It can actually worsen your dry skin. “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.
Even though it might sound counter-productive, it is true! Using too much moisturizer will eventually cause your skin to dry up. Whenever you over-moisturize, your skin's oil production starts to lower.
If you use too much moisturizer, over time it makes your skin lazy, which can encourage your skin to produce less moisture on its own. Over moisturizing signals to your skin that it has enough water, lipids and protein (skin's building blocks) and that it can slow down the production of these important skin nutrients.
'Moisturiser creates a clingfilm-like barrier, which making it feel soft by stopping moisture escaping from its lower layers. But it also blocks the skin's natural repair mechanism. So if you stop using it, your skin feels terribly dry. '
“When you use moisturizer every day, you run the risk of making your skin older, not younger,” he said to Refinery29. “If you apply a lot of moisture, skin will become sensitive, dry, dull, and interfere with natural hydration.”
Your pores are clogged
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.
Many of us suffer from too much sebum (oil), which is an inflammatory agent. Acne and rosacea are two classic oil-related conditions, both of which occur after the onset of puberty with the production of sebum. Moisturising creams can aggravate these conditions, cause an oily appearance of the skin and worsening pores.
The surface of your skin contains oil, along with molecules called natural moisturizing factors. These help protect your skin's natural moisture barrier. Overwashing your skin can lead to dryness since it removes these molecules. If your skin feels tight or irritated after bathing, it may be a sign you're overwashing.
If your skin is dehydrated, you may notice itchiness, dullness, under-eye circles, sunken eyes, and/or more noticeable fine lines. Severely dehydrated skin symptoms may include dizziness, dry mouth, lightheadedness and/or weakness.
Yes, you can (and often should) use lotion every day to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Just make sure that the lotion you use is effectively treating any issues with dry skin and not just temporarily masking a problem.
The formula balls up on your skin
Is there anything more annoying than prepping your skin, only to find the formula balling up and rubbing away as soon as you touch it? If you're finding that this is happening, your moisturiser is probably too heavy for your skin to absorb properly.
Double moisturising can be easily incorporated into your daily skincare routine. Depending on your skin type, you may want to double moisturise as part of your PM routine, or if you suffer from particularly dry skin, doubling up morning and night may be better suited to you.
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 ...
Problem: The lotion doesn't absorb quickly.
This common complaint is usually the result of using too much of a lotion that contains high levels of emollients — ingredients meant to stop water from evaporating from your skin.
Vaseline is a very good moisturizer for dry skin. Applying a layer of Vaseline to dry skin helps lock in moisture. Vaseline is great for treating all the usual dry areas, such as the: heels.
"Heavier lotions and creams can worsen congestion of pores and lead to increased oil production that can exacerbate acne breakouts," Dr. Hartman said. "The label should say oil-free or non-comedogenic to be sure."
“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.
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.
The basics of body lotion
When applying body lotion, give yourself an all-over treatment at least once each day for moisturised, healthy skin. Many people tend to apply lotion on completely dry, cool skin throughout the day, but this is a common mistake and won't give you the very best results!
To combat this overwhelming task, I made a simple list of ingredients to avoid and holy grail products for dehydrated skin. Once you start using the right ingredients and stop using the wrong ones, your skin will go back to normal. Keep in mind though, it takes about two weeks to heal your skin.
While making any long-term changes to your skin takes time, you can start to repair your moisture barrier and notice a serious boost in hydration to the skin in just a few days. In fact, you can change hydration levels in the skin in just 24 hours .
Active ingredients are generally present in higher concentrations to treat specific conditions (acne, eczema, dull skin, rosacea, sensitive skin, you name it). Using two moisturizers that contain different or the same active ingredients increases your chances of irritation, dryness and negative side effects.
Most skincare professionals suggest moisturizing twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. This ensures your skin's moisture will remain constant both throughout the day and while you sleep, so you can always look forward to supple, healthy skin.