Are you looking for a moisturizer for your oily skin to stop it from drying out but not make it oilier? There are different kinds of moisturizers and lotions, such as water-based, noncomedogenic, and oil-free, which help retain moisture but prevent the skin from getting oily. (1)
Instead of adding water to your skin, moisturizers have humectants and emollients that hold water in your skin’s outer layer to keep it hydrated. They trap the water by forming a protective coating.
Dry skin produces more oil, resulting in clogged pores and breakouts. However, the right moisturizer will keep your skin from getting dry and irritated. (2) However, choosing the right moisturizer can be the trickiest task if you have oily skin.
Continue reading to identify the best moisturizer for oily skin.
Article Contents
What Kind of Moisturizers Should Be Used for Oily Skin?
The following are the moisturizers that are recommended for oily skin.
1. Noncomedogenic moisturizers
Use a noncomedogenic moisturizer, free from ingredients that clog the pores and cause acne such as mineral oil, coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, lauric acid, linoleic acid, beeswax, stearyl alcohol, and isopropyl palmitate. (3)
Clogged pores cause breakouts, uneven skin tone, and rough skin texture. (4)
Noncomedogenic moisturizers are excellent for oily, acne-prone skin. Dimethicone is a noncomedogenic, hypoallergenic, and non-acnegenic active moisturizer for oily skin following petrolatum. (5)
The benefits of noncomedogenic moisturizers are:
- They reduce acne and keep pores clean.
- They control excessive oiliness in oily skin.
- They don’t strip the skin’s natural moisture.
- They are free from overwhelming fragrance and have a light feel.
- They contain nourishing and soothing ingredients.
2. Water-based gel moisturizers
Water-based moisturizers are made of water and humectants and have a gel-like consistency, making them nongreasy and light on the skin.
Humectants retain and lock water molecules in the skin due to their hygroscopic nature. (6)
Water-based moisturizers are less expensive than oil-based moisturizers and restore the skin’s natural moisture balance, giving a light and refreshing feel. They have the following benefits:
- They control extra sebum production.
- They reduce acne, blackheads, and large pores and help unclog pores, giving you radiant and youthful skin.
- They have an antipruritic property that provides a cooling effect from water evaporation on the skin surface and reduces itch symptoms. (7)
- They provide water-soluble nutrients that are absorbed quickly, such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
3. Oil-free moisturizers
Oil-free means the absence of either mineral oil or vegetable oil. Oil-free moisturizers contain two most common ingredients: dimethicone and glycerin. Cyclomethicone and dimethicone are silicone derivatives used in oil-free moisturizers.
Dimethicone reduces transepidermal water loss without giving a greasy feel and has emollient and occlusive properties. It is hypoallergenic and noncomedogenic, making it suitable for acne-prone or sensitive skin.
Cyclomethicone has properties similar to dimethicone and is also a thicker silicone. (8) Silicone products are labeled oil-free.
4. Oil-control moisturizers
Oil-control moisturizers treat facial oiliness to keep the skin supple without an oily shine.
In a 2016 research, the volunteers were asked to apply oil-control moisturizers on the face in circular motions once daily for 2 weeks. No adverse effects were observed, deeming oil-control moisturizers beneficial in controlling the skin’s excessive oiliness. (9)
5. Lightweight moisturizers
As the name suggests, lightweight moisturizers are lightweight, absorbed quickly, and easily spreadable.
They prevent further breakouts and buildup due to their quick absorption and nongreasy nature.
6. SPF moisturizers to block UV rays
SPF 30 moisturizers have sebum-absorbent ingredients beneficial for oily skin. They mainly target areas affected by sebum, such as the central face and forehead.
In a clinical study of 91 patients, around 85% of them reported that an SPF 30 moisturizer helped them tolerate acne treatment. (10)
Note: SPF 30 moisturizers offer protection until your skin is exposed to 30 times more powerful UVB radiation that can burn unprotected skin. (11)
What Are the Signs of Overmoisturizing?
The following are the signs of overmoisturizing:
- Breakouts
- Clogged pores
- Oil overproduction
- The buildup of dead skin cells
- Bumps
How to Moisturize Oily Skin?
Moisturization is crucial for oily skin, just as much for dry skin. Here are some ways to moisturize oily skin:
Using Moisturizer
Follow these steps to moisturize oily skin:
- Cleanse your face and gently apply the moisturizer with your fingers.
- Moisturize your cheeks with smooth outward strokes.
- Use delicate strokes around the eyes.
- Use gentle, upward motion on your neck and forehead.
Natural Way to Moisturize Oily Skin
You can moisturize your oily skin naturally using rose petals. According to research, rose petal extracts have anti-inflammatory properties on the skin. (12) Rose petals and rose water have astringent and toning results on the skin. (13)
How to use:
- In a saucepan, boil rose water and rose petals.
- Strain the solution after it has cooled down.
- Add aloe vera gel and refrigerate the mixture.
- Apply it to your face and leave it.
- You can do this daily, at night, before sleeping.
General Queries
What to do if the greasy sensation persists after using oily skin-friendly moisturizer?
If the greasy sensation persists on the skin even after using water-based, lightweight moisturizers, follow these tips:
· Gently pat your skin while moisturizing instead of rubbing it.
· Layer skin care products in the proper sequence.
· Before moisturizing, gently exfoliate to discard dirt.
What should people with oily skin avoid when looking for moisturizers?
Avoid thick creams and ingredients such as mineral oil if your skin is oily.
Final Word
Moisturizing your skin offers a plethora of benefits. If you have oily skin, choosing the right moisturizer that is noncomedogenic, oil-free, lightweight, and water-based and has SPF 30 will help control the oiliness and make your skin healthy.
Therefore, never leave the house without moisturizing your skin and see your skin transform into a young-looking, soft, healthy skin.
References
- Purnamawati, S., Indrastuti, N., Danarti, R., & Saefudin, T. (2017, December). The role of moisturizers in addressing various kinds of dermatitis: A review. Clinical medicine & research. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5849435/.
- Moisturizer: Why you may need it if you have acne. American Academy of Dermatology. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/skin-care/moisturizer.
- Sethi A, Kaur T, Malhotra SK, Gambhir ML. Moisturizers: The slippery road. Indian journal of dermatology. 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4885180/.
- Skin care for acne-prone skin – informedhealth.org – NCBI bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279208/.
- Microsoft. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/download-files-from-the-web-abb92c09-af3a-bd99-d279-a89848b54b0b.
- Humectant. Humectant – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/humectant.
- (PDF) the role of moisturizers in addressing various kinds of … https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321795051/.
- Chularojanamontri L, Tuchinda P, Kulthanan K, Pongparit K. Moisturizers for acne: What are their constituents? The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology. May 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4025519/.
- An open label clinical study to evaluate the dermal safety and post … https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309634553/.
- Del Rosso JQ. The role of skin care as an integral component in the management of Acne Vulgaris: Part 1: The importance of cleanser and moisturizer ingredients, design, and product selection. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology. December 2013. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997205/.
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Sunscreen: How to help protect your skin from the sun. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun.
- Lee M-H, Nam TG, Lee I, et al. Skin anti-inflammatory activity of Rose petal extract (rosa gallica) through reduction of MAPK signaling pathway. Food science & nutrition. October 25, 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6261181/.
- Pre-feasibility study – amis. http://amis.pk/files/PrefeasibilityStudies/Rose%20Water%20Extraction%20Unit%20Rs.%204.0%20million%20Apr-2018.pdf.