Skin guide / Oily skin
Dryness on oily skin
Oily skin can be dehydrated (low water) while still producing oil, which shows as shine with tightness. A water-based humectant serum and a gel moisturizer answer both; skipping moisturizer makes it worse.
What dryness is
Dryness is low water in the outer layer of skin, usually because the barrier that holds water in is thin or disturbed: cold dry air, hot showers, harsh cleansers, and age all take from it. Formulas built for it work on three fronts: humectants pull water in, emollients smooth the rough edges, and occlusives slow water leaving.
What oily skin wants
Gels, fluids and lotions; a gel or foaming cleanser; clay or charcoal masks once or twice a week. Oily skin still needs a moisturizer, just a light one.
Cleanser: a gel or gentle foaming cleanser. Go easy on: Heavy butters and coconut oil on the face, stripping cleansers that leave skin squeaky (rebound shine), and picking.
Look for on the label
Go easy on, for dryness: Foaming cleansers, alcohol-heavy toners, daily exfoliating acids, and long hot showers.
Morning
- Rinse or a cream cleanser
- Hydrating serum on damp skin
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen SPF 30+
Evening
- Cream or oil cleanser
- Hydrating serum
- Rich moisturizer
- Occlusive balm on the driest patches
Thinnest to thickest, water-based before oil-based, sunscreen last in the morning and first off at night. Add one new product at a time and give it two weeks. The routine tool orders whatever you own.
On the site for dryness
All →Tagged from the maker's own description; moisturizers, serums and oils, butters and balms, body oils first. Read each label against the list above.
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USAOther concerns, oily skin
Dryness on other skin types
Dew & Balm describes ingredients and label categories from the public record (FDA OTC monographs, the EU CosIng database, PubMed) and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. A concern that persists, hurts, bleeds or spreads is for a dermatologist, and anything on prescription is between you and yours.






