES OF DRYNESS In normal skin, sebum coats the outside of the epidermis and is the outermost layer of protection against transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This protection prevents dehydration from the surface of the skin. · Alipidic (oil-dry) skin does not produce enough sebum. Alipidic skin is identified during skin analysis by the lack of visible pores or extremely small pores. This characteristic is reflective of the lack of sebum production and can be genetic or related to skin aging. The lack of protective sebum allows moisture to escape easily from the skin, resulting in dehydration. This skin needs both emollient protection and water moisture. · Dehydration (water-dryness) can occur in dry or oily skin. It can even occur in acne-prone skin. Oily and acne-prone skin produces plenty of sebum, but the skin may become dry due to overuse of drying skin care products or exfoliants, including some acne drugs. The skin may feel tight or appear flaky, but the skin needs water, not oil. In most cases, it overproduces oil. · Sun-damaged and aging skin often suffers from impaired barrier function. The barrier function is a system of lipids (fats) that fill the spaces between epidermal cells. They are sometimes referred to as interstitial lipids or intercellular cement, since they sort of fill the spaces between cells—similar to mortar in a brick wall. These lipids are responsible for keeping moisture in the skin and also blocking irritants from entering the skin. These expertadvice SKIN SOLUTIONS