It makes sense that people make the association between oily skin and acne. Most people experience their first battle with acne during puberty when their skin goes crazy and is oily. That's where most of us get the idea, of the union between the two. However, dry skin gets breakouts too.
Let's go into what a pimple is. A pimple is dead skin cells and bacteria trapped in a pore. With dry skin and oily skin, this works the same, but not. When you have oily skin, bacteria and skin cells get "trapped" in a pore by sebum, the human's oil, blocking the pore, and creating a pimple. When you have dry skin, skin cells get "stuck" together because there isn't enough lubrication from sebum for the skin cells to fall off. So they get stuck in skin pores, mixing with bacteria, blocking a pore, and creating a pimple.
Dry Skin | Oily Skin |
Sticky Skin Cells Get Stuck Together, Mix With Bacteria, And Clog Pores. | Excessive Oil Mixes With Bacteria And Clog Pores. |
So now we know that dry skin can also be prone to breakouts, although it may not be as common as with oily skin. Factors such as hormonal imbalances, environmental factors, and improper skin care can contribute to breakouts in people with dry skin.
Products and skin care routines may exacerbate acne and breakouts in people with dry skin. Especially, when dry skin is treated like oily skin. Oily skin and dry skin can't be treated the same. Dry skin has a lack of sebum and oily skin has an abundance of sebum. The moisturizing products for dry skin, not dehydrated skin, have to have more emollients to protect the skin and rebuild the skin-barrier. The cleaning products should be gentler, meaning they should be less harsh and include moisturizing ingredients. The cleansing products for oily skin, often remove excess oil since there's a surplus of it. The moisturizing products are light such as a light lotion, something gel-based, or a light face oil like our Maracuja Oils.
What's your skin type?
With regards to oil production, when it comes to the skin, there are essentially four main types that exist. These include normal skin, dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin, each with its own unique characteristics and needs.
How to tell if you have dry skin?
If you have dry skin, you may notice symptoms such as tightness, flakiness, and
a dull complexion. Your skin may feel rough to the touch and may be more prone to fine lines and wrinkles. People with dry skin may also experience pain, itching, and cracking, ripping, or bleeding. Pain and itching happen because, without oil, the skin-barrier is broken, so irritants and allergens can enter the skin and cause havoc. The cracking, ripping, and bleeding can happen because oil gives skin elasticity. Without it, the skin lacks the elasticity to stretch, resulting in more wrinkles and a decreased ability to return to its original position without damage.
How to tell if you have oily skin?
If you have oily skin, you may notice symptoms such as excessive shine, enlarged pores, and a tendency for makeup to slide off easily.
Your skin may feel greasy to the touch and may be more prone to blackheads and acne breakouts. People with oily skin may also experience a constant need to blot or powder their face throughout the day.
Dry skin masquerading as oily skin
Dry skin masquerading as oily skin can be a frustrating experience. It often leads to confusion when choosing the right skincare products and routines. However, understanding the unique needs of dry skin and addressing them appropriately can help restore balance and minimize breakouts.
Ways to determine skin type
Drink more water and add more hydration to your environment. After a week or two your skin will respond either positively or neutrally. If it responds positively, you have dehydrated skin, and neutrally means something else is up. Just make sure you don't have the humidifier on 24/7 as it can lead to mold growth and attract bugs.
Look at your skin. When you have a routine for oily skin but you have dry skin sometimes, you will display both. You will have oil sitting on top of flaky skin. When your skin is dry and you make it drier, it goes into over-production of oil. Dry skin is body-wide. Look for ashy-ness. Do you have ashy patches on your body soo after moisturizing?
Cleanse less. Yes, start washing your skin less. If you bath daily switch to every other day. If you wash your face twice a day switch to once a day. If you double cleanse switch to a single cleanse. If you need to wash your face twice a day, switch to an oil cleansing or gentle cleansers.
Switch to a gentle cleanser. Products will claim that they are made for all skin types. However, products for oily skin, strip the skin because oily skin has too much oil. They try to remove everything and that's not necessary for skin, particularly for people with normal or dry skin.
Switch to an emollient-rich moisturizer. Moisturizers come in several forms. There are creams, lotions, gels, serums, and face oils. Throw out the gels. Lotions are lighter than creams but both come in light and heavy versions. Serums and face oils can be used on their own or with the creams and lotions and come in light and heavy versions. You know your skin. Some skin responds to new products within a week and for others, it can take a few weeks. So give your skin adequate time. If your skin is dry, it won't be oily. If your skin is oily, it'll become oilier.
How to know if your skin routine works?
To know if your skin routine is working, pay attention to how your skin feels and looks. If your skin feels balanced, hydrated, and free from excessive oil or dryness, then your routine is likely effective. Additionally, observe if you experience fewer breakouts or skin concerns. Remember, consistency is key, so give your routine enough time to show results before making any changes.
If you notice that your skin is still experiencing excessive oiliness or dryness, it may be time to reassess your routine. Consider consulting with a dermatologist who can provide personalized recommendations based on your specific skin type and concerns. Remember, finding the right skincare routine is a process of trial and error, so don't be discouraged if it takes some time to find what works best for you. Stay patient and consistent, and you'll achieve healthier, more balanced skin in no time.
How Properly moisturized skin prevents breakouts
Dry skin has breakouts because skin cells get stuck together. Everyday your body drops skin cells. With balanced sebum production, they fall off with ease. With dry skin, there isn't enough sebum to allow them to fall off. They get stuck together because they need lubricity to fall off.
Playing with Face Oils and Serums
Dry skin is commonly fought with a combination of emollienancy and hydration. Face oils ideally are all emollient, creams are more emollient than water, lotions are more water than emollient, and serums are water-based with a lot of added actives. Now all of them can have added actives but actives and serums go hand in hand. Serums can have the same actives as what occurs in a cold-process face oil but are more concentrated.
True Hidration's Crafted face oils will work wonderfully with a serum or solo. When you wash your skin, oil is stripped away, and it needs to be replaced. Replace it with plant oils! Plant oils contain everything your sebum has and then some and if you have dry skin, you don't have enough oil to begin with. Supplement it with plant oils!
Crafted Face Oil no.1 is the youthifying power of rosehip and pomegranate oils.
Crafted Face Oil no.3 is the calming power of Kukui and Meadowfoam oils.
Another great option is the Crafted Face Oils 1+3. Buy one for you and one for someone else. Or one for the fall/winter and one of the spring/summer.
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