I have received many emails from customers who over the years have developed drier skin and then experienced breakouts of blackheads, pimples, red spots, and other blemishes. Of those who have contacted me, all have been at different stages in their lives. Everything from teenagers to 50-year-olds, but the majority are those who have had problem-free skin but develop this dilemma around the age of 30. They naturally wonder what they should do.
Problems that everyone has in common
Everyone has had different skincare routines and skin problems, but the majority have had this in common:
Dry skin (this also applies to those with oily/greasy skin): the skin feels very tight after washing.
Conventional skincare products (especially creams) have been used for a long time (several years).
The skin only gets drier over the years. For some, this results in the skin overproducing sebum and causing greasy and oily skin.
People switch cleansing products or routines. Those with dry skin switch to milder cleansing creams or cleansing oils and might skip washing their face in the morning. Some dry skin types with greasy and oily skin switch to even more drying cleansing products. They continue to moisturize the skin with conventional creams.
Recently, blackheads, pimples, red spots, or other blemishes have broken out.
The skin condition worsens. The skin only gets drier and the blemishes continue to break out.
Why these problems occur
Dry skin can develop for many reasons. But regardless of whether it's hormonal, environmental, or health changes that cause dry skin, facial cleansing products with a lot of suds are needed - that is, products that wash away a lot of sebum and dirt - to remove residue products (e.g., silicones, synthetics) from conventional products.
Sometimes deep cleansing such as peeling and masks is needed to purify the skin. The residue products usually come from conventional face creams.
Because people develop drier skin over time, they switch to milder cleansing products but continue with the same type of face creams. The mild cleansing products cannot wash away all the residue products, and these accumulate in the skin over time. Or they use more drying products when they have oily/greasy skin (which actually stems from dry skin).
Eventually, so much residue product has built up in the skin that it breaks out in the form of blemishes. Those with greasy skin (which stems from dry skin) might succeed in washing away residue products with strong products, but instead get blemishes and acne because the skin produces far too much sebum.
Solutions to the problems
Stop using conventional skincare (especially face creams) and cleanse out the residue products and blemishes with natural products.
Give the skin time to find balance.
Then wash with natural, preferably organic oil + water or mild cleansing products.
Deep cleanse the skin occasionally with organic scrubs and masks.
Moisturize the skin with only natural creams and/or oils as well as serums without synthetic ingredients that remain in the skin and cause problems.
In this article - The Ultimate Guide for Dry Skin you can read more about solutions and get product suggestions.
![Close-up of a woman applying sunscreen to her face while making a kissing face.]
