Recently, I heard a friend say she would much rather deal with oily skin (opposed to dry) because she’ll “age better” as she gets older, and I began to wonder if this was actually true. After all, oily skin would likely result in more moisturized skin, so many believe that that it wards off wrinkles better than dry skin, and that oily skin may help with aging because of the surplus of moisture within the skin. But, as it turns out, the answer to the question “does oily skin age better,”—like many skin and aging questions—is not so simple.
Is Oily Skin The Key to Healthy Skin Aging? According to Skin Experts, Aging Skin Is Not That Simple
Women with oily skin do age differently than those with dry skin, but it’s not always for the better. Celebrity esthetician Renee Rouleau says that oily skin tends to be thicker and less prone to dehydration, which definitely leads to less fine lines throughout the skin when aging, but on the flipside, can result in deeper lines and larger pores as you age.
Skin Types and Skin Aging: Can A Certain Type of Skin Help You Age Better?
On the other hand, women with dry skin tend to have smaller pores, but deal with dull, flaky skin that has a crinkly appearance to it. So, whose skin in fact ages better? Dry skin or oily skin? The answer: neither. According to experts, normal skin or combination skin ages most healthily. “The one that ages best is not one extreme or the other, but takes the best of both skin types,” says Rouleau.
Now, women with oily skin also tend to think they don’t need to use a moisturizer, but on the contrary, they do, and on a daily basis “to lock in the natural moisture of the skin,” says New York dermatologist Eric Schweiger, MD. “In addition, if you forget to moisturize the skin, the skin can sometimes overproduce oil, making skin appear more oily.”
The key is to find a moisturizer that’s right for your skin type. Rouleau recommends one that is lightweight and oil-free, while Dr. Schweiger adds that those containing sunscreen will help prevent collagen breakdown, premature aging and skin cancer.
