Growing up, I had a difficult time finding skin care that worked for my temperamental, eczema- and acne-prone skin. It seemed as though most products available at my local drugstore catered to one of the two skin types: dry or oily. Though I had breakouts, most of the products formulated for oily skin made me majorly dehydrated — I’d wake up with flakey patches, and in more dramatic scenarios, chemical burns. But whenever I used products that were made for drier skin types, they’d be too overly conditioning and therefore pore-clogging, and I’d wake up with pimples as a result. Based on the products that were available to me, I deduced that my skin type was somewhat antithetical: I was dry and acne prone, and I spent a lot of time trying to avoid aggravating either of these skin issues.
Now that I’ve studied and written about skincare for years, it’s become clear that I’m far from the only person who identifies with this skin type. In fact, it’s way more common than you’d think. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick, dry and acne-prone skin was a previously under-recognized pairing due to the false assumption that your skin must be oily (or at least combination) in order to have breakouts. She explained that over the years, it’s become clear that a lot of people can’t tolerate common over-the-counter acne treatments containing ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, as they’re simply too drying on the skin. This sparked a rise in product formulations that were gentler and less stripping, in order to cater to drier and more sensitive skin types that also struggled with acne. Dr. Garshick also says that increased awareness of dry and acne prone skin is also in part due to a general growing appreciation of one’s skin barrier within the beauty community — because of how buzzy skin barriers have become in the beauty zeitgeist, people are devoting more research to it, and so there are now more studies showing how supporting your skin barrier with hydration can actually help control and calm acne.
But even though skin-care formulations have made massive strides since the early aughts, I find there’s still one category that those with similar skin types to mine remain skeptical about: moisturizers. A week or two ago, a friend texted me asking me for a moisturizer recommendation. When I replied with a link to a solid option, she followed up with: “But this won’t break me out, right?” And just a few days later, a colleague of mine confessed that, even though her skin was super parched, she was too scared to try a thicker night cream out of fear that it would trigger her acne.
There’s a reason why people with dry and acne-prone skin tend to be more untrusting of heavier moisturisers. According to Justine Kahn, an esthetician and founder of Botnia Skincare, despite how elegantly formulated products tend to be these days, it’s still common for richer creams to include ingredients like silicones, mineral oils, fragrance, isopropyl myristate, and isopropyl palmitate, all of which can potentially be congesting to those with acne prone skin types.
Lucky for us, there’s never been more beauty brands and skin-care products available to consumers (for better or worse!) There are tons of formulas out there that are suitable for dry and acne-prone skin types, it just requires getting a little bit more comfortable reading the backs of products, and looking out for specific ingredients that we know to be more acne-friendly. According to Dr. Deanne Robinson, a dermatologist practicing at New Haven Yale Hospital, ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin soften the skin, support its barrier, and help your skin regulate hydration without clogging pores. If you want to take extra precaution, Dr. Robinson also suggests looking for moisturizers that are totally oil-free, as these formulas tend to be created with acne-prone skin in mind, although they can sometimes be more lightweight.
As for me, once I started avoiding fragrances (both synthetic and essential oils) and opting out of using products that incorporated silicones, I no longer noticed a new moisturizer-breakout correlation. I don’t have to be worried about testing new creams for work or personal use.
As winter arrives, it’s more important than ever to have a solid, skin-quenching moisturizer in your arsenal to combat the harsh winds and freezing temperatures. So, here’s my list of professional-approved (and me approved!) moisturizers that’ll deeply hydrate the skin without breaking you out.
Dr. Robinson often recommends this moisturizer to patients with dry, acne-prone skin. It’s super hydrating but it’s also oil free, so it delivers moisture to the skin without clogging pores or making it greasy. It uses acne-friendly moisturizing ingredients such as ceramides and glycerin, as well as niacinamide which works to actively combat any acne or texture. Don’t let the bare-bones, clinical looking packaging put you off — after I interviewed Dr. Robinson I went ahead and tested this moisturizer out myself and was pleasantly surprised by how deeply hydrating and skin-quenching this felt when I applied it. The cylindrical packaging also makes it a great pick for travel, which is always a plus in my books.
Right off the bat I want to say that this moisturizer does have sunflower oil in it, so this is not an oil-free formula, but as someone that breaks out at the drop of a hat, it’s never been an issue for me. What’s so incredible about this moisturizer is that, in addition to glycerin, it uses a combination of propolis and royal jelly, both of which have antibacterial properties, which work to soothe inflammation, help with wound healing, and prevent future acne. This is a moisturizer I’ve bought countless times over and recommended to so many friends and family members because it works so well on dry, acne prone skin. This might not be the richest moisturizer in my arsenal, but it’s certainly been substantial enough to get me through several New York and London winters.
This one is slightly thicker than the Cosrx Propolis Cream, so it’s a great choice for those who are really concerned about dry, flakey skin as we approach the winter months. This formula uses centella, which is a great ingredient for calming inflammation, redness, and swelling, whether that be from harsh winds, eczema, or acne. It also uses squalane (a great non-comedogenic moisturizing ingredient), niacinamide (which can help refine skin texture and keep acne at bay), and panthenol (which supports your skin barrier and reduces redness). It’s also a plant based formula that’s silicone and essential oil free.
If you tend to gravitate toward gel creams because you prefer light layers of moisture, this one is a really great pick. Mugwort is an ingredient often used in Korean cosmetics because it calms inflamed and flakey skin. It’s an excellent ingredient for anyone with super sensitive or rosacea-prone skin.
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