Yes! You should moisturize oily skin!
Contrary to popular belief, oily skin still needs to be moisturized too, and provided you get the right moisturizer for your skin type, it can actually be really beneficial for your skin and even improve the condition of your oily skin, and even help to reduce the oiliness of your skin.
Many people think that because their skin is oily, they do not need to add any extra moisture. They may assume that any additional moisturizer that gets added to their skin will make their oiliness worse.
However, this is not always the case.
Oily skin, believe it or not, can actually be caused by a lack of moisture in the skin. If you do not feed your skin enough hydration through moisturizing and cleansing, then the skin will work hard to try to counteract this by making its own form of moisturizer.
What we mean by this is that the skin will produce more of its own natural oils. Every person in the world has natural oils on their skin. This oil is called sebum.
Some people produce lots of sebum, resulting in naturally oily skin, some people don’t produce enough sebum, resulting in naturally dry skin.
Then there are those lucky people who produce the right amount of sebum for their needs.
Sebum production is influenced by the products we use on our skin. With this in mind, it is important to note that sebum production is also influenced by a lack of products on our skin.
What we mean by this is that if you are using too much or too little moisturizing products, your skin’s sebum production will be affected.
So, if you, for whatever reason, do not use a moisturizer, your skin may produce more sebum. This, in turn, will make your skin oily. Of course, this is a catch-22 because you may then think that your skin is too oily and so you will not use a moisturizer for fear that it will worsen the oil production of your skin.
In reality, if you use the right moisturizer for your skin, your skin will stop the overproduction of sebum and the oil on your skin will balance out.
There are a number of different ingredients that you should look out for in a moisturizer that can actually help to balance out this overproduction of sebum. For example, lavender is a great product that is thought to balance out sebum production, and so if you can find a moisturizer that contains that you should give it a try.
You may also find that using niacinamide(aka vitamin B3) will help to reduce sebum production. Choose a moisturizer that contains it, or use it in a serum.
As well as lavender and niacinamide, it is also worth looking for a light moisturizer that does not contain very heavy emollients and oils. For example, avoid moisturizers that list cocoa butter, coconut oil, and other heavy ingredients in them as they can make sebum production worse.
If you are still unsure whether you should moisturize your oily skin, it may be worth speaking to a dermatologist who can take a look at your skin and recommend the perfect skincare routine based on your very specific needs. Remember, everyone’s skin is different and what works for one person won’t work for the other.
Why is my face so oily after moisturizer?
If you have found that your face is still oily after using a moisturizer then the problem may be that the moisturizer you are using is not the correct type for your skin type.
Of course, the aim of a moisturizer is to moisturize your skin, but your skin should never feel oily or greasy afterward. If it does, it is likely to be because the ingredients in that moisturizer are too moisturizing for your skin.
As we mentioned in the previous section of the article, if you have naturally oily skin, then it is because your skin is producing too much sebum.
With this in mind, it is wise to use a moisturizer that has ingredients in there that will counteract this, and even to absorb or soak up the excess oils on your face. These ingredients may include kaolin, lavender (for balancing), and niacinamide.
As well as this, the ideal type of moisturizer for someone with oily skin is a light-based, thin consistency. It should not be packed full of luxurious oils and skincare butter such as cocoa, as these will just sit on top of your skin and will not get absorbed.
There are many moisturizers out there that are specifically designed and marketed towards people with oily skin types. You should try these first if you are using a moisturizer that is making you oilier.
If the issue persists even after changing to a more suitable, oil-free moisturizer, then it may be a good idea to speak to a dermatologist who can help to investigate the issue further.
The reason for this is that sometimes, other things can impact our sebum production such as hormone levels, dehydration, and even our diets. A dermatologist will be able to look into your issues and refer you to the relevant doctor if needed.
What type of moisturizer is good for oily skin?
The best type of moisturizer for oily skin will be a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer that will work to hydrate and soften your skin, whilst also helping to absorb any excess oils. Try to avoid moisturizers with cocoa butter, natural oils, and other very greasy ingredients.
Water-based moisturizers are a great starting point, and you may even want to explore options such as gel moisturizers which will be very lightweight. Consider using hyaluronic acid moisturizers as these will moisturize your skin but will not leave an oily residue as it moisturizes from the inside.
It may also be worth looking for a mattifying moisturizer, perhaps with ingredients such as clay or kaolin which will soak up excess oil.
