Your daily cleansing routine is the basis for healthy skin. People with dry skin usually feel the need to moisturize due to dryness, but people with oily or combination skin feel that is it not necessary. This is one of the biggest myths in skin care.

Everyone, no matter what skin type, needs to moisturize daily. Moisture refers to your skin's water content and not its lipid content. In other words, having dry or oily skin has nothing to do with dryness.

Learn How to Moisturize Dry Skin

Moisturizing dry skin is a bigger chore than you may think. There are different degrees of dryness so a good first step is to determine how dry your skin really is. Without this information it'll be impossible to find the right moisturizing product.

If your skin is dry, you will need to use a creamy moisturizer after you cleanse. As part of your basic routine you will need to moisturize at least twice a day. You can safely reapply moisturizer when needed if during the day you feel that your skin is taut.

If your skin still feels taut even after having used a creamy moisturizer, it may be time for you to use oil. You can choose to use a mineral oil, body oil, or a non-comedogenic edible oil like olive oil. Remember to apply sunscreen if you are going to be outdoors as these products do not contain SPF.

An advantage to using oil is that it will absorb more quickly than creams. This is one of the biggest reason they are so effective for people with very dry skin. They can also be better for people with dry, sensitive skin as they contain very little additives.

How to Moisturize Oily Skin Stay away from oil-based products if you have oily skin. Instead, try water-based formulas. These products are light enough to absorb quickly without leaving behind pore clogging residue.

It is also advisable to apply your moisturizer before your skin dries completely. This will help lock the moisture to your skin. Remember skin dryness is about water content not lipid content.

Combination Skin - How to Moisturize

Since combination skin has both dry skin and oily skin, look for a product that is specially formulated for it. You can also try using a moisturizer that is designed for oily skin and reapply it to the drier patches of skin. If your skin has more dry patches, choose a moisturizer designed for dry skin and don't apply as much on oilier areas.

Whether you are moisturizing dry skin, oily skin or combination skin you needn't worry, there is one product that can treat all skin types effectively.