Dry skin with pimples? Natural solutions for balance

I have received many emails from customers who over the years have developed drier skin and then experienced outbreaks of pimples, acne, red spots, and other impurities.

Those who have reached out have been at different stages in their lives. Everything from teenagers to people in their 50s, but the majority are those who had clear skin but face this dilemma around the age of 30.

They naturally wonder what they should do.

The common problems everyone shares

Everyone has had different skincare routines and skin issues, but most have had this in common:

1. Dry skin (also applies to those with oily/greasy skin): the skin feels very tight after washing.
2. Conventional skincare products (especially creams) have been used for a long time (several years).
3. The skin just gets drier over the years. For some, this results in the skin overproducing sebum, leading to oily and greasy skin.
4. They change cleansing products or routines. Those with dry skin switch to milder cleansing creams or cleansing oils and may skip washing their face in the morning. Some with dry but oily/greasy skin switch to even more drying cleansing products. They continue to moisturize the skin with conventional creams.
5. Recently, pimples, acne, red spots, or other impurities have broken out.
6. The skin condition worsens. The skin just gets drier and the impurities continue to break out.

Why the problems occur

1. Dry skin can be caused by many reasons. But regardless of whether it’s hormonal, environmental, or health changes causing dry skin, facial cleansing products with a lot of foam are needed—that is, products that wash away a lot of sebum and dirt to remove residue (e.g., silicones, synthetics) from conventional products.
2. Sometimes deep cleansing like exfoliation and masks are needed to purify the skin. The residues usually come from conventional facial creams.
3. Because the skin gets drier over time, people switch to milder cleansing products but continue using the same types of facial creams. The mild cleansers can’t remove all the residues, which then build up in the skin over time. Or they use more drying products if they have oily/greasy skin (which actually stems from dry skin).
4. Eventually, so much residue has built up in the skin that it breaks out as impurities. Those with oily skin (which stems from dry skin) might manage to wash away residues with strong products but instead get impurities and acne because the skin produces far too much sebum.

Solutions to the problems

1. Stop using conventional skincare (especially facial creams) and clear out residues and impurities with natural products.
2. Give the skin time to find balance.
3. Then wash with natural, preferably organic oil + water or mild cleansing products.
4. Occasionally deep cleanse the skin with organic scrubs and masks.
5. Moisturize the skin only with 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 recommendations.