If you over-moisturize, the leftover moisturizer just sits on your face. With nowhere to go, this extra moisturizer will eventually fill up the pores on your skin and clog them, resulting in the production of acne, whiteheads, and blackheads.
You should absolutely moisturize your skin even if you have active acne. It's an absolute myth that moisturizing your face will worsen your acne. In fact, moisturizers are necessary to keep acne-prone skin as relaxed as possible.
Moisturisers can also stick dead cells to the skin's surface, she claims, and the oils can clog pores, contributing to acne and rosacea.
Not sure if you're over-moisturizing? Dr. Garshick says the most immediate signs are clogged pores, blackheads, and excess oil production. She advises moisturizing no more than two times a day, using a product formulated for your skin type.
Cerave Moisturizing Lotion
The combination of ingredients like polyglyceryl-3-diisostearate and cetyl alcohol both can contribute to some pretty serious breakouts. As well propylparaben, shown further down on the extensive ingredients list, is ranked at 7 out of a scale of 9 in regards to safety.
And because CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizer is non-comedogenic and won't clog pores, it's ideal for all skin types.
Clogged pores are the most immediate sign of over moisturising. Too much moisturiser or heavy formulations can clog your pores, because of which you end up with blackheads and whiteheads.
Feel the texture. Even if you're not looking into the specifics of comedogenic ratings, you can tell a lot by a product's texture. "Thick creams and heavy oils tend to clog pores," says Akram. "Water-based and gel products tend to be safer for skin that's prone to congestion." An easy thing to remember, according to Dr ...
If you're experiencing breakouts, look for lightweight moisturizers, serums or gels that are water-based rather than oil-based. "Heavier lotions and creams can worsen congestion of pores and lead to increased oil production that can exacerbate acne breakouts," Dr. Hartman said.
Sometimes moisturizers are too heavy or have ingredients that can irritate your skin and make your acne worse. To guard against that, simply look for bottles of moisturizer that say they are: Oil-free. Non-comedogenic.
Also your product should last you a few months not a few weeks — running through product quickly indicates you might be using too much of it. Some signs you may be over-moisturizing are clogged pores, blackheads, bumpy skin and excess oil.
"When the skin is dry, it can be more irritated and make acne look and appear worse," explains Rachel Nazarian, MD, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist. "With acne, the issue is inflammation in the skin—most acne responds better and improves when you calm it down. Therefore, moisturizing is helpful."
“By over-moisturizing, you can cause the skin barrier function to weaken and risk clogging pores,” explains Sobel. Add those together and you get both dry skin and body acne — the allover equivalent of combination skin.
As the back of the bottle says, you should always apply moisturizer to clean skin—and for maximum results, shortly after cleansing, before your skin is totally dry. Moisturizers are most effective if you use them while your skin is still damp because damp skin absorbs the product more readily.
Clogged pores can look enlarged, bumpy, or, in the case of blackheads, dark in color. The more oil that a person's skin produces, the more likely it is that their pores will become blocked. A person can use skin care techniques and products to manage or clear clogged pores.
Squalane for acne or oily skin
Despite being an oil, it's lightweight and noncomedogenic, meaning it won't clog your pores. It does penetrate pores and improve skin at the cellular level, but it doesn't feel heavy on the skin.
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
It's a soap-free cleanser, which means that it isn't made with the fats that can strip or irritate sensitive skin, and cleans using other synthetic cleansers. It's also fragrance-free, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, so it won't clog your pores.
“When the imbalance of water, lipids, and proteins is altered using moisturisers, the skin's ability to act as a strong barrier to protect our inner organs will be weakened,” he explains.
Dry and shiny skin
“If you use a moisturizer after cleansing, you can 'trick' the skin into believing it has the right amount of oil so it does not overproduce,” says Charles.
Generally speaking, moisturizer is believed to be good for your skin by acting as a protective barrier, but if overused, your skin could rely on the moisturizer and not properly exfoliate on its own or produce as many natural lipids and proteins, according to Obagi.
That's why CeraVe recommends a gentle and non-irritating cleanser with benzoyl peroxide, like CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser. This foaming cleanser helps clear up whiteheads, blackheads, and acne pimples, and helps prevent new acne blemishes from forming.
If you have sensitive skin or conditions like rosacea/eczema/psoriasis, this cleanser will sting your skin and /or cause a rash or acne in the very first week. If you have normal skin, it will eventually sensitive your skin and it will thereafter start reacting to PG.
Cetaphil Moisturizer is described as a non-comedogenic product. Non-comedogenic means it is made using ingredients that won't clog pores. However, certain individuals with acne-prone skin have still experienced clogged pores and acne breakouts after using Cetaphil.