You’ve got a lot on your plate, and there are certain things that just don’t seem to make it onto your radar as important daily priorities. You make time for personal care and a solid skincare routine but applying a body moisturizer every single day is a step that maybe just doesn’t always make the cut. If I asked for a show of hands on how many of you had a container of body lotion or moisturizer, barely touched except when your skin is dry and itchy, chances are I’d see a lot of hands in the air.

When you’re rushed as it is, or just tired, taking the extra few minutes to apply a body moisturizer sometimes feels like a luxury you just can’t afford. Not only do you need to apply it, you also need to give it a little time to properly absorb before getting dressed. It’s only about ten or fifteen minutes out of your life but can seem like an eternity at certain times.

There’s also the question of whether your skin actually needs a body moisturizer at all, and with that question, comes the idea that moisturizing regularly is a waste of both time and money. Is body moisturizer really necessary? The answer is absolutely - if you want healthy, vibrant, and resilient skin. Here are a few of the reasons why.

What Happens When You Don’t Moisturize Your Skin?

Humans survived a long time without the benefit of luxurious moisturizers lining their countertops and vanities. One could argue that through evolutionary changes, our skin has adapted in a way that allows it to stay healthy in our current environment without the need for slathering on a moisturizer every day. To an extent, this is true. The world won’t crumble around you if you don’t use a moisturizer on your skin. However, there are plenty of reasons why you should add this important step to your beauty routine.

For starters, we’re living in environments that are drier. We seem to be in this flux between spending too much time in the dry indoor air, and spending too much time in the sun, without always taking the proper precautions to protect our skin. We’re using harsh products with synthetic ingredients that can strip oils and moisture from our skin. We're exposing ourselves to irritating ingredients that are found in laundry detergent, soaps, and even the furniture we sit on.

You’re essentially surrounded by elements that have the potential to dry out your skin and cause more serious problems as a result. Skin that is dry, irritated, and itchy is more prone to problems than properly moisturized skin. Dry skin is more fragile and susceptible to infections because it’s lacking the important barrier that moisturizer can provide.

When you moisturize regularly, you’re also helping to support all the good things happening in your skin cells that keep your skin healthy, smooth, and youthful looking. As we age, there is a natural breakdown in things like elastin and collagen synthesis. It’s a process that’s unavoidable, but there are steps you can take to slow things down a bit. Skin that is dry and damaged is more likely to show signs of aging earlier, and more drastically, than skin that is properly moisturized.

Benefits of Using a Body Moisturizer

We could go on about how a good quality body moisturizer supports your skin at a cellular level, but what’s really going to provide the proof are all the benefits you can see and feel. Here are just a few:

The Help Your Skin Needs: No matter what your lifestyle or climate you live in, chances are your skin needs at least a little help in looking and feeling its best. When you take the time to pamper yourself with a good quality, natural body moisturizer, you’re providing your skin with the extra help it needs to attract and maintain moisture. As a result, you’re rewarded with skin that is soft, smooth, plump, and youthful looking.

The Perfect Complement to Your Skincare Routine: If you’re someone who takes the time to exfoliate your skin, and makes a point of using natural, nourishing body care products, you’re missing out on optimal benefits if you skip the moisturizing step. By applying a moisturizer as a part of your regular skincare routine, you’re helping all the other components work more effectively.

Prevention Is Key: Dry skin might not be the most pleasant to look at, but the downsides go much further than just skin deep. Dry skin can be painful, it can crack, bleed, and is more prone to infection. The time to get serious isn’t when you first notice the dry patch on your knees or elbows, but when your skin is still in good health so that dry skin has less of a chance of causing problems in the first place. If you’re prone to problems with dry, itchy skin, a good moisturizer is nourishing and provides a protective barrier that leaves your skin smooth and pain free.

A Natural Moisturizer Just Feels and Smells Good: When you pamper your skin with a natural moisturizer, there’s no need for all those fragrances and unnecessary ingredients that can so be harsh on your skin, not to mention your nose. There’s something so perfectly indulgent about applying a body moisturizer formulated with natural ingredients that just leaves you feeling and smelling wonderful.

A Little Research Always Pays Off

You don’t need to be a skincare expert to discover the natural, gentle products that will support your healthy skin. In fact, all you really need is your own intuition, a dedication to choosing the most natural products possible, and a few minutes to devote to learning more about the ingredients found in your favorite skincare products. Making informed choices, like choosing a luxurious, natural body moisturizer is just part of the journey to beautiful skin.