Does Oily Skin Still Need A Moisturiser?

When I was a teenager I went through stages of having very bad skin. Breakouts made me feel so self-conscious I would hide my forehead under a heavy fringe and a big, thick black headband (bad idea!!). I would pile layers of makeup over my blemishes and would avoid photos because I didn’t want to ever remember my ‘pizza face’. Since then, I have learnt so much about skincare, and have discovered that my biggest skincare lessons were ones I had to learn the hard way. It wasn’t until I started to see a beauty therapist who started to moisturise my problem areas (I was shocked to say the least!) that my skin actually started to heal. For years I avoided moisturiser on my forehead, nose and chin because my T Zone was always super oily and I assumed more moisture to that area would only cause more problems.

How wrong I was! So many skin conditions like rough dry patches, breakouts and an overproduction of oil is actually caused by a lack of moisture to the skin. When our skin senses that it is not adequately hydrated, it will begin to produce more oil in an attempt to keep it moistened. This overproduction of oil will lead to clogged pores and breakouts. It’s the same as when we wash our hair every day because we think we have “oily hair”, when in fact, if you sacrifice two or three months dealing with oily hair by only washing it every three days, you will find the oil secretions in your skin actually start to self-regulate and your hair will become less oily, meaning you will eventually be able to go the full three days with grease-free hair. A big mistake I use to make was to use commercial, supermarket ‘acne cleansers’ which are essentially just cotton pads drenched in alcohol. The problem with using these is that alcohol and skin Do. Not. Mix. Alcohol on the skin will zap out all the skin’s natural oil, which is only going to make it produce more oil. Alcohol and other harsh cleansers will also age the skin much quicker, not to mention the awful red rash these products can leave on the skin. This is caused because the products are so harsh that they inflame the skin, not something you want to be doing when trying to heal it.

When treating oily skin, the products you use really do matter. Ingredients that promote natural skin hydration, without clogging pores or adding layers of nasties is crucial. The organicspa range of skincare is literally designed for skin that needs a little (or a lot) of extra love and care. My T -Zone (which is known to be oily for most people) has completely balanced out and I no longer need to use blotting papers throughout the day or hide my forehead behind a fridge or headband. For me, the Blemish Control Lotion and the Vitamin C Serum transformed my skin. I also learnt that washing my face three times a day was actually making my situation worse. I thought that in order to keep my skin super clean and therefore clear, it had to be cleaned all throughout the day. But just like stripping the face of oils with alcohol laden products and over-washing hair leads to more oil production, washing my face with a cleanser three times a day was stripping my skin of those natural oils. I also discovered that the cleanser itself wasn’t helping at all. Instead of giving me an overall cleanse and getting the dirt and makeup residue out from those hard to reach places, my cleanser wasn’t working to remove it completely which led to breakouts around my chin and jawline. For this reason I ditched my supermarket cleanser and starting using the organicspa Foam Cleanser which works to remove the surface oils on the skin but actually balances out the complexion. For moisturisation, my go-to product is the Moisture Control because of it’s ability to hydrate while also restoring the skins natural balance of moisture – without clogging pores! This means you  can hydrate and repair your skin, while decreasing and ultimately eliminating new breakouts. I started using the Moisture Control when my skin was very oily, and even though it felt counterproductive to be moisturising when my skin was already oily, it is because of this product and my daily process of cleansing (with the right cleanser), applying Blemish Control and the Vitamin C Serum that I have been able to transition from the Oily skin type to the Normal skin type.

I am super excited because this June, organicspa is launching a new pack, perfect for an oily, and often problematic skin type, including a Foam Cleanser, Moisture Control, Blemish Gel and a Cleansing Cloth. Note any similarities? It’s exactly the same process I used to restore my skin’s natural moisture levels and repair it on a cellular level. Everyday I get messages from women asking me about my skincare, I get comments about how it must be because I’m “so young” and they think I’m still in high school! Truth is, I’m actually 29! When we can heal and nourish our skin with proper skincare that nourishes from the outside in, our skin will start to glow from the inside out. Healthy skin is always beautiful skin.

Guest Writer. Ellie McInerney

Instagram @elliemcinerney