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Your Oily Skin Wants Moisture, Too!
Oct 12 '01 (Updated Oct 24 '02)
The Bottom Line Find out how to moisturize your oily or combination skin, and why you should!
As a person who suffered years of oily skin and acne, and avoided moisturizer until my thirties, moisture-crazed women have always mystified me. I remember thinking, in my twenties, "Why do these women want to smear their skin with creams?" ... I could think of nothing more gross than adding a coat of lotion to my already over-oily face.
Alas, however, as we age and oil production is not quite as rampant, moisturizing becomes desirable, especially in dry climates or during winter months.
You're skin's oil is not the same as "moisture." It's not hydration. You can't water a plant with oil, right? So you can't expect your skin to be hydrated by it's own oil, either. Hydration (moisture) means water, not oil, and all skin benefits from added hydration, since the skin's internal water content tends to evaporate.
Most of us with oilier skin like to wash the oil off thoroughly and daily, so that we are not shiny faced and so that the sebum does not clog pores and attract dirt. Once we wash our face effectively though, the oil is no longer there as a barrier to keep the skin's own natural water content inside. The solution? Moisturizer!
Moisturizer is something we use to hold the skins own water content in place, and add to it. For oily skin, the best choices for that are a gel or a lotion. Creams usually add to much of a good thing to oily skin, and weigh it down. You want hydration, not lubrication.
You'll see, hydrated skin feels better! Skin that is oily but also "surface dry" is tight and uncomfortable. Dried out skin can become irritated and blotchy. Having irritated skin challenges the immune system and makes skin more prone to breakouts, so having well hydrated skin can even help keep it clear.
Moisturizing also gives the skin a glow, helps makeup go on better, plumps up fine lines, and improves the texture of skin! It takes care of any surface flaking. What's not to love about all those benefits?
Here's my "Do and Don't" advice for those with oily skin who've decided they could benefit from some moisture.
DO's :
... Do drink lots of water. It's cheap, and it helps hydrate the skin from the inside. Because the less moisturizer you need to wear on your face to do the job, the better! Too much moisturizer will sit on top of the skin and aggravate acne or clogged pores.
... Do look for a fragrance free product. Fragrance can irritate the skin, which can cause more oil production and acne.
... Do take the words "oil free" and "noncomedogenic" with a grain of salt. There are plenty of pore clogging ingredients out there that aren't called "oil" but that CAN cause problems. And, there are some oils that are fairly innocent.
The word "noncomedogenic" on the label. That word means "won't cause acne," but there are no laws in the cosmetics industry that regulate the use of this term, so just like the words "oil free," it just doesn't mean much.
So what to do if your not a cosmetic chemist? FEEL the product between your fingers... if it's heavy, greasy, sticky, gummy, or super slick, it's probably not the best choice for oily skin.
... Do consider MULTI-FUNCTION PRODUCTS... for the sake of your skin AND your sanity AND your budget. For example, you may want a toner that also has ingredients that exfoliate. Or maybe you want a moisturizer that also has a sun screen, or one that helps control oil. The fewer products layered onto an oily skinned face, the better.
... Do Exfoliate! A nicely exfoliated skin is better able to maintain it's moisture balance, so once in a while, exfoliate with a gentle scrub or some baking soda mixed with a little water.
DONT'S:
... Don't go overboard. Drying out oily skin with harsh products will not stop your oil, and will only add the problems of surface dryness, flaking, and skin irritation to the mix. Some tightness is normal after using cleansers that are effective enough for oily skin, but don't use a cleanser or toner that leaves skin feeling parched. Why make your skin crave more moisture than your poor oil-overwhelmed pores can handle?
Always try to use the gentlest products you can find without sacrificing effectiveness. Unless you are very oily, you may do better in the long run with products designed for "combination" skin, especially if your skin is partly normal or sometimes dry. If you have sensitive skin, this goes double.
... Don't pay a king's ransom. There's no reason to spend $60 on a moisturizer. Truly. Many very good products are available at reasonable prices.
... Don't get moisture crazy. You may not need to moisturize every day, especially in humid climates! Let your skin's response be your guide. If it's not "soaking up" the moisture you're giving it, cut back on the amount or frequency of application.
All over-moisturizing will do is make your oily skin look dull and droopy as the day wears on, and add to the problem of clogged pores and acne.
Every skin, even oily skin, benefits from some added moisture, at least now and then. And if you play it smart, there's no reason your oily skin can't "drink up" along with the rest of them!
Oct 12 '01 (Updated Oct 24 '02)
The Bottom Line Find out how to moisturize your oily or combination skin, and why you should!
As a person who suffered years of oily skin and acne, and avoided moisturizer until my thirties, moisture-crazed women have always mystified me. I remember thinking, in my twenties, "Why do these women want to smear their skin with creams?" ... I could think of nothing more gross than adding a coat of lotion to my already over-oily face.
Alas, however, as we age and oil production is not quite as rampant, moisturizing becomes desirable, especially in dry climates or during winter months.
You're skin's oil is not the same as "moisture." It's not hydration. You can't water a plant with oil, right? So you can't expect your skin to be hydrated by it's own oil, either. Hydration (moisture) means water, not oil, and all skin benefits from added hydration, since the skin's internal water content tends to evaporate.
Most of us with oilier skin like to wash the oil off thoroughly and daily, so that we are not shiny faced and so that the sebum does not clog pores and attract dirt. Once we wash our face effectively though, the oil is no longer there as a barrier to keep the skin's own natural water content inside. The solution? Moisturizer!
Moisturizer is something we use to hold the skins own water content in place, and add to it. For oily skin, the best choices for that are a gel or a lotion. Creams usually add to much of a good thing to oily skin, and weigh it down. You want hydration, not lubrication.
You'll see, hydrated skin feels better! Skin that is oily but also "surface dry" is tight and uncomfortable. Dried out skin can become irritated and blotchy. Having irritated skin challenges the immune system and makes skin more prone to breakouts, so having well hydrated skin can even help keep it clear.
Moisturizing also gives the skin a glow, helps makeup go on better, plumps up fine lines, and improves the texture of skin! It takes care of any surface flaking. What's not to love about all those benefits?
Here's my "Do and Don't" advice for those with oily skin who've decided they could benefit from some moisture.
DO's :
... Do drink lots of water. It's cheap, and it helps hydrate the skin from the inside. Because the less moisturizer you need to wear on your face to do the job, the better! Too much moisturizer will sit on top of the skin and aggravate acne or clogged pores.
... Do look for a fragrance free product. Fragrance can irritate the skin, which can cause more oil production and acne.
... Do take the words "oil free" and "noncomedogenic" with a grain of salt. There are plenty of pore clogging ingredients out there that aren't called "oil" but that CAN cause problems. And, there are some oils that are fairly innocent.
The word "noncomedogenic" on the label. That word means "won't cause acne," but there are no laws in the cosmetics industry that regulate the use of this term, so just like the words "oil free," it just doesn't mean much.
So what to do if your not a cosmetic chemist? FEEL the product between your fingers... if it's heavy, greasy, sticky, gummy, or super slick, it's probably not the best choice for oily skin.
... Do consider MULTI-FUNCTION PRODUCTS... for the sake of your skin AND your sanity AND your budget. For example, you may want a toner that also has ingredients that exfoliate. Or maybe you want a moisturizer that also has a sun screen, or one that helps control oil. The fewer products layered onto an oily skinned face, the better.
... Do Exfoliate! A nicely exfoliated skin is better able to maintain it's moisture balance, so once in a while, exfoliate with a gentle scrub or some baking soda mixed with a little water.
DONT'S:
... Don't go overboard. Drying out oily skin with harsh products will not stop your oil, and will only add the problems of surface dryness, flaking, and skin irritation to the mix. Some tightness is normal after using cleansers that are effective enough for oily skin, but don't use a cleanser or toner that leaves skin feeling parched. Why make your skin crave more moisture than your poor oil-overwhelmed pores can handle?
Always try to use the gentlest products you can find without sacrificing effectiveness. Unless you are very oily, you may do better in the long run with products designed for "combination" skin, especially if your skin is partly normal or sometimes dry. If you have sensitive skin, this goes double.
... Don't pay a king's ransom. There's no reason to spend $60 on a moisturizer. Truly. Many very good products are available at reasonable prices.
... Don't get moisture crazy. You may not need to moisturize every day, especially in humid climates! Let your skin's response be your guide. If it's not "soaking up" the moisture you're giving it, cut back on the amount or frequency of application.
All over-moisturizing will do is make your oily skin look dull and droopy as the day wears on, and add to the problem of clogged pores and acne.
Every skin, even oily skin, benefits from some added moisture, at least now and then. And if you play it smart, there's no reason your oily skin can't "drink up" along with the rest of them!
