Is not moisturising your face the new movement in beauty?

A few years ago the movement now known as the No Poo Method was introduced to us. Basically, shampoo your hair less to avoid oily build-up.

The No Poo Method site suggests "The theory of “No Poo” is this: by washing hair with a gentle alternative to shampoo, such as baking soda and apple cider vinegar or even just water only, you'll achieve clean hair without the damage or dependency on daily shampooing.

"So, in short, instead of allowing chemicals in shampoo to strip your hair, strip away the chemicals instead and stop using shampoo altogether. Most dermatologists and hair stylists have been long-time advocates of shampooing less often, and are crying hallelujah for this hair care revolution."

Now it seems this approach is veering into the field of beauty and skincare as there has been an uptake in stories and cases of people, predominantly women who say that stopped moisturising their faces. 

Into The Gloss recently ran an article about a writer who said face lotion is dead to her. This, of course, piqued my interest. Face lotion, to me, is basically life. I've been moisturising since I was 12.  

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But she had a very particular reason, oily skin. "So going on two summers now, I have forgone face lotion almost entirely. That doesn’t mean I don’t moisturise my face at all—I’ve just replaced lotion with other things." Like serums, she adds. 

Cape Town writer, Cayleigh Bright is also part of this club of non moisturiser believers: 

"My avoidance of moisturiser results from a combination of laziness and good luck: I have a very minimal day-to-day beauty routine, and the women in my family tend to have skin that doesn't need all that much attention and doesn't age easily. So yes, I'm turning 30 next year and hoping that it turns out that I'm similarly blessed. In the meantime, weekly clay masks and a daily zinc supplement keep breakouts in check, and any product that exfoliates as it hydrates is an instant favourite for me. 

"Perhaps I'm nervous about moisturing because of the old myth that oily skin (like mine – and I'm from humid Durban so my teenage years were a greasy, greasy time) doesn't need as much moisture. Of course I know that the opposite is true, but maybe I'm unconsciously wary of adding more moisture?

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"Then again, it's entirely possible that I just haven't found the right moisturiser yet: when I worked in the magazine industry full-time I went through a particularly stressful, sleep-deprived period right after I had been gifted a tube of La Mer Intensive Revitalising Mask, which was a lifesaver. I used it as intended (applying for a few minutes and then wiping it off) on my tired and sensitive skin, and also dabbed it into dry spots during the day. If the time comes when my budget allows it and my schedule demands it, I could easily pick up the moisturising habit with a little luxury help."

Others in the beauty industry with very oily skin have also said to me that they prefer serums to moisturisers as its formula is better suited to their skin. During summer especially as the heat in combination with a creamy moisturiser and oily skin equals a face melt. 

Now, this method is definitely not accepted by the greater skin and beauty industry as of yet. As gasping beauty editors responded to my tweet asking to speak to women who don't moisturise, I read that Refinery29's Daniela Morosini says that whomever she shares the fact that she doesn't moisturise with is immediately rendered horrified and silent. 

Local dermatologist, Dr. Nomphelo Gantsho says "If your skin tends to be oily, you should look for lotions instead of creams, and try to find a moisturiser with exfoliant ingredients. If your skin tends to be dry, look for a cream – they tend to have a higher oil content. Rich, liquid and cream moisturisers take care of dry and wrinkled skin. Water-based, oil free moisturiser works best for oily skin. Herbal moisturisers are very light. They not only help to protect the skin, but also assist in evaporating excess moisture.

"When skin is too dry or too oily, many common skin problems like acne start to pop up. For patients with acne-prone skin, I recommend using an oil-free, fragrance-free, noncomedogenic moisturizer along with their acne regimen. Makeup sticks to dry areas on the skin and even seeps into fine lines. Moisturiser may be used before applying make-up to serve as a protective base, so use a moisturiser on light consistency, as it will assist your make-up to hold better."

So, it's important to remember that it's skin specific, find out from your dermatologist what your skin needs. Whether oily, acne-prone or dry, we all all different needs and can never hit the apply-all button to any skincare regime. 

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