Whether you're dealing with dry or oily skin, understanding the causes and signs, as well as knowing the right treatments, is crucial. In this article, we'll delve into these concerns and offer some top tips for healthy-looking skin for men. Let’s jump in!
What Causes Dry Skin?
Insufficient sebum production can cause dry skin since it forms a protective layer that retains moisture and keeps your skin soft. Dry skin can also be attributed to numerous external and internal factors. Environmental conditions like cold, harsh weather can strip your skin of natural oils, making it dry and itchy. Meanwhile, indoor heating reduces humidity levels and leads to dry, sensitive skin.
Ageing is another critical factor. As you get older, your skin experiences a gradual decrease in hyaluronic acid content, which is pivotal for suppleness and elasticity, eventually resulting in dryness.
What Causes Oily Skin?
While sebum is essential for skin health, excess oil production can lead to oily skin and acne breakouts. Whether your skin is oily or not is mainly determined by genetics. For instance, if your parents have oily skin, you will likely inherit this trait. Moreover, hormonal changes during puberty, or due to certain medications, can also make your sebaceous glands overactive. Stress is another common cause of oily skin as it induces excess oil production.
The environment likewise has a substantial role to play in oily skin. Say, hot and humid weather encourages sebum secretion, increasing the chance of skin becoming oiler. Daily habits such as over-washing your face or using harsh skincare products can strip your skin of its natural oils, prompting it to produce more oil to compensate.
How to Know if Your Skin is Oily or Dry?
Dry skin often has a rough texture and feels tight throughout the day. You may also notice more visible lines, red patches, or a grey, ashy skin tone. Oily skin often appears shiny or greasy, especially in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin), while being prone to blackheads and pimples.
How to know if your skin is oily or dry? One simple, quick trick you can try is the bare-faced test. Cleanse your face thoroughly using a mild face wash and dab it dry. Leave the skin bare for 30 mins without applying any skincare products. Then, look for any greasy shine on your T-zone and cheeks. After another half hour, observe if your skin feels tight, especially when you smile or make certain facial expressions.
You are likely to have dry skin if your skin feels parched. If your cheeks, nose, and forehead look shiny, you may have oily skin. Of course, some people’s skin can be a combination of both, also known as combination skin.
Tips for Healthy Skin - How to Treat Dry & Oily Skin on Face
1. Incorporate Moisturiser into Your Skincare
Using the right moisturiser is critical for dealing with dry skin. Moisturisers help your skin retain moisture, preventing dryness and flaking. Applying a moisturiser right after a shower can trap water in your skin, keeping it hydrated. Cary's Everyday Tinted Moisturiser instantly quenches your skin while evening your skin tone with a lightweight finish. Put it on every morning to maintain a healthy-looking complexion.
Never think that moisturiser isn't necessary for oily skin. A lightweight moisturiser can help regulate your sebum production and prevent it from producing excess oil as well as more acne breakouts.
2. Choose the Right Face Wash
Selecting a suitable cleanser is just as important as selecting the right moisturiser. If you develop dry skin, your cleanser should be gentle yet effectively removing dirt, oil, and makeup without stripping your skin of its natural oils. These face washes often contain hydrating ingredients that help moisturise the skin, keeping it soft and supple.
Cary’s Botanical Hydrating Cleanser is enriched with natural seed oils and witch hazel to offer deep cleansing for sensitive skin, while leaving it clean, hydrated, and soothed.
One thing you have to avoid is over-washing or scrubbing your face, especially if you have oily skin. This can stimulate more sebum production. We recommend cleansing your face with it in the morning and night to reduce irritation and inflammation. After cleansing, gently pat your face dry with a soft towel.
Makeup and Skincare
For dry skin, opt for hydrating or cream-based makeup products. Oily skin, on the other hand, benefits from oil-free, non-comedogenic makeup that won't clog pores. Oil-free and water-based makeup can help prevent your pores from clogging and minimise breakouts. They also give your skin a more matte finish, helping to control shine throughout the day.
Discover Simple & Natural Skincare Rituals at Cary
Understanding what causes dry/ oily skin and how to treat it helps you get to the root of your skin issues as well as choose the right facial products that improve skin health.
Cary offers natural, healthy skincare for modern men of all skin types. Experience natural transformation with our fuss-free face products, from hydrating cleanser and tinted moisturiser to natural under eye correction tinted eye cream.
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