Does Face Moisturizer Cause Acne?

Understanding the world of face moisturizers can be frustrating for a person with acne-prone skin. Learning what moisturizers help or harm their skin can be challenging. Some may even wonder, “Does face moisturizer cause acne on my face?”

It depends on the ingredients in your face moisturizer. Before you buy a face moisturizer, you need to understand that there are ingredients that will irritate the skin or cause your face to break out. When the skin is irritated, it increases sebum production clogging your pores.

Oily and acne-prone skin benefit from face moisturizers if it contains the right ingredients.

Can Moisturizers Cause Acne?

Yes, a moisturizer can cause acne because of the ingredients and type of moisturizer a person is using. Using the correct moisturizer for your skin type will not cause acne.

A face moisturizer benefits oily skin types because it helps keep the skin hydrated and not oily. If your skin is properly hydrated, it will not grow irritated, which causes your skin to produce excess sebum.

How do you know if you are using a face moisturizer that prevents acne and does not cause it? Look for moisturizers that contain non-comedogenic oils. Non-comedogenic oils do not clog your pores and cause unwanted skin conditions. You can also look for oil-free moisturizers.

Non-Comedogenic Oil Based Moisturizers That Help Acne-Prone Skin

When you use non-comedogenic oils and ingredients in your skincare products, the skin care product is not likely to clog your pores. Some skincare products will even advertise that their moisturizer is non-comedogenic. 

With acne-prone skin, you will want to focus on skincare products containing non-comedogenic oils.

Some non-comedogenic oils are:

• Jojoba Oil
• Hemp Seed Oil
• Argan Oil
• Sunflower Seed Oil

If you formulate your own non-comedogenic face moisturizer, do your research on what ingredients you will be adding. 

Oil-Free Moisturizers That Help Acne-Prone Skin

Another type of moisturizer that will help acne-prone skin is an oil-free moisturizer. These face moisturizers contain no oils and butter and hydrate the skin in other ways using extracts and humectants. 

You may wonder, “Can oil-Free moisturizer cause acne?” It depends on the ingredients that are in your oil-free moisturizer. Look for ingredients that will not irritate the skin, and stay away from alcohol and drying ingredients.

Some hydrating ingredients in oil-free face moisturizers that will not cause acne are:

• Hyaluronic Acid
• Glycerin
• Aloe Vera
• Chamomile Extract

How Do Face Moisturizers Cause Acne?

As mentioned above, if you use a face moisturizer that contains comedogenic oils and butter or irritating and drying ingredients, then your face moisturizer will cause your face to have acne.

Also, if you use a heavy face moisturizer or even use too much at one time, this could cause your products to clog your pores. Rana Bano mentions that using an oil-based moisturizer formula could cause the skin to be too greasy and break out.

How Often Should You Apply Face Moisturizer to Acne-Prone Skin?

Many questions may arise for people with acne-prone skin and moisturizers. One question is, “How often should I moisturize my face if I have acne?” You should apply moisturizer twice a day. One time in the morning and once at night. 

Incorporating a face moisturizer into your skincare routine will help your acne-prone skin stay hydrated and not irritated.

Best Clean and Natural Face Moisturizers for Acne-Prone Skin

There are a few different natural face moisturizers for acne-prone skin that you can use on your skin. These moisturizers vary from oil-based to oil-free.

Conclusion

Understanding how a face moisturizer causes acne helps you know your skin and what products to purchase for your skin type. Buying face moisturizers that are oil-free or use non-comedogenic oils will help your skin stay acne-free.

Finally, do a spot test with new skincare products to know if they will cause your skin to react negatively. If you apply a new moisturizer to one area of the face, you will understand how your skin will react to this new skincare product.