It is commonly believed that the more a facial cleanser strips the skin, the more effective it is. Indeed, initially, the skin no longer shines. However, products that excessively dry out the skin can create a rebound effect, causing the skin to produce more sebum. Many cleansers are based on so-called anionic surfactants (e.g., sulfated castor oil, sodium coco-sulfate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate...), like most soaps, and are frequently used to cleanse oily skin.
Indeed, these surfactants bind to the lipids in the stratum corneum, leading to a weakening of the skin barrier and thus reducing its ability to retain water. They also increase the pH of the skin's surface, whereas the acidic mantle of the epidermis is a bacteriostatic environment that inhibits the growth of undesirable bacteria, in addition to having a drying and irritating effect on the skin.
Similarly, overly nourishing treatments or comedogenic oils, which have a greasy feel such as thecoconut oil or wheat germ oil should be avoided for oily skin. They will clog the pores, cause more blemishes to appear and make the skin shinier.
What is the correct approach to take?
It is crucial to use skincare products that are suitable for your skin type to avoid any skin discomfort. Opt for light creams and/or light plant-based oils with a dry touch such as jojoba oil or hazelnut oil. Regarding the cleansing process, choose cleansers based on emollients and/or non-ionic surfactants like coco-glucoside, lauryl glucoside, decyl glucoside... They are generally gentler and interact as little as possible with the structure of the stratum corneum, thus causing minimal disruption to the skin barrier. Although they hardly foam, they still have good detergent activity. The cleansers used should also be soap-free, have a physiological pH, and be free of alcohols.