If you have oily or acne prone skin, you might assume that you don’t need to use moisturizer. However, moisturizer is an essential part of any skin routine, whether you’re oily, dry or sensitive. In fact, skipping moisturizer due to oily skin may actually be working against you, making your skin more oily!

Oily skin wants to be hydrated

That’s right: It sounds counter-intuitive, but oily skin that’s constantly being dried out by acne-fighting creams and harsh cleansers will begin to overproduce sebum (AKA oil) to rehydrate the skin. A certain amount of sebum is important, but overproduction of this oil is what causes skin to look greasy. The more sebum your body needs to produce to make up for a lack of skin hydration, the greasier your skin will look and feel if you’re prone to oily skin. Using a lightweight moisturizer and serum will keep oil production under control, making your skin appear glowy, not greasy.

Acne and oily skin aren’t treated the same way

You might think you’re treating your acne by using products that are all designed for oily skin, but your acne may not actually be caused by oily skin. There are other reasons you could be breaking out. If you spend a lot of time in the gym using headgear (boxing is a standard culprit for this) or wear a helmet while riding a bike often, you may be breaking out because of your less-than-squeaky-clean headgear. Or you may simply be more prone to acne, which can happen with both oily and dry skin. Look at your overall skin: Is it shiny by the end of the day? That’s a good sign you have oily skin. But even if you have oily skin along with your acne, don’t use acne products all over your face. Use them just on the spots of acne! For the rest of your face, a gentle cleanser, toner and moisturizer is all you need.

Check your moisturizer and skincare ingredients

While oily skin does require moisturizer, not all moisturizers will be ideal for oily skin. Moisturizers that contain oil can clog pores even further, so look for moisturizers that don’t contain oils. These are often referred to as non-comedogenic. The American Boxer’s Everyday Hydrating Face Moisturizer, for instance, is formulated to provide mild hydration that’s suitable for all skin types. It uses squalane, a natural compound that mimics your body’s natural oils. That helps avoid pores feeling clogged. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds also are included in the formula to soothe stressed out skin, and natural lemon peel extract is naturally acne-fighting. Supplement with a serum like The American Boxer’s Anti-Aging Serum, which is packed with hyaluronic acid, which also gently moisturizes without clogging pores.

Make moisturizer part of your routine

As with any routine, a good skincare routine works best when done on a regular basis. Your skin will get used to being cleansed, toned and moisturized in the morning and in the evening, and you’ll notice a difference in your skin if you stick to that standard routine. Try not to skip a day! Think about what happens at the gym: Do a bench press once, and you won’t get stronger. Do it regularly, and you’ll see results.

Sources:

• https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/oily-skin
• https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/causes
• https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/skin-care-routine-for-oily-skin

Do you know where your T-zone is? Or even what your T-zone is? Skincare experts, influencers and bloggers often toss around the phrase ‘T-zone’ as though it’s something everyone knows about. 

If you want to fight the signs of aging, start by throwing out your old skincare products!