I have Oily Skin, do I need to use Moisturizer?

The biggest mistake someone with oily skin can make is not to use moisturizer!  That is because the cebaceous glands tend to overproduce oil to compensate for the lack of moisture.  Your skin will continue to look oilier every time you don't add moisturizer.  The main reason is that skin is hydrated primarily from the outside rather than the inside. 

The key to well balanced skin is finding the right moisturizer.  There are oil-free moisturizers perfectly suitable for oily skin.  Getting the right moisturizer is key.  The role of any skincare routine is to make your skin look balanced (not dry, not oily, but more radiant).

Moisturizers for oily skin tend to feel really light weight and seem to vanish quickly after application.  If the moisturizer is feeling heavy, it is likely the wrong kind for your skin.  Now, if what you are looking is to prevent wrinkles, the best anti-wrinkle ingredients are sunscreen, retinol, glycolic acid, peptides, and acetyl glucosamine.

Another mistake I see people with oily skin make is they over-wash their face.  They think that washing four-times per day will get rid of the oil.  Overwashing disrupts the skin's delicate moisture balance, leading to irritation, sensitivity and potential flare-ups of conditions such as eczema.  Skin can produce more oil following over-cleansing, creating a vicious cycle of excessive oil production.

In addition to a harsh cleanser stripping skin of the lipid barrier that keeps skin balanced, water itself is actually very drying because it draws moisture out of the skin.  I recommend using a cleanser that is right for your skin once or twice a day maximum and then rinsing with warm water to avoid stripping skin of its natural moisturizing factors.

Some great mk moisturizers for oily skin are the Botanical Effects Formula 3, Velocity Moisturizer and the Timewise Moisturizer for combination/oily skin.  See the website for more details.  www.marykay.com/anabelbeauty

Is it OK to wash your face with Soap? Aren't all Cleansers the same?

My customers often ask me what is the importance of using a cleanser.  Aren't all cleansers the same?  Can't I just use soap and then spend my money on other, more important, products?

Your cleanser may be your "most important" product because cleansing is not a generic, one-size-fits-all process and matching your cleanser appropriately to your needs affects everything that happens afterward. 

Cleansers are NOT ONLY meant to remove makeup, dirt, and grime but also should preserve your skin  They prepare your skin for the next step in the program.  Because the act of cleansing can disrupt the skin's fragile moisture barrier, if you choose the wrong cleanser, you may be setting your skin up for future irritation.

There are different types of cleansers designed for different type of skin needs.  If you skin is dry, there is a cleanser that adds moisture to it.  If your skin is oily, there are cleansers designed to extract the extra oil.  If you have sensitive skin, look for a fragrance free, alcohol free, dye free cleanser that is creamy and will not irritate your skin.

Many of us have been conditioned to belive that we need a cleanser to foam up with lots of suds to effectively clean our skin.  However, suds are not always necessary and oftentimes undesirable.  Most of us need to be careful not to strip too many lipids from our skin.  The RULE OF THUMB is the mount of cleansing suds should decrease as skin becomes dryer or more sensitive.

When looking for a cleanser, you should make it simple -identify your most important skincare issue and find a cleanser that addresses that concern.