Rule No. 4: Acne-prone or oily skin should always use "oil-free" products, 7 Skin Care "Rules" You Need to Break

Skin care

7 Skin Care "Rules" You Need to Break

Think your routine is working for you? Wait until you see these sneaky ways your skin care habits are causing wrinkles, zits, and more

October 11, 2011 | by Sarah Carrillo | 78 COMMENTS

Rule No. 4: Acne-prone or oily skin should always use "oil-free" products

There are a few things wrong with this rule. First, Graf says that "oil-free" isn't even a regulated term. Essentially, a brand could slap it on almost any product, so it's no guarantee that you won't get zits.

Second reason to ignore this label: Even the oiliest skin needs moisture, says Bayati. Skipping oil can lead to skin that's chronically dry, which is when skin starts to produce more oil.

Finally, Spunt and O'Connor say all skin actually needs oil -- as long as it's the right type. "We've been told to avoid oils, but there are some, like argan and coconut oil, that are skin compatible, absorb well, and even work [to prevent] acne," they say. "[These oils] have antibacterial properties and can help balance the skin." So while it may seem strange to slather on some lavender or argan oil over your broken-out skin, it may just do the trick.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Rule No. 5: You should use benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to dry out zits

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products mentioned

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

8.9

DDF Glycolic 5% Daily Cleansing Pads

10.0

RoC RETINOL CORREXION Deep Wrinkle Night Cream

8.1

SkinMedica Retinol Complex

9.2

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Thanks for the info. Lots of great tips; lots of things I didn't know at all.

by sarah_kim Friday, March 29, 2013 at 10:09AM Report as inappropriate

Oops. I've done many of these. It's good to see which rules were made to be broken

by Chica181 Friday, March 15, 2013 at 07:07PM Report as inappropriate

Lots of great tips! I wonder why my dermatologist never recommended using coconut or lavender oil on my super-dry skin? I'll have to look into it!

by LaBoheme Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 09:30PM Report as inappropriate

Excellent tips. If you have very puffy eyes, a heavy cream will exacerbate the problem. Otherwise, I've been "freed" by learning that I can use the same moisturizer on my eyes as on my face. These are great tips!

by GigiSD Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 08:20AM Report as inappropriate

Really great tips thanks.

by Alana_Danes Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 07:23AM Report as inappropriate

In my case since I have hyperpigmentation, I exfoliate daily with Murad AHA/BHA cleanser, which is very gentle enough and 2 or 3 times a week I use philosophy's Microdelivery Peel. It's a vitamin C peel and it's excellent! These products allow whatever is used to treat the hyperpigmentation to sink better into the skin and work to get better results.

by IoSonoBella Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 10:25PM Report as inappropriate

Good info! I'm guilty of quite a few of these...

by thequietnoise Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 08:47PM Report as inappropriate

This article answered EVERYTHING I've been wondering for years! Thank You!

by sweetKARAcakes Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 05:10PM Report as inappropriate

Gotta wash off that makeup!

by LittleBunny Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 08:43PM Report as inappropriate

I still need the extra moisture from my eye cream especially that I use a concealer.

by tiffany_gallehugh Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at 06:29AM Report as inappropriate

Nice info

by EricaF123 Friday, December 28, 2012 at 05:02PM Report as inappropriate

I love exfoliating... with apricot scrub... every day. Oops.

by Bon_Bon Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 07:07PM Report as inappropriate

People with oily skin should always keep in mind, your skin needs certain oils and moisture regardless or your skin will become irritated. Irritated skin just leads to more problems...inflamed acne, bumpy skin due to little irritation rashes. Trust me...I've learned the hard way!

by MizzPink Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at 07:42AM Report as inappropriate

i break most of these rules aha

by aishak55 Saturday, December 15, 2012 at 02:36PM Report as inappropriate

I can't even imagine exfoliating once a day...

by GingerDrink Saturday, December 15, 2012 at 10:21AM Report as inappropriate

I am so glad to learn I don't need to wash my face twice a day! I like to use a makeup remover cloth every night and wash my face in the am during my shower. It's less work!

by Lamexicana1 Thursday, November 29, 2012 at 01:55PM Report as inappropriate

I have to wash 2x a day because I use heavy creams at night so I have to wash them off in the morning before I put my makeup on. In the evening I have to wash off the makeup. So it's definitely a twice a day wash routine.

by EricaF123 Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 11:01AM Report as inappropriate

I might have learned my facial cleansing and care form my mother but she did know. don't use soap only cold cream, and my complexion inspired many cosmetologists to use me for an example of their presentation of a facial. use witch hazel for toning if necessary..and rinse with h2o. useing soap dries my skin. btw..Georgette Clinger said the same thing, though you younger girls don't remember her or her salon.

by Karine Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 01:58AM Report as inappropriate

I don't have to wash my face twice a day. Awesome.

by BlackFleur145 Thursday, November 22, 2012 at 08:03PM Report as inappropriate

I used Roc and it did nothing. I suggest Avene.

by lilas Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 06:52PM Report as inappropriate

Got some great advise today!

by Only1KimmieD Monday, November 5, 2012 at 09:47AM Report as inappropriate

It's so true, so many people think benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid is a must for zits but it just is not! I'm glad I have some back up on this!!

by CinnaBlaze Friday, October 19, 2012 at 11:41PM Report as inappropriate

As an esthatician, I agree and disagree with this aricle. Washing your face does strip your face of its natural protection from the elements but thats what lotion and sunscreen are for! Your skin is constantly shedding dead skin that needs to be removed to promote healthy skin, the oilier your skin the more exfoliation you need. Also, it is rare nowadays to find an area that is not poluted in some way or another. Think about it like this, you need to wear sunscreen everyday but applying product onto not clean, or exfoliated skin is actually pushing impurities into your pores. This can cause ache and other skin issues. So, with that said I reccomend using the right products for your skin type, twice a day. Wash, tone and moisturize everyday, exfoliate once a week at least (oily skin more often). See an estatician if you are unsure of what you need to be doing. We are more than happy to do a skin analysis and find the right path to great skin for you!

by katlodato Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 07:02AM Report as inappropriate

Very good tips. I have been doing things wrong.

by CaroleVonAllten Friday, August 17, 2012 at 11:35AM Report as inappropriate

Since I have oily skin I do need to wash 2x a day. I exfoliate with sugar and MK microdermabrasion. I Combine the sugar with coconut oil on my face and body. Sometimes I just rub the oil on dry spots. I do think that the older you get that a specific I cream is important. This area is dryer than the rest of the face.

by asiagirl4ever Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 07:37PM Report as inappropriate

i don't know about that retinol tip. i once accidentally used my mom's retinol wipes and my face felt like it was burning and felt super tight. but my dermatologist gave me retin-a to use for my acne,and that helps a lot

by ForeverBrunette Monday, July 9, 2012 at 11:48AM Report as inappropriate

Very informative article! I have oily skin and usually exfoliate twice a week, looks like I will have to cut it down.

by jenniferLLL Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 05:47PM Report as inappropriate

im glad about this article. now i know what to do

by selle_lou Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 10:28PM Report as inappropriate

I failed to mention this in my last review, but salicylic acid is derived from willow bark.

by Dwhitneee Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 11:19AM Report as inappropriate

I'm so glad you mentioned apricot and walnuts scrubs causing lesions in the skin. But the amount of exfoliation needed is mostly determined by the skin type. The type of exfoliation you use, (chemical or manual) will vary according to age, skin type and skin concern also.

by Dwhitneee Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 11:12AM Report as inappropriate

I'm off to try that Roc Retinol!

by alictasia Friday, May 18, 2012 at 07:57PM Report as inappropriate

Very good article. One of the better ones I have read on this site.

by robyne00 Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 07:54AM Report as inappropriate

Okay one article says you must must exfoliate this one says not to, mixing up the tips?

by Only1KimmieD Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 12:25PM Report as inappropriate

Great advice, I had no idea about the majority of these tips. I use benzol peroxide allot, and find that it really dries out my skin.

by lisiana_de_bem_justino Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 08:32PM Report as inappropriate

really nice advice, especially about salicylic acid....ive tried washing my face twice a day and my skin got worse...so im sticking wih twice a day

by olkrav319 Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 03:41PM Report as inappropriate

REALLY informative article here. I want to mention that for people who use harsh products like Benzyl Peroxide that it is OK to use them but SPOT TREAT. No need to cover your whole face in Peroxide, just dab some on your problem spots.

by pynkNymphette Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 12:18AM Report as inappropriate

Pretty good article, but I take issue with a couple of the points made. I exfoliate one to two times per week depending on the season and how my skin is feeling. I really let my skin tell me when I need to exfoliate. Plus, I prefer to use an apricot and walnut scrub over harsh chemicals. If you are gentle and don't scrub like you are washing a car, then it really isn't harmful. Use some common sense... I agree about washing the face twice a day. I usually wash before bed and rinse with warm then cool water in the morning. That way face wash only actually comes in contact with my skin once time per day. I skip the soap all together if I don't wear makeup. Good to know about retinol. I thought I was too young to need a product like that (I'm 24). Overall, pretty good article.

by CCochran Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 06:09AM Report as inappropriate

I have realized washing my face twice a day works best for me, but not for everybody.

by beautybody Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 10:25AM Report as inappropriate

I think the point to take away from any of these "rules to break" articles is that every person is different so rather than following rules, we should all take our own needs into account. What works for someone else won't necessarily work for me, so why should I follow their rules?? There are also some good tips in here, though, like about not needing a separate product for eyes.

by tallredamanda Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 10:50AM Report as inappropriate

I like this article but i disagree with a few things. Exfoliating once every 2 weeks? no way. I can understand not exfoliating everyday but every two weeks is just not enough. You would be better off just switching to a more gentle exfoliant and using it everyday. I use avedas botanical kinetics chemical exfoliant and it's perfect for everyday use. Also, i disagree that you don't need specific things for the eye area. The sebaceous glands in your orbital bone region stop producing oil around the age of 18. You need a thicker cream to penetrate that skin. An eye cream should never feel like a moisturizer, it should be much thicker.

by breereinke Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 10:19AM Report as inappropriate

I am glad to see the reinforcement of not washing your face twice a day to using oil on acne prone skin. A new one for me was the not having to use eye creams. I can't wait to try that!

by powerwoman033 Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 07:17PM Report as inappropriate

Very interesting!

by lazorc Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 07:14PM Report as inappropriate

I'm not so sure about the oil-free page. When I went to a dermatologist, they said that I should use a cleanser with salicydic acid and use an oil free moisturizer, and I don't even have the oiliest skin! I'm sure that if you use 4 or more products on your skin daily and they are all oil free, it can harm your skin because you are not getting any moisture. I think if you use just an oil free moisturizer and a cleanser, all you need is the moisture of a daily shower.

by flash501 Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 10:45AM Report as inappropriate

So helpful, especially the information about not needing to use a separate eye cream. That's one less product to keep.

by mccombss Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 09:44AM Report as inappropriate

A very informative article. It was an eye opener for all of us. I appreciate your advices which are really honest ones, especially washing your face twice a day. washing the face twice a day is really very important. Thanks for sharing. Regards, kimiorganic.com/ Kim Girbin

by kimgirbin Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 10:48PM Report as inappropriate

Cool(:

by queenphoto Friday, February 10, 2012 at 03:22PM Report as inappropriate

Great article!!

by lwagner120 Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 12:52PM Report as inappropriate

thanks

by cielona_boco Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:38AM Report as inappropriate

Yayyy for skin care rules to break! Very informative!

by pink_love Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 07:21PM Report as inappropriate

Very eye opening article! It is informative, especially the last part. I tend to apply too much product on my at times, thinking it will be more effective that way, but it really just aggravate the condition of my skin. Now, I shall follow these tips!

by celinedejesus Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 08:52PM Report as inappropriate

I have always felt the need to get eye cream, but now I know I can use moisturizer in the same area as long as it has the same ingredients. All the other rules were also really helpful.

by MissXu Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 04:56PM Report as inappropriate

Interesting

by krycekov Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 11:18AM Report as inappropriate

People always do a double take when i say that i rarely wash my hair and i am not diligent about washing my face everyday... but it works for my skin. :)

by lelalu100 Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 02:51PM Report as inappropriate

Good advice! Especially the washing your face twice a day..

by lanigaga Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 01:19PM Report as inappropriate

good advice thankss

by Nicole2814 Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 11:25AM Report as inappropriate

these rules are so true, i've been somewhat having a skin care routine that is exactly explained like this and i think my skin looks good, except when i'm stressed (i break out when i'm stressed).

by mosh Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 01:24AM Report as inappropriate

Very good advice, especially about the oils. Thanks!

by tarynone Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 01:15PM Report as inappropriate

It's interesting how washing once a day can be beneficial. I noticed on nights where I was way too sleepy to wash my face my skin looked better the next morning before I went to sleep a break from acne fighting chemicals is always good

by monconduitm2 Friday, December 2, 2011 at 02:22AM Report as inappropriate

Good tips

by MysticMeercat Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 08:12PM Report as inappropriate

Great article!

by barbara_wilkey2 Monday, November 14, 2011 at 05:39PM Report as inappropriate

really great article to share to everybody.

by selle_lou Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 06:30PM Report as inappropriate

It is very good and informative article. Thanks!!!

by robert786 Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 02:02PM Report as inappropriate

good advice! :))

by peaches095 Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 04:16PM Report as inappropriate

Great story!!!

by Yodakim Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 07:08AM Report as inappropriate

Im very confused about what to do with oily skin. so for products would it be oil free or not?

by andyv1217 Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 08:33PM Report as inappropriate

A very informative "good sense" article!

by laurie_dupuis Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 01:23PM Report as inappropriate

An eye-opening article! I only wash my face once a day, in the evening, and that seems to work well for me.

by WiccanLady Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 08:16AM Report as inappropriate

Some of these articles tend to contradict each other, so I don't know what to believe. I wish I could take the advice of this article, especially about my acne, but I've had such bad results recently that I'm scared to go against my Proactiv and prescription routine that has mostly worked for me while some of the other minimal and natural routes have not.

by ladylotti Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 11:19PM Report as inappropriate

My skin is way to oily to wash only once. I also use retinol every night and I heard if you don't wash it off and then go out in the sun, it can cause damage because retinol breaks down in sunlight.

by RoleModel Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:36AM Report as inappropriate

Although I can't imagine not washing my face twice a day these tips were very helpfu.

by taryn.romero Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 09:23AM Report as inappropriate

Very interesting and useful!

by Breton Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 04:16PM Report as inappropriate

This is great advice. I only wash my face with a cleanser at night. Mostly because I've been wearing make up all day. In the morning, a few splashes of warm water and I'm good to go.

by msbrown822 Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 02:02PM Report as inappropriate

What a wonderful and informative article. I learned a lot from this!

by LittleBunny Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 12:24PM Report as inappropriate

useful tips

by glamfairy Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 12:07PM Report as inappropriate

I only wash in the evening, not in the morning. Typically my skin is dry and the added cleansing takes time and moisture i don't have to waste.

by kiwikiwidragon Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 11:30AM Report as inappropriate

good tips

by anna_davis Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 11:25AM Report as inappropriate

Those were useful to know, but I can't imagine washing my face only once a day...

by 125389 Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 10:59AM Report as inappropriate

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