You’ve seen it before, and you’ll likely see it again. The dreaded oily-dehydrated skin combination. 

For most estheticians and skin therapists the challenge becomes how to determine if a client’s skin is both oily and dehydrated. 

But, first let’s review the difference between the two. 

DEHYDRATED SKIN                                                                                                                                         A client’s skin is dehydrated if it looks dull, flaky, and pale. You may also notice that the skin feels tight. Additionally dehydrated skin is more prone to fine lines and wrinkles, and is occasionally red. 

Dry skin is not the same as dehydrated skin. Dehydrated skin is a skin condition (meaning that it has less hydration) and not a skin type. While dry skin is considered a skin type because it has fewer natural oils, naturally and genetically. 

The definition of dehydrated skin is when the epidermis doesn’t have enough water. It’s also important to note that dehydration isn’t exclusive to any skin type. Since dehydration has nothing to do with a skin type, it is one skin problem that can be fixed.  

When your client’s skin is properly hydrated, it looks vibrant and feels supple, almost bouncy. 

Still, it can be difficult to determine if a client with oily skin also has dehydrated skin. That’s why dehydration usually goes unnoticed on oily skin. 

NOTE: Moisture is a term used among skincare professionals incorrectly. When the skin has moisture, it has lipids, oils, ceramides, and fatty acids that support the lipid or moisture barrier. Hydration then, means that the skin contains water, humectants, and GAG’s. The two terms should not be used interchangeably. 

OILY SKIN                                                                                                                                                         Oily skin, on the other hand, looks shiny and feels greasy to the touch, plus that excess oil makes your client more prone to congestion and breakouts.  

Everyone’s skin produces sebum thanks to our sebaceous glands; it’s essential to keeping skin healthy and protected from environmental toxins. All skin types need both water (hydration) and oil (moisture) for the skin barrier to function properly. Dry skin doesn’t have enough oil whereas oily skin has too much of it. So, how much oil (lipids) we produce defines our skin type.

HOW OILY SKIN BECOMES DEHYDRATED 

• Sun Exposure: Too much sun exposure tends to dry out skin, which can lead to the sebaceous glands producing more oil to compensate for moisture loss.   
• Harsh Skincare Products: Drying out oily skin is never the answer. Products that strip the productive oils from the face, triggers too much oil production and dryness. 
• Air Conditioners: Oily skin can easily become dehydrated if your client is constantly indoors with the air-conditioning running nonstop. One way to counteract the dry air circulating through the room is with the use of a humidifier.  
• Not Enough Water: If your client is not drinking enough water every day (that’s likely happening), their skin will definitely show signs of dehydration.  
• Barrier Disruption: When the skin barrier is disrupted, it is prone to Transepidermal Water Loss, also known as TEWL. Oily skin, while abundant in lipids, may have a compromised barrier due to environmental or lifestyle factors. 

TREATING OILY DEHYDRATED SKIN                                                                                       Balancing the skin’s delicate microbiome is always the place to start. Without it, your client will continue to see oil production and buildup. Then what happens? They start using aggressive cleansers, they over-exfoliate, and they stop using moisturizers. This all leads to even more sebum production and barrier disruption.  

Topically, here’s the steps you should follow, while educating your client to do the same: 

1. First Cleanse 

Remove all make-up with a first cleanse. I recommend using an oil-based or other gentle non-drying cleanser as a first cleanse to remove make-up. Don’t worry, you will wash away any excess oil-based cleanser with a second cleanse. 

2. Second Cleanse 

After gently removing your client’s make-up (and sticky, water-resistant SPF), it’s time for a second cleanse with a cleanser that contains salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient that dissolves the oils that penetrates right down into the pores. Salicylic acid also acts as a gentle exfoliator so we can skip that step.   

3. Toner 

Once the skin is clean, a toner that contains mandelic or lactic acid can be used to minimize skin congestion by removing any excess sebum (oil) and dead skin cells that may be left on the skin’s surface. 

4. Hydrate 

Hydrate tight, dehydrated skin with a product that contains hyaluronic acid and other humectants to replace hydration lost in cleansing and toning.   

5. Eye Gels 

Don’t skimp here! Eye gels are always a must. Eye gels are formulated to address the unique needs of oily skin around the eyes by adding hydration, while reducing dark circles, puffiness and fine lines. A good quality eye gel is typically infused with ingredients like caffeine, hyaluronic acid, Vitamin K, and antioxidants that work best to hydrate and brighten the delicate skin around the eyes.  

6. Serum 

A serum that includes Niacinamide (B3) will become your client’s new best friend. Niacinamide is great for enlarged blemish prone-skin and for strengthening a weakened skin barrier. The right serum should be super nourishing without compromising the skin’s oil production levels. 

7. Moisturizer 

This is the step that many clients tend to shy away from because they worry that it will make their oily skin greasy. However, it’s important to use a water-based moisturizer or hydrator with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalane, and ceramides. 

8. SPF 

Many clients are afraid to use an SPF because they have seen breakouts in the past, but the fact is that a good sunscreen is their number one weapon against aging. Tell them to avoid sunscreens that use oils like mineral, coconut, and jojoba oil. Oily skin types should also stay away from sunscreens that contain occlusive ingredients like petrolatum, and waxes. Instead help your clients find the right oil-free sunscreen that includes mattifying ingredients like silica to reduce shine.  

IS IT WORKING?                                                                                                                           According to Healthline, you can try a simple test. You gently pinch your cheeks and then release. If your skin bounces back immediately, it’s not dehydrated. 

But if your skin takes a few seconds to bounce back, it’s dehydrated. The test makes sense as hydrated skin feels bouncy and looks plump.