Moisturization is arguably the most important part of a skincare routine. Moisturised, hydrated skin helps protect it from irritation and enables you to shed dead skin cells effectively. Most of us have been moisturizing our faces for a few decades, but that doesn't mean we know what's happening when we slap a product across our face. If we did, there wouldn't be so much confusion around one particular category of moisture-boosting skincare: Oils. Oils such as argan and coconut oil have been popular choices for moisturizers. But one main reason that causes acne is the overproduction of oil sebum. So, are oils a good choice for face moisturizer? Or only people with really dry skin can use oil?
The Difference Between Oils and Moisturizers
Oils consist only of oil, with no water. Moisturizer on the other hand are a mixture of fat ‘emulsions’ and water. Both contain active ingredients, but actives are present at a much higher concentration in oils than in moisturizer.
But it’s important to remember that when it comes to oil, you cannot receive hydration from oil alone. What oil can brilliantly do is, they are good at locking in moisture into your skin, helping the skin to hold onto hydration for longer. So where can we get this hydration? This is when moisturizer creams come in.
A moisturizer is a skincare product that improves overall hydration. It can enhance the water content of the skin and prevent water loss. Oils, on the other hand, are a type of moisturizer. They are thicker and more viscous, and not suitable for all skin types. Traditional moisturizers exist in the form of creams, lotions, gels, and emulsions, but oils are exclusive. Moisturizers can be designed to suit different skin types and their customized needs. This means all skin types can find their perfect moisturizer.
As mentioned above, the key difference with oils is that the actives are present at a much higher concentration as they’re not diluted. This means they have a more tangible effect on the skin. Choose your facial oil carefully and it can make a huge and very visible difference to your skin. If you suffer from acne, then make sure you avoid pore-clogging ingredients like coconut oil and other saturated fats. For sensitive skin, we strongly recommend avoiding fragrant oils, as these are likely to irritate your delicate facial skin.
Which One is Better?
According to our dermatologist, oils can clog the pores and increase UV absorption when applied without sunscreen. Meanwhile, scented oils fused with essential oils can cause skin irritation and reactions. But this does not mean that oil only harms your skin. As mentioned earlier, oil is good in locking moisturizers, and cream moisturizers are good for hydration and moisturizer. As we can see here, oil is good in locking moisturizer, but it does not really help in hydrating the skin.
So, what has been suggested by our dermatologist, is that it is best when you use your moisturizer cream, then apply oil on the top layer to lock the moisturizer. This is what we called the slugging technique. Slugging creates a seal over the skin, preventing transepidermal water loss, protecting and repairing your skin's natural lipid barrier that binds skin cells together.
In this case, oil should always be applied after your cream or moisturizer. This is because oils can penetrate moisturizers, but not the other way around. So even if you apply the moisturizer first, the actives and nutrients in your facial oil will still be able to get to work on your skin. This is where oil and moisturizer provide their most effective benefit: by cream moisturizer hydrating the skin and oil hold it all in. Lastly, just choose which moisturizer and which type of oil that suits best for your skin!
Would you like to learn more? Because healthy skin matters! Skynfyx is run by a group of skin doctors and skincare experts who want everybody to achieve flawless skin at the cheapest possible cost. Skynfyx also can customize a skincare range just for your skin condition.
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