Can Moisturizers Cause Acne In Men?

Moisturizer is one of the most essential products in a man’s skincare routine. 

Using face moisturizer regularly can reduce visible signs of aging and help achieve smoother skin by promoting cell renewal and reducing the appearance of fine lines and pores.

It also works wonders on dry skin.

But what if your skin is already the opposite of dry, by which we mean somewhat on the greasier side and even prone to acne breakouts? 

In today's blog, we're revealing the truth about whether moisturizer can cause acne breakouts in men.

Can men's moisturizers cause acne?

Moisturizer in and of itself isn’t bad for acne. In fact, a moisturizer with the right ingredients for your skin type used at the right frequency can help reduce breakouts. 

It may seem counterintuitive because when you’re having an acne breakout, your skin seems oily, so your intuition might be to go and dry it out. 

This is a terrible idea because the irritation of being overly dry could make your skin signal to those oil-producing sebaceous glands to churn out even more grease, which will combine with dead skin cells to clog pores and follicles and trigger yet another breakout. 

The right moisturizer can help with acne breakouts by soothing the face and drawing water from deeper levels of the skin to moisturize the surface. 

Moisturizer also creates a thin protective barrier layer for the skin, which locks in moisture and helps reduce sebum production. 

Why Do Men Break Out When They Moisturize?

If acne is a problem you’ve been dealing with, the frequency with which you slather your face in soothing moisturizer is of the utmost importance. 

Overdoing it with the moisturizer is just asking for a bumper crop of big juicy zits. Try to only moisturize twice a day, after your shower or after cleansing with a natural face wash. 

Also, limit the amount of moisturizer you’re squeezing onto your skin - no need to drown your beautiful face in product! 

Exfoliation is also a great step to add to your skincare routine, especially if you get frequent acne breakouts. Exfoliating twice a week helps scrub off those dead skin cells that end up clogging pores and contributing to breakouts. 

We have a great essential skin care kit that includes our natural face cleanser, face scrub, and face moisturizer, which covers you through all the steps we just described.

What moisturizers are best for men with acne?

Men with acne should look out for moisturizers that won’t clog pores and will balance the internal hydration of the skin. Avoiding irritating artificial ingredients is also absolutely essential. 

Synthetic fragrances are potentially very irritating and could even cause an allergic reaction in individuals with sensitive skin, as can parabens, leading to clogged pores and outbreaks. 

Petrolatum, the main ingredient in Vaseline, is also something you’ll want to avoid when you see it in the ingredients list of your next potential moisturizer. 

Slathering anything with this petroleum byproduct in it on your acne-prone skin is highly likely to cause a breakout since its inherent comedogenic properties mean it is amazing at clogging pores.

The best moisturizers for acne-prone skin are made with a bounty of natural ingredients instead of harsh chemicals and chemical byproducts.

What natural ingredients can help acne?

Mother Nature has provided us with many different natural plant-based ingredients to heal and vitalize ourselves. You want to look for natural ingredients with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties without being harsh. 

Our natural men’s face moisturizer is excellent for men with sensitive skin. It contains coconut oil, which has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties while also being very soothing to the skin and helping skin retain moisture. 

It also has shea butter, a natural anti-inflammatory that soothes, tones, and tightens your skin. We also use all-natural vegan ingredients, including essential oils, instead of irritating synthetic fragrances.

Can moisturizer help reduce acne scars?

If you’ve been dealing with acne breakouts for a long time, you’re bound to be sporting a scar or two. 

But can moisturizer help to reduce those scars? If you use the correct product - then maybe!

A new study shows that using moisturizer may help prevent and treat all sorts of scars, including acne. 

The damage to the skin when a scar forms is related to the disruption of the skin’s barrier function, leading to excess water loss. Water makes up a huge amount of your body, which is why it's so important to keep hydrated both internally and externally.

When your damaged skin senses potential water loss, it initiates an inflammatory response that messes with collagen production and leads to scarring. 

Using moisturizer on the scarred area keeps it hydrated and sends the message to the skin to cool it with the inflammatory response, thus relieving the scarred area and normalizing the collagen production once more.

In short, moisturizing your skin and keeping your water levels up should improve the appearance of the scars.

Conclusion

We hope this article has given you a bit of guidance and insight into the helpfulness of moisturizer to acne sufferers. If you're looking for the best men's natural moisturizer that prevents acne, check out the product below!