How To Choose A Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin

It’s a common misconception that drying up your skin is the key to getting rid of acne. Given that sebum can plug the pores and cause comedones to develop, this way of thinking appears to make sense. In fact, a lot of acne treatments purposefully decrease oil production. 

So if the goal is to stop our faces from looking greasy, why do dermatologists recommend moisturizers for acne-prone skin?

How dryness exacerbates acne

Mainstay drugs in acne therapy, including  salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and the entire family of systemic and topical retinoids, cause our skin to dry out and thin out. After years of blotting out oil, using matte make-up, and generally harboring the fear of looking like a greasy pizza, dry skin may be a welcome change, until you realize that dry skin isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (pun intended).

Dry skin skin flakes, cracks, emphasizes lines and wrinkles, strips the skin of natural protection, and in extreme cases, can make it painful to move one’s face.

Aside from that, dryness doesn’t magically make your pimples disappear. In fact, it might make it worse. When your skin is feeling parched, your body attempts to correct the condition by producing way more oil. As if that isn’t enough, anti-acne medication may cause irritation. The more dry your skin is, the more easily irritated it will be. The more irritated it is, the more likely you get pimples.

Dermatologists have also found that when they prescribe products which dry their patient’s skin, the patient is less likely to keep using that product. The discomfort of the side effects are enough to deter them from their regimen. Since it takes time for these products to work, stopping your routine will lead to a new cycle of breakouts.

Moisturizers 101

While one of our goals here is to dispel the mistrust oily people harbor against moisturizers, that isn’t to say that any old moisturizer on the market it will do. Acne-prone skin reacts easily, so you’ll have to find ones that calm your skin done rather than cause it to go berserk.

Understanding how moisturizing ingredients work can help you distinguish which products will work best for your skin.

There are several ways moisturizers keep the skin hydrated.

• Occlusives sit on top of the skin, creating a physical barrier to block the escape of moisture.
• Emollients fill in the space in between dead skin cells to prevent moisture from seeping out.
• Humectants draw moisture from the deeper layers of the skin to the more superficial ones, which are more prone to moisture loss.

An effective moisturizer usually has an occlusive agent, an emollient, and a humectant in its formulation. This way, it covers all the bases.

How to Spot a Acne-Friendly Moisturizer

People with oily skin tend to look for light moisturizers that do the job without leaving the skin feeling greasy. Here are some ways you can narrow down your list.

Be picky with your occlusive agent.

The culprit behind the greasy, heavy-duty moisturizers are usually the occlusive agents. Petrolatum, petrolatum, lanolin, mineral oil, paraffin, and squalene are great for dry-skinned folks, but may feel uncomfortable on those born with overly-diligent sebaceous glands.

If you fall into the latter category, silicones like dimethicone and cyclomethicone are your best friend. Just make sure that they are not combined with other occlusives, otherwise its lightness will cancel out. If you’re in a hurry, just look for the products that are labelled “oil-free” and you’re likely to find a winner.

“Non-comedogenic” is the magic word.

Anything that reads “non-comedogenic” or “does not clog pores” is a winner. This tells you that the formulation does not include ingredients that have been shown to block pores a.k.a. comedones. Minimizing the risk of comedone formation means minimizing the risk of blackheads, whiteheads, and angry pimples later on.

Although this concept isn’t full-proof, it’s easier than memorizing the list of (many) comedogenic ingredients that you should avoid. These labels tell you that the product was made with acne-prone people in mind, so it will most likely be gentle on your sensitive skin.

Look for formulations that have additional benefits.

Some of the ingredients commonly used in moisturizers do more than just keep the skin well-watered. To get more bang for your buck, look for products that include these.

A good example would be hyaluronic acid. Its power as a humectant is well-known, but because the compound makes up a sizable portion of our skin, it’s highly unlikely to trigger an immune reaction. Studies show that hyaluronic acid slowly disappears from the epidermis as we age, so topical application of a moisturizer containing hyaluronic acid not only keeps the skin hydrated, but keeps it looking young and supple down to the cellular level.

Choosing a moisturizer that has multiple benefits allows you to hit two (or more) birds with one stone. Start by assessing what’s lacking in your current skin routine, and familiarizing yourself with powerhouse ingredients that can help fill the gap. From there, you can browse the aisles and read the ingredient lists to narrow down your search.

Consider products with acne-fighting ingredients.

There are moisturizers that include active ingredients that target the causes of acne. Salicylic acid is the most common, but products may also incorporate benzoyl peroxide and retinoids in their formulation--albeit usually in lower concentrations compared to specialized dermatology creams.

It may sound like a good idea to cram in as many anti-acne ingredients as possible into your routine, but you have to make sure that it doesn’t interfere with the other products that you use. Chemical reactions between certain ingredients can weaken the effects of one (at best), or exacerbate the skin-irritating side effects (at worst).

You can stabilize your regimen first for a few months, then try to introduce an acne-fighting moisturizer and see if it helps. Or better yet, consult a dermatologist to streamline your routine.

Conclusion

Moisturizers play an important yet oft-ignored role in acne therapy. Picking the right moisturizer can help you mitigate the side effects of potent anti-acne medication, and improve your skin’s health and appearance.