I have oily skin, do I still need a moisturizer?

Yes. Most people who have oily skin or break out prone skin tend to avoid using a moisturizer .

They claim that they don’t need moisturizer because their face produces too much oil.

People who over produce oil depends on several factors.

They are using a cleanser that strips the acid mantle from their skin. The skin is dehydrated so to protect itself from more moisture loss, it produces oil to slow down moisture loss by producing a thicker lipid barrier.

They naturally have over productive sebaceous glands due to:

1. Dry climate
2. Diet
3. Sweating
4. Genetics
5. Hormones

If the person has oily skin AND break outs, that means they have an overgrowth of the bacteria that causes the break outs called Propionibacterium acnes.

If their break outs are red and have pustules, that means it is caused by the bacteria. This means they need to use an acidic cleanser such as one containing Salicylic Acid to help dissolve the sebum and dead skin clogging the pores.

They still need moisturizer that will not clog the pores. A gel based moisturizer or a light moisturizer that does not contain a lot of oils is best since the bacteria feeds of the oils.

A Hyaluronic Acid Serum is recommended because there is nothing that clogs the pores, Hyaluronic Acid is naturally produced by the body as a lubricant for joints, around organs, in the skin, and in the disks in our vertebrae. It also holds 1000 times its weight in water and draws moisture to the skin.

Oily skin can also benefit from a spray toner that will increase the skins ability to hold in moisture. Therefore, producing less oil because the skin has moisture.