When you see someone with oily skin, what’s the first thing you notice? Often, there’s a sheen to that person’s skin that makes it look almost wet. As such, if you didn’t know better, you might assume that, if anything, there’s too much hydration playing its part. Often, however, it’s the opposite, as it can also be a symptom that there’s not enough hydration. As such, oily skin moisturizer is an absolute must.
One of the most prevalent myths in this regard is that you should skip using moisturizer altogether if you have oily skin for fear of making it worse. While it’s not always the case, there is a good chance that skin in this condition is crying out for some hydration.
Why Oil-Prone Skin Often Benefits from Oily Skin Moisturizer
As you might expect, oily skin is typically characterized by the overproduction of sebum, which can be triggered by a lack of hydration. In a bid to provide some balance, the skin then creates more and more oil through the sebaceous glands – leading to an excess. If you’re in this position and you’re getting more and more oil on your skin, the last thing you might feel like you want to do is apply some oily skin moisturizer over the top of it.
However, if you do, you immediately start the process of balancing your skin’s moisture levels. It’s able to give it the hydration it needs without adding extra oil into the equation. That means your skin then ‘realizes’ that it doesn’t need to create so much sebum anymore.
Mattifying Agents Reduce Shine While Hydration is Provided
What also helps is that these moisturizers typically include mattifying agents to control shine and reduce the appearance of excess oil, leaving the skin with a balanced, non-shiny look. Non-comedogenic products like these help to restore the protective barrier while locking in moisture and preventing something known as ‘transepidermal water loss’.
Practically speaking, this results in smoother, and more resilient skin that’s much less prone to irritation. All that you need to do is get over your fear of causing breakouts, as the right product won’t.
Oily Skin is Much Happier When Using Oily Skin Moisturizer
While the wise thing to do when dealing with oily skin might seem to be to skip moisturizer entirely, it’s not a good idea. By not providing any extra hydration, you simply end up exacerbating the problem and cause your skin to create more and more oil. It’s a vicious cycle that will continue until you’ve given the skin what it needs to be healthy and balanced.
So, the next time you feel worried about applying moisturizer to your oily skin, remember this – most often it’s much worse if you don’t. The sooner you start using it, the sooner your skin will be on the road back to health. All skin needs hydration, and as long as the product you use is designed for oily skin, you should see the benefit within days.