Skin Hydration 101: Basic Skincare Routine for Oily Skin

Does your skin shine more than most? Is it prone to acne breakouts, congestion, and feels oily to touch? There is a simple reason why: your skin is producing more oil or sebum from its sebaceous glands and falls under the ‘oily skin type’ category.

Regardless of skin type, skin hydration is a must-have. In fact, "oily skin doesn't need hydration" is a common skincare myth. Thinking that oily skin does not require the help of hydrating skincare products puts it at risk of becoming unbalanced and parched. Giving your skin the water it needs means that you not only avoid dehydration in the form of tightness, dry patches and flaking, but you also give yourself a chance to have a flawless complexion. Sufficient skin hydration helps prevent acne breakouts and keeps the first signs of aging at bay.

When people with oily skin skip hydration or don’t properly hydrate their skin, their oil glands receive feedback to produce more sebum. Tricked into thinking they need to produce more sebum to compensate for the lack of moisture, the body desperately goes into oil overdrive as an answer. This leads to more congestion, blocked pores, acne and unwanted shine. It's a vicious cycle!

So, what is the solution? Our straightforward tutorial and simple skincare steps will leave you feeling in control of your skin health.

Oily Skin and You

Genetics are primarily responsible for your oily skin type. Other factors include a stressful lifestyle with little time for clean eating and regular exercise. Stress releases the cortisol hormone, which in turn increases oil production. Add poor nutrition to the mix, and that will exacerbate your oiliness. You may be tempted to control your stress levels by consuming comfort food but tread with caution! While sugar is said to turn down the brain's response to stress, it also causes inflammation and the result is more sebum on the skin.

A correct skincare routine makes all the difference. Take extra care to understand what your skin needs by understanding your skin type and needs, and what products are best suited for its condition. Exfoliation is another vital step to your oily skin routine – don’t skip it! By exfoliating at least two to three times a week, you remove the surface layer of dead skin cells, allowing your skin hydration products to penetrate effectively. Exfoliating regularly also rids your skin of oil, dirt and debris. Choose gentle cleansers and emollients that will not strip your complexion of its all-important skin hydration levels.

The Best Skincare Ingredients for Skin Hydration

Find out how to hydrate your skin without making it oilier.

The best ingredients for skin hydration are very often what our bodies produce, such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides. In other words, the solution lies in restoring natural ingredients that over time get lost as we age.

Depriving your oily skin of water will only lead to dehydrated skin, adding on to your combination of other skin issues. On top of existing oiliness in areas of your skin, you will have to contend with dryness and flaky patches. Rather than withholding moisture, treat your skin to skincare products that contain hyaluronic acid – a super moisture-binding ingredient that helps to hydrate and plump the skin from the inside out.

Heal with Hyaluronic Acid

The amount of hyaluronic acid in our skin naturally decreases as we age. Replenish it with AHC Aqualuronic Toner, which contains hyaluronic acid in a Triple Complex Formula, together with an Aqua Ceramide Complex and mineral-rich seawater. This blend of skin hydrating ingredients means not only increased water levels for your skin but also replenished energy and a fortified skin barrier.

Treat with Aqua Ceramides

AHC Aqualuronic Serum enables long-lasting hydration within your skin.

Ceramides play a critical role in anti-aging, protecting skin from environmental aggressors like pollution, UV rays and dry air. They are naturally found in high concentrations in the uppermost layers of skin, thereby  strengthening its protective barrier. In other words, they guard against water loss, dryness and skin irritation. Ceramides hold the skin together, keeping it supple so that fine lines and wrinkles look less noticeable.

Find Aqua Ceramides in AHC Aqualuronic Serum. Containing AHC’s exclusive Aqua Ceramide Complex, combined with mineral-rich seawater, this serum enables long-lasting hydration within your skin. Additionally, it has low, medium and high molecular weights of Hyaluronic acids, which will allow it to penetrate the skin at different levels and build up moisture from within.

After applying the serum, use AHC Aqualuronic Emulsion, a water-light moisturiser that will not leave a sticky feel. With its combination of Triple Ceramide Complex, Hyaluronic Complex as well as mineral-rich seawater, your skin becomes supple, receives moisture deep from within, and enjoys long-lasting hydration.

 Pamper, soothe and balance your skin with a mask infused with ceramides.

The routine is complete with the AHC Natural Essential Aqua Calming Sheet Mask. This product contains patented Aqua Ceramides and is infused with a Natural Calming Solution, comprising seven natural plant extracts to soothe rough skin, including the Centella asiatica extract which provides potent calming benefits for stressed skin.

The Recommended Skincare Routine to Combat Oily Skin

After finding the right products for oily skin, you can commit to a simple beauty routine as follows:

Morning

Evening

Ready (and excited) to give your oily skin its much-needed treatment with your new-found knowledge on the ingredients it needs? Go ahead and check out what AHC has to offer and get the right products for your skin hydration needs.

Looking to transform your daily skincare for oily skin? Watch this video to find out how!

References:

Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging, Dermato Endocrinology