Swap in good skin for greatness and youve got a saying that applies directly to my life.
This might sound vain and superficial, or maybe even the slightest bit psychotic, but Im not ashamed.
In fact, Im proud.
Stocksy / Design by Dion Mills
I wasnt born with good skin, and sadly, did not have good skin thrust upon me.
But I havent forgotten my pimply, oily days of yore.
you might find some helpful information ahead.
Michela Buttignol/Byrdie
Lets get started, shall we?
Sulfates typically found in foaming agents can dry out the skin.
Different types of sulfates can lead to clogged pores and acne breakouts," Karam points out.
Everyone on the Byrdie team is obsessed with Eve Lom Cleanser and Ive recently seen the light, too.
Theres a difference between having oil in your skin and having moisture in your skin, she told me.
When youre dehydrated, youre lacking moisture and hydration.
When youre dry, youre lacking oil.
Its two separate things.
In other words, even if your skinlooksoily, you could still be dehydrated and lacking moisture.
This means that even oily skin types could benefit from a light moisturizer.
Sun is a big factor in dehydrated skin, so is hard water and aging.
Dry skin, however, feels rough and appears dry and flaky."
So, repeat after me: Moisture is your friend, not your foe.
Then, I tried this miracle product from the U.K. called Medik8 Blemish SOS Rapid Action Target Gel.
This product cleared my forehead breakout overnight, quite literally.
It’s formulated with salicylic acid that unclogs pores, skin-brightening niacinamide, and antibacterialazelaic acid.
Its drying (no surprise), and it can actually weaken your skin over time if used consistently.
Alcohol harms the protective surface and depletes substances for healthy skin.
And, it can stimulate oil production at the base of the pore so you produce more oil."
The ingredients dont lieclever marketing can.
Theyre emulsifiers classified as fatty alcohols that arent harmful and usually derived from coconut or vegetable oils.
When you have oily skin you want the oil gone.
She brings up how oil breaks down oil, so you shouldnt shy away from an oil cleanser.
Dehydrated skin actually tends to overproduce sebum to make it compensate for the lack of moisture.
Despite sounding pretty counterintuitive, using an oil on your skin can actually help balance out oil production.
Oily skin really benefits from lightweight oils like jojoba, argan, and squalane oil.
Environmental Working Group.Sodium laureth sulfate.
Environmental Working Group.Sodium lauryl sulfate.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.7 skin habits that have to stop.
Updated January 9, 2018.
