Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin: Why You Need It and How to Choose

The last thing you want to feel on oily, acne-prone skin is a thick, slick coating of cream that makes it look even shinier. However, the right product can make this good for your skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, using a moisturizer can prevent your skin situation from getting worse. Here are the different reasons you need moisturizer for acne-prone skin.

In your journey towards acne-free skin, subjecting your skin to harsh treatments is inevitable. Ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, adapalene, tazarotene, tretinoin, and isotretinoin can be very drying on the skin. 

Salicylic acid, for example, is a beta-hydroxy acid that eliminates acne by penetrating deep into the pores to unclog them of excess sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells that may trigger breakouts. While it’s also anti-inflammatory and can calm redness, some individuals can experience subsequent dryness due to its exfoliating properties. 

Applying a moisturizer daily, especially if you’re on topical acne treatments, helps your skin tolerate these medications better. According to the AAD, you should apply moisturizer anytime your skin feels dry, even if your skin type is technically oily. 

Most people who fall under the oily skin type are predisposed to it due to genetics. However, your skin can also become oily when under immense stress, when your hormones fluctuate, or when humidity is high. The curious thing is that dryness can also prompt your oil glands — whose function is to keep your skin moist — to go into overdrive, states the AAD. This dryness can be caused by treatments, lack of humidity, or transepidermal water loss or TEWL. 

TEWL is water evaporating from the skin’s surface. According to the National Institutes of Health, it’s a widely used measure for assessing the strength of the skin barrier. When the skin barrier is compromised, it tends to lose more water through evaporation, because it’s incapable of holding it in. If you have acne, your skin barrier is likely impaired and susceptible to TEWL. Applying moisturizer can help alleviate dryness in the short term and promote a healthier skin barrier with regular use.

Instead of skipping moisturizer, choose one that best suits your skin type to prevent transepidermal water loss. A moisturizer for acne-prone skin is unlikely to cause breakouts if it has the following on the label: oil-free, non-comedogenic, and “won’t clog pores.” These are formulated specifically to balance oily skin and give it just the right amount of moisture so your oil glands can chill out. Avoid heavy creams that can clog your pores and make you break out. 

POND'S Watermelon Jelly Moisturizer is a good moisturizer for acne-prone skin because of its unique jelly, oil-free formula. It contains 100% natural origin watermelon and vitamin E, which strengthens skin barrier function, according to the NIH. It instantly moisturizes the skin and leaves it with a hydrated, glass-skin effect. 

Hydration is your friend if you have breakouts. Investing in a moisturizer for acne-prone skin can help your skin feel instant relief from the dryness caused by acne treatments. It also gradually helps strengthen it to prevent further inflammation and irritation.