How to Keep Skin and Hair Hydrated But Not Oily

What does it mean to have perfect skin and hair? Well, most tend to envision skin and hair that is supple and hydrated but does not appear oily. This requires just the right combination.

However, many people suffer from one problem or the other: skin and hair that is either too dry or too oily. Finding the middle ground is the toughest part.

Other than the perhaps obvious fixes, like regular skin and hair maintenance, you might not actually know why your skin and hair are suffering from too much oil or dryness. The best way to tackle these issues is to really consider your skin and hair care routines and think about how your environment, habits, and products are affecting them.

Of course, every human being is different, and not everyone responds to the same skin and hair advice equally. However, these are some tips that should help you find that perfect balance for skin and hair hydration without the oiliness.

Drink water

This might be the oldest and most obvious advice in the book, but you’d be surprised how many people do not follow it!

Though some individuals might think they have dry skin or hair, they might actually just be severely dehydrated. It’s so important to understand the difference.

Though dry skin and hair is a type, your skin and hair may be suffering from a lack of water. With skin, you can tell by pinching and seeing if your skin immediately wrinkles without holding its shape. If the hair is thin, brittle, and easily broken, it might actually be a sign of dehydration as well.

In the case of dehydration, no amount of treatment outside of drinking more water will really solve the problem, only mask it.

Determine your skin and hair type

Since everyone has different skin and hair types that will react differently to treatments and products, it’s important to determine which skin type and hair type you have.

You might have dry, sensitive, oily, combination, or normal skin. Meanwhile, you might have dry, normal, or oily hair with varying textures and structures within those categories.

By understanding your skin and hair type, you can start to make decisions that will keep your skin and hair hydrated without causing an oily appearance.

Seek out advice for your skin and hair type

If your skin tends to be dry, which means it does not produce as much sebum naturally as other skin types, you might need to opt for heavier moisturizers, for example, or wash your face only once a day. You can also try specific treatments for dry skin.

On the other side, if you have oily or combination skin, you might want to avoid heavy moisturizers, but make sure you’re using gentle products that also won’t overdry your skin.

If you have dry and textured hair, you’ll need to moisturize it frequently and wash it less often.

Even if you have quite oily hair, you might find that excess oil emerges when you wash too often.

A great way to find the right advice for you is to visit a skincare specialist and/or hairstylist, someone who knows what they’re doing and can diagnose your unique skin and hair needs.

Use truly hydrating products

What are truly hydrating products, you may ask? Well, clearly, so many different brands exist, all telling you they are great for your skin and hair. While it’s hard to give everyone the advice to use the same product (since all skin and hair are different), here are some general product tips to keep in mind.

For Skin

When it comes to skincare products, it’s most important to avoid ingredients that harm or dry out the skin, like harsh chemicals, aluminum, DEA, MEA, TEA, mineral oil, phthalates, and parabens. Instead, opt for ingredients like avocado, lemon essential oil, argan oil, aloe vera, jojoba oil, almond oil, shea butter, castor oil, tea tree oil, raw honey, and sea salt.

Natural ingredients are usually effective while being gentle on the skin. Many people seek products that are oil free; however, natural oils often actually help keep skin hydrated and supple. By replenishing and sustaining skin’s natural oils, using oil in your skincare products often results in less oily skin, since the skin does not need to overcompensate for dryness.

For Hair

Avoid ingredients in hair products like parabens and any harsh chemicals. You’re probably best to stick to brands that use natural ingredients and oils. Natural ingredients that are healthy for hair include coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera, jojoba extract, vegetable glycerin, extra virgin olive oil, honey, castor seed oil, tea tree oil and avocado oil.

Avoid overwashing

No matter which skin or hair type you have, overwashing your face or your hair can lead to overdrying, which then causes even more oil.

Sometimes, when you’re trying to avoid an oily appearance, you end up washing your face and hair far too often. This causes your pores to create more oil to make up for the lack of natural oils on your face and in your hair, thus causing an even oilier appearance.

If you find that your face or hair are appearing oily, try washing less or using truly hydrating products, rather than products that just add shine for the sake of it, to see if that helps.

Experiment

Since skin are so unique to each person, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to skincare or haircare. Though all of these tips should help, you should always experiment with solutions to see which works best for your specific skin and hair needs.

This might mean not washing your hair for a week to see the result, only washing your face at night, or trying a new type of natural product after having used products with harsh chemicals for too long.

Remember, it’s better to only make one change at a time, though, unless instructed by a doctor or specialist. If you make too many changes at once, you won’t know which change is having which effect!

 

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