Can you put hand lotion on your face?
What's the difference?
Does it matter?
The skin on our bodies is one massive organ.
In fact – the skin is the largest organ in the body.
Ironically, it is the part of the body that we pay the least attention to.
Aging causes our skin to degenerate in its function.
Care for our other organs takes precedence while our biggest organ suffers from our carelessness.
The body produces natural oil or moisturizer that acts as a protective barrier to prevent the dehydration of the skin. The skin is our first line of defense against external sources. A breach of this barrier helped by unhealthy skin leads to a lot of other health complications.
It is important to choose an appropriate moisturizing agent to combat the irreversible damage our skin faces.
What are some of the advantages of using a moisturizer?
- Prevention of acne and blackheads caused by the buildup of dead skin.
- Prevent and treat redness caused by irritated and dry kin.
- Keep the skin supple and hydrated, resulting in healthy looking skin.
- Prevent itchy skin caused by lack of moisture.
The confusion arises when lotions and creams are sold in many different varieties and containing ingredients that are difficult to understand.
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What's The Difference Between A Cream And A Lotion?
The answer lies in the consistency.
The difference can be compared to the oil you put in your car – you can tell a cream and lotion apart based on the viscosity or thickness of the liquid.
The major factors that determine consistency are the types of oils and butter used in the ingredients. The first distinction to be made is the difference between a lotion and a cream. They both moisturize, but differ in the oil content.
- Creams are high viscosity. They contain a larger percentage of oil content and less water. They're a lot thicker than lotions. Because of the thickness, creams are usually stored in jars. They are too thick to squeeze them out of bottles or pumps. They are suited for dry skin because of the extra protection they offer. The heavier consistency makes them effective as moisturizing agents, especially in winter or in dry climates (when there is less moisture in the air).
- Lotions are low viscosity. They contain a larger percentage of purified water, which means they're thinner. They are easier to spread over a large area and are usually stored in a bottle that you can squeeze or pump. Lotions are lighter and less oily than creams. For this reason, people with normal skin probably only need to use lotion to keep their skin moisturized. These products are effective in summer or humid climate when there is a higher level of moisture in the air.
Lotions are easy to apply and suitable for areas of the body that are covered in hair or any area affected by mild dryness. This makes a lotion a better choice for men when compared to a cream.
Unless your face or body is extremely dry, you probably don't need to use a cream on it, lotion should work just fine. Listed below are the differences between face, hand and body lotions.
Face Moisturizer
Face lotion is lighter than hand and body lotion. The skin on the face is more sensitive than the thicker skin on the hand, which also makes it ineffective to use a face moisturizer on your hand and body.
Using a facial moisturizer for men should be part of your skincare routine. A face moisturizer is easy to apply and will be absorbed by your skin easily.
A man's face is subject to the daily rigors of shaving, a ritual that should be followed up with an appropriate skincare product. Look for a non-greasy face moisturizer that soothes razor irritation, offers some form of SPF protection and helps defend against the signs of aging.
A good face moisturizer should contain ingredients such as:
- Aloe Vera Leaf Juice – nourishes and hydrates your skin
- Shea Butter – a natural anti-inflammatory that soothes, tones and tightens your skin
- Coconut Oil – softens skin and helps it retain moisture
- Kakadu Plum Fruit Extract – rich in Vitamins C and E, folic acid and carotenoids – reduce symptoms of aging, reduces dark circles under the eyes
- ARGIRELINE® – A safer, cheaper, and milder alternative to injections. ARGIRELINE® reduces the depth of wrinkles on your face, especially in the forehead and around your eyes ARGIRELINE® also stimulates collagen production, further helping to keep your skin smooth and wrinkle-free
These ingredients can be found in VITAMAN's natural face moisturizer – which keeps your skin hydrated and prevents fine lines and wrinkles from appearing around your eyes and forehead. Click here and use discount code FACE to get 10% off our natural Face Moisturizer
Hand Moisturizer
The hands are one of the first places to show signs of aging. We tend to wash our hands several times a day, stripping off moisture. Using a hand moisturizer is the best way to keep your hands looking younger and feeling softer.
While you may not want softer hands than your wife or girlfriend and calluses can protect a working man’s hands, the real damage to the skin is from drying and chapping.
Since the skin on our palms and fingers needs oil to stay supple and to prevent it from chafing and cracking, it is sensible to use a hand moisturizer that puts plenty of oil back in. More than you’d want on your face or the rest of your body.
Vitamins A & E keep the skin soft, while nut oils, mild alcohols, and dairy are all good ingredients for hand lotions.
Hand moisturizer is formulated to have a thicker consistency than moisturizing face lotions. The thickness of a hand lotion can clog the pores on the face, leading to blackheads and acne. A face moisturizer will be ineffective as a hand cream as the lightness of the product will hardly useful on the thicker skin layers of the hand.
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Body Moisturizer
Body moisturizer is thicker than hand and face lotions but thinner than hand or face creams.
Your body is covered by clothing. This deters most men from applying a body lotion. Not applying a body lotion is a non-issue if you have naturally healthy skin. Most men, however, endure itchy, sweaty and uncomfortable skin all day.
A good natural men's body moisturizer prevents you from fidgeting and scratching your skin at inappropriate moments. It should contain ingredients such as Jojoba Seed Oil which conditions and moisturizes your skin, as well as Shea Butter which accelerates cell renewal and repairs the hydrolipidic film that retains optimal moisture levels and gives the skin its strength.
Avoid using petroleum-based products like Vaseline. They don't absorb well into the skin, leaving it feeling greasy and potentially clogging the pores.
Can Face, Hand & Body Lotion Be Used Interchangeably?
The short answer is no. But it really depends on skin type.
The formulas used for body, hand and face lotion contain a range of nutrients that are blended specifically for the special needs of the skin on the body, hands or the face.
A face lotion will contain properties that help to leave a smooth and clean complexion while a hand lotion will include nutrients that will help to nourish the dryer rough skin found on your digits.
The skin-tightening properties of a face lotion that give a youthful appearance would not work well with the hands, and could result in scaling or cracking on the dry textured skin around the knuckles and palms.
A hand lotion is likely to leave the skin on your face looking shiny and cause reactions or blocked pores.
While most face lotions contain some sort of SPF (Sun Protection Factor), hand and body lotions are devoid of such safety measures.
So, now you know you can't use hand lotion and face lotion in the same way, but what about hand lotion and body lotion? Since the skin on the body requires a thicker moisturizer, wouldn't a hand lotion do the job just as well?
Hand lotions are usually thicker than body lotions because they have to last several hand washings in a day. They are more difficult to rub into your body, but there are no negative effects of using a hand lotion on your body or vice versa.
Conclusion
Always apply a moisturizer. I strongly recommend you get a natural face moisturizer and a natural body moisturizer for men – avoid artificial ingredients. After all, your skin is a sponge and anything you put on it goes directly into your bloodstream.
Although each moisturizing lotion has a specific purpose, the occasional application might not hurt. Go ahead and use the residue of body lotion to smooth fly away hair on your head.
Use one that is suited to your own skin type. I’d recommend a water-based product for oily skin and an oil-based moisturizer for dry skin. Both should be alcohol-free.
Always choose men’s skincare products made from natural ingredients. Dehydrated skin looks fatigued and aged. Using natural moisturizing products leaves your largest organ looking healthier and more lifted.
Click Here To Watch The Video – What's The Difference Between Body, Hand, & Face Lotion?
Click Here To Watch The Video – How Do Creams & Moisturizers Differ?
Want a full guide to men's skincare?
Click Here To Download This FREE 58-Page eBook – The Ultimate Guide To Men's Skincare
