I hate having grease-slick, semi-reflective, oily skin. It’s gross! Since I was about 15, I have exclusively used oil-free face products in order to minimize the glaring shine, but I have recently come to discover that this was oh-so wrong.

The other day, I stumbled upon a recently added RealSelf expert tip from Earthwise Beauty founder Ava Wilder answering, “What’s the best way to get healthy skin?” Her first comment in response to the question? “Don’t rely on oil-free skin care products.”

Talk about a slap in the face! Here I am, thinking that for the last decade, I was putting my best face forward by using oil-free products, when in reality I was doing my skin a great disservice. I vowed to get a new cleanser and moisturizer before the day was out.

At a popular drugstore later that day, I rushed to the beauty aisle to find some new, healthier skin products. But lo, and behold, what I found down that aisle was a wall of lotions and cleansers boldly labeled “oil-free.” Literally, every product, even the ones “specially formulated for dry or combination skin,” was oil-free. I left the store discouraged because I could not find a single cleanser or face moisturizer that contained the healthy oils suggested by the expert. 

Lesson learned: Be prepared to look beyond the drugstore or department store for truly healthy skin.

According to Ava Wilder, oils are essential for deep-cleaning and moisturizing skin and failing to incorporate them into your skin care regimen can be downright damaging. If you are worried that oil in skin care products will breed breakouts, check out the skin care tip here and read Ava Wilder’s suggestions for avoiding oil-induced blemishes.