Do you moisturize your skin every day? If you don’t, you should. Both men and women can find many benefits to using high quality facial moisturizer each day. Moisturizing your face will help you to look and feel younger, you will have softer, more elastic skin, and it will keep your skin hydrated. it doesn’t matter which skin type you have, moisturizing should be a crucial part of your skincare routine. In this article, we will discuss why moisturizer is important for specifically people with oily skin.

If you have oily skin, the thought of slathering moisturizer onto the skin that’s already shiny isn’t very appealing, but before you go running in the opposite direction it’s important to understand just how beneficial the right moisturizer can be for oily skin. In normal and oily skin, external factors such as pollution, UV rays, and excessive cleansing can damage the skin’s moisture barrier, causing loss of moisture and an increase in oil production. Skipping moisturizer altogether and focusing on harsh acids that dry out the skin can cause oil glands to go into overdrive. As a result, your complexion can start to look even more oily. And while moisturizer is a must, it’s best to opt for oil-free, water-based non-comedogenic (read: doesn’t clog pores) and lightweight formulas.

Dermatologists say that just because your skin is oily doesn’t necessarily mean it’s hydrated. To understand this concept, it is important to note that although the words “dry” and “dehydrated” are often used interchangeably, the two indicate very different underlying issues when it comes to your skin. While dry skin lacks sebum (something oily complexions have in abundance), dehydrated skin lacks water. If your skin is oily, it’s probably not dry, but don’t write off that it could be dehydrated. Remember: Hydrated skin is healthy skin.

Oily skin occurs due to overproduction of sebum by the skin’s oil glands,” says Y. Claire Chang, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York. “Sebum is important in keeping the skin barrier hydrated and protected, but when sebum is overproduced, the skin can appear oily, shiny, and greasy,” she says. If you do have oily skin, Dr. Chang tells us that genetics, hormones, and improper skincare might be the reason.

Excess sebum from over-productive sebaceous glands can also easily accumulate and clog the pores, making your skin more prone to whiteheads, blackheads, and acne breakouts. Because of this, people with oily skin need to be cautious when it comes to keeping their skin balanced.

We know it might sound counterintuitive to add more moisture to a complexion that already seems greasy, but if you’re skipping out just because you have oily skin, you may be doing your skin a disservice rather than helping it. So if you’ve been running away from a moisturizer just because you have oily skin, it’s high time you run TOWARDS a good moisturizer to achieve healthy and hydrated skin