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One of the most important steps to caring for your skin is to moisturize daily. Keeping your skin hydrated is essential to fighting against signs of aging, like fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin. The right moisturizers can help the skin to nourish, repair and protect itself against damage. But if you use the wrong face cream, you may risk damaging your skin without realizing.
Which is why you should never use a scented moisturizer or face cream.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Scented Face Creams
Face creams with added fragrances don’t seem like a big deal. Most people believe that the scents simply add a nice aroma, but the truth is that they can add unwanted side effects. We often react poorly with fragrances because the chemicals that provide the scents can aggravate, damage or sensitize the skin. This damage typically happens over time, so most people won’t even realize that their face creams are causing harm.
“Fragrance in skin care means that a smell is added to the product—it can be either synthetic or natural, and is usually a blend of chemicals to impart a particular scent,” says Dr. Purvisha Patel told Well + Good. “Whether natural or synthetic, fragrances can be sensitizers to the skin. Some, if used in higher doses, can cause rashes and irritation, especially in those with sensitive skin.”
What to buy instead: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
If you’re using a scented day cream, you can replace it with an affordable drugstore skincare product like the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. This moisturizer is recommended by dermatologists because it is fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. It uses a unique formula of hyaluronic acid and ceramides to provide intense, 24-hour hydration that truly nourishes the skin.
