I was recently asked another great question, and this is one I get often.

Q: What is the best way to deal with dry skin that still has break outs?

A: This is a confusing and frustrating situation for people, and one that is very common.  Part of the problem starts with the misunderstanding of the word “dry” and how it relates to your skin.  Dry skin is skin that produces little (or no) oil.  People with truly dry skin do not struggle with consistent break outs as there is no oil to cause clogging.

What I suspect the question above is actually referring to is dehydrated skin which is often found in conjunction with skin that is oily or prone to breaking out - some as a result of the types of products people choose to use to combat this problem.

From the time we are young we are taught that oil is something to be washed away from our skin.  That tight feeling left after using a foaming cleanser and hot water is thought to equal clean.  While you may be rid of the oil, the effect tends to be just the opposite of what people expect.  As I have mentioned before, the oil in and on your skin plays a really important part in keeping it healthy.  Oil and sweat mix on your skin to create a barrier called the acid mantle.  This barrier holds moisture in your skin while also creating a slightly acidic environment that protects your skin from outside invaders such as bacteria.

In my experience, people who are prone to breaking out tend to use products geared towards ridding their skin of oil, such as harsh cleansers and light moisturizers (if any).  This causes a chain reaction in your skin.  By washing away the oil on your skin, your skin is triggered to make more oil.  At the same time, though, the barrier you skin creates to hold moisture in your skin is compromised and water is able to evaporate leaving skin dehydrated and tight.  The excess oil that is being produced has no where to go and clogging can occur.  It can be compounded by the flakiness of dehydrated skin further clogging pores.  Additionally, the acidic enviroment on the skin is disrupted which leaves skin open to infection which can lead to even more breakouts or worsen existing ones….

What I suggest actually sounds very counter intuitive.  Add a little bit of oil into your skincare routine.  This has two major benefits.  First, by adding a little oil to your skin you can calm down you skin’s own oil production.  Secondly, the oil helps to create a barrier against the environment and also holds moisture into the skin.  Also, always use a moisturizer.  Be careful to not use a cleanser that is too drying.  Unless you have very oily skin, I recommend a cream cleanser with no foaming action.