As Derek Zoolander so eloquently said, “Moisture is the essence of wetness and wetness is the essence of beauty.” Early-aughts pop culture references aside, there truly is no concept more highly regarded in the beauty world than moisture. Cue images of celebs with glistening skin promoting their product lines, aisles upon aisles of hydrating serums, toners, and masks at Sephora, and even social media’s current obsession with Moo Deng the hippo’s dewy glow.
Moisture, moisture, and more moisture is the name of the game. But can too much of a good thing actually backfire? To find out, we asked a couple of dermatologists how much moisturizer is too much moisturizer—and how to find your hydration happy medium.
Why is moisturizing your face so important?
Everyone, no matter their skin type, should be using a moisturizer, Morgan Rabach, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, tells SELF. Hydration is key if you want to keep your skin barrier healthy and ward off dryness and irritation. And, particularly if you’re on the oily side, keeping your face well-moisturized ensures it doesn’t paradoxically start producing more sebum (the skin’s natural oils), Dr. Rabach notes. (This becomes even more important during the fall and winter, when cooler temps coupled with lower humidity levels coupled with dehydrating indoor heat can seriously dry out your face.)
“Moisturizing is not the devil, but it’s a matter of balance and moderation,” Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, tells SELF. You need to understand both your skin type and the climate you live in to tailor a moisturizing protocol to your specific face, Dr. Idriss says. With everyone talking about “glass skin” and the importance of hydration, it seems like more moisture is the sole secret to a glowy complexion, but that’s not the case, she points out.
What can happen if you moisturize too much?
“You can definitely go overboard with moisturizing,” Dr. Rabach says. “It’s a thing, for sure, and one that’s not talked about enough.” Issues arise when your skin’s natural hydration levels are out of whack, she explains—whether your face is too dry or overly moisturized. A healthy skin barrier (or stratum corneum) is balanced with natural moisturizing factors (NMF) and ceramides that act like ‘glue’ to hold skin cells together, Dr. Idriss says. Too much moisture throws off this delicate balancing act and can cause a microscopic breakdown of your barrier. As a result, external irritants can more easily penetrate and trigger inflammation and irritation, she explains.
Another potential pitfall? Fungal and/or yeast overgrowth. Both of these microorganisms love moisture, so over-moisturizing creates the perfect breeding ground for them, Dr. Idriss notes. Finally, using too many hydrating products (or ones that contain the wrong ingredients for your skin type—more on that to come) can also clog pores and cause breakouts, Dr. Rabach says.
Signs that you’re going too hard on moisturizing products
Both experts we spoke with agree that irritation is a big one, manifesting as redness in lighter skin and darker brown or purplish discoloration in deeper complexions. (Though they note that lots of other factors, including harsh skin care ingredients like retinol, can irritate your face). Dr. Rabach also says that eczema sufferers may notice more flares if they’ve over-moisturized; too much moisturizer can end up trapping sweat and triggering irritation, she says. Other symptoms include those aforementioned acne breakouts, as well as milia, which are particularly common around the eye area, she says. A generally shiny appearance and feeling like you always need to blot your skin are other tell-tale red flags, she adds.
