Ever wondered if you need to apply moisturizer on oily skin? The answer is YES. The right moisturizer helps your skin to lock in moisture and nutrients and prevent it from getting greasy, it will leave your skin hydrated and reduce sebum production without clogging pores or causing any acne breakouts. Let’s see how to pick the best moisturizer for oily skin.
What to look for, what to avoid?
When choosing a moisturizer for your skin, the first thing you should do is to read the labels on your skincare products. Look for products labeled with terms like ‘non-comedogenic,’ ‘non-acnegenic,’ ‘doesn’t clog pores,’ or ‘won’t cause breakouts,’ for a start. Then, dig deeper into the ingredients.
Look for:
(1) Ingredients that reduce oil on your skin
Moisturizers that contain active ingredients that help with sebum control, such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, benzoyl peroxide, niacinamide, zinc, retinoids, and sulfur are top picks. Hyaluronic acid is one of the best moisturizer ingredients for oily skin. It can lock in moisture and maintain oil balancing effectively to avoid producing excess sebum.
You should also choose dimethicone instead of petrolatum, which can clog pores. Dimethicone not only mimics oils, but it also leaves skin feeling healthy yet dry after use. These ingredients could prevent the plugging of pores that lead to acne breakouts.
(2) Lightweight Texture
Compared with heavy cream and hydrating gel/ lotion, lightweight gel-based or water-based moisturizers with oil-free formula are more suitable for oily skin. Rich cream may cause clogged pores and acne easily. Leave your oily skin clear and breathable to prevent breakouts and blemishes.
The textures of oil-free moisturizers are lighter than cream. It could be absorbed easily without excess grease. No extra burden for oily, acne-prone and blemish-prone skin. Some oil-free moisturizers have a mattifying formula to keep your skin hydrated while absorbing excess oil.
Avoid:
Moisturizers with alcohol
Moisturizers that contain alcohol could strip the skin of water, which results in the buildup of dead cells and dull-looking. Trying to dry up oily skin can backfire, as this buildup traps oil and leads to breakouts and more oil production.
It is also important to avoid mineral oil, petroleum, and petrolatum in your moisturizer, as they will suffocate oily skin and clog pores. Stay away from ingredients intensive hydrating ingredients like vitamin E, lanolin or natural oils.
SAY YES TO: salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, benzoyl peroxide, niacinamide, zinc, retinoids, sulfur, Hyaluronic acid, dimethicone
SAY NO TO: alcohol, avoid mineral oil, petroleum, petrolatum, vitamin E, lanolin or natural oils.