Moisturizers

Every skin type needs moisturiser, including oily skin — and especially oily skin that has been stripped by a harsh cleanser. What changes with skin type is not whether you moisturise but the weight of what you use.

Gel, lotion or cream

A gel is water-based, disappears in seconds and suits oily skin and Dhaka's humid months. A lotion is the middle ground, and works for combination skin all year. A cream is richer, holds water in for longer, and is what dry skin needs — and what most skin needs in an air-conditioned office, which is a drier environment than the street outside. Many people here sensibly use two: a gel through the monsoon and a cream through winter.

The ingredients that do the work

Moisturisers work in three ways at once. Humectants — glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol — pull water into the skin. Emollients such as squalane and ceramides smooth the surface and repair the barrier. Occlusives, including petrolatum and dimethicone, slow the water escaping. A well-built moisturiser contains all three; a product that is only humectant can leave skin feeling drier in dry air, because there is nothing holding the water in.

For acne-prone skin

Look for "non-comedogenic" and "oil-free", and treat niacinamide or ceramides as a bonus rather than a gimmick — barrier repair is what makes an acne treatment tolerable. If you are using retinol, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, moisturiser is not optional: it is what keeps you able to continue.

When to apply it

On slightly damp skin, within a minute of cleansing or applying a toner, while there is still water at the surface to trap. Morning and night. In the morning, sunscreen goes on top of it — and if your sunscreen is already hydrating, that can be the whole of your morning routine.

The winter adjustment

December and January in Bangladesh are drier than people expect, and dry air plus indoor heating or air conditioning is what causes the sudden flaking most routines meet once a year. Swapping a gel for a cream for two months solves it more reliably than adding another treatment step.