The myth…
People with oily skin should avoid moisturizers and serums.
The truth…
Those who have oily, acne-prone skin are often told to avoid oil and moisturizers when in fact, doing so will only make matters worse! Let me explain….
Oily skin can also be dehydrated skin!
Confused? Don’t be! Your skin needs a balance of oil and water to be healthy. If your skin feels tight yet greasy, it’s likely that you have dehydrated (while being oily) skin.
Skin that is dehydrated and oily is often caused by a self-induced overproduction of oil. What I mean is the person was originally suffering from dry skin (likely long ago) and their skin started producing extra oil to compensate. Instead of addressing the lack of hydration problem (most people don’t realize that this is the problem), the person instead tries to fix the side effect: the overproduction of oil, by using oil stripping and/or drying products. This only makes the underlying cause (dehydrated skin) worse. Your skin reacts by producing even more oil. Can you see the cycle? It’s one that many people are caught in!
The solution (then and now) is to hydrate the skin, meaning increasing the amount of water it has.
Why is it important to keep your skin hydrated?
In a nutshell – to avoid breakouts!
You see, dehydrated skin that is also oily is prone to clogged pores. The lack of water in the skin causes the oil (sebum – the oil that lubricates our skin) to dry and harden. Mix that with dry flaking skin in and outside pores, and you’ve got the perfect cocktail for an acne breakout.
In many cases, dehydration is the cause of acne!
How do you rehydrate your skin?
Start by introducing a hydrating product into your routine and layering a moisturizer over top. Hydrating products are a great way to increase the water content in your skin, and a moisturizer over top helps to seal in the hydration. Hydrating products include serums, mists, and gels. You can also pick a hydrating product and moisturizer with additional benefits to target multiple concerns at once!
If hydration is your number one concern, go with a hydrating product that has lots of aloe vera in it. Aloe vera has a very high concentration of water and has amazing anti-inflammatory and healing properties. All my hydrating products are packed with aloe plus other beneficial ingredients.
My most popular hydration product is my Hydra Healing Skin Rescue Gel. If dehydrated skin is causing problems for your skin in a big way, go with the gel. Next, for mild to medium dehydration, go with the Hydration Mist. Finally, for the most severe cases of dehydration, check out the Calendula Gentle Gel Hydrator.
Balancing the oil and water ratio in your skin should be one of the aspects you focus on first when looking to achieve clear, healthy skin. Achieving this balance will help your skin to heal itself, reduce any overproduction of oil (sebum) while reducing breakouts.
PSSST: To avoid dehydrating your skin, drink plenty of water (and herbal tea), add a serum to your regular facial routine (and layer a moisturizer over top), and avoid using detergent based cleansers.
How do I know which hydra product to use?
I’m glad you asked! Since everyone is different, I’ve made a handy flowchart to help you narrow down the best hydra product for your skin needs. You’ll find it here.
Want to learn more about the common triggers and causes of acne? No problem! I’ve got the info you need right here.
Until next time,
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