How To Manage Oily-Dehydrated Skin

Hiii Beauties ✨

First of all - what is oily-dehydrated skin, and how do you know if you have this skin type? All these years, I always thought I only had oily skin and didn’t have any idea about all the dehydration that was going on beneath the surface of my skin! 😲

Before | After

Oily yet dry, bigger pores, tiny breakouts | Glowy, more plump, evenly hydrated

Contrary to what you may assume, dehydrated skin isn’t necessarily overly dry skin. It can be found in oily, combination, or normal skin types as well. Dehydration is a skin condition that lacks water content , and therefore produces oil to make up for it.

The first couple of signs I noticed were:

• That my base makeup (concealer, BB cream, foundation) wasn’t applying well. It looked dry and caked up on certain areas of my skin.
• I got oily around my T-zone throughout the day but I noticed dry flakes on certain parts as well; for me, those areas were between my eyebrows, in the corners of my nose, and patches on my cheeks.

Trust me! Eliminating a dehydrated skin surface is definitely possible if you curate your skincare routine and use products that will make your skin happily glow again 💧💫

WHAT CAUSES OILY-DEHYDRATED SKIN

These are the most common skin-aggravating culprits that may be causing your skin to be dehydrated, oilier, and breakout more than usual:

• Using drying soaps, harsh scrubs, or being too aggressive with cleansing brushes (especially ones with bristles that are stiff and rough on skin) 🤕
• Applying toners or any other product that contain high amounts of alcohol or other irritating ingredients (think witch hazel, menthol, citruses, eucalyptus).
• Using products that contain high amounts of natural or synthetic fragrances, including fragrant oils.
• Foregoing daily sunscreen use —sun damage plays a significant role in permanently disrupting your skin surface ☀️

HOW TO FIX/BALANCE OILY-DEHYDRATED SKIN

• Do not try to “avoid oiliness” by skipping your moisturising step - make sure to pack on your essences, serums, and moisturiser, especially on the flaky parts of your face! That’s how my skin healed from dehydration over time. Your skin could be overproducing oil to compensate for the lack of moisture in the skin, which is why dehydrated skin can be easily mistaken for oily skin. A gentle yet hydrating moisturiser that I suggest is the Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Lotion.
• I recommend washing your face with a gentle cleanser (Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser) and adding a hyaluronic acid serum (Mizon Original Skin Energy Hyaluronic Acid 100) before moisturiser. This is an extremely effective way to replenish dehydrated skin, and will help retain moisture, keeping your skin soft and pillowy ⛄
• You could also try an overnight mask (Cosrx Ultimate Moisturising Honey Overnight Mask) or keep a hydrating mist (Laneige Cream Skin Refiner Mist) on your bedside to help your skin combat cold and dry weather conditions 🌬
• Lifestyle wise: drink lots of water 💦 and try to have less caffeine and alcohol! 🙅