Skin protectors

The main reason why so many acne patients have dry skin is because they use topical products that inhibit sebum production. By nature, the skin produces oil and sebum to prevent dehydration. Dry skin is not caused by a lack of water in the body or skin (which would affect all the organs) but due to accelerated dehydration of the outer skin cells. Reasons for this are a lack of sebum/oil (due to the topical products), too much sunlight, or aggressive chemicals (like chloride in tap water).

The skin
Our skin continually renews itself, so skin cells grow from the basale layer until they reach the corneum and shed off (desquamation). Skin cells always contain lots of water, but the more they move towards the surface the more they dehydrate, until they have dehydrated so much that they die, and are shed off.
This process is accelerated by sunlight and aggressive chemicals, but also by water-attracting chemicals in the true skin (dermis), which distract water from the outer skin (epidermis).

How do moisturizers work?
The problem of most moisturizers is that they make the skin absorb chemicals that attract water: to "moisturize" the skin. Thus it functions exactly like 'dirty' protein and salt, increasing water pressure in the true skin, which could pinch off sebum canals and thus cause acne.

So by "moisturizing" the skin with a moisturizer, the moisturizing chemicals first make the outer skin retain more water, but then are absorbed in the true skin, where they drain water from the outer skin. That is why the skin first feels soft after using the moisturizer, but after a while that effect is gone, and one might think more moisturizer is needed.
In essence a moisturizer only accelerates the dehydration of the skin.

What to use?
Do not use any topical treatment, no matter how locally adapted it is.

Basically what we are looking for is a skin protector that mimics the effect of sebum; sebum also protects the outer skin against dehydration. But since the sebum canals are pinched off, even though a lot of sebum is produced, far too little reaches the surface, which is why in some people the skin starts to produce more oil to counteract the dehydration of the skin.

As a skin protector one can use either a natural oil or a commercial product. The only good commercial skin protector is a cream that does not contain water-attracting chemicals, but puts a thin layer of fat on the outer skin, too thin and moist to clog the pores, but thick enough to protect the outer skin cells against dehydration. Look for one that does not promise to "moisturize" or "hydrate" the skin, but just "protects the skin against dehydration".

There are a number of natural oils to choose from, but only use oil low in vitamin E, because vitamin E accelerates shedding of the skin. Oils that contain the least vitamin E (per 100 gram) are:

Cocoa butter contains even less vitamin E (1 mg.) but can clog the pores. One of the oils mentioned above will do just fine.
If the skin is very fragile, sensitive or dry due to the use of Retin A, accutane or other products, try the walnut oil first, since this oil is most gentle and soothing.

How to clean the face and apply a skin protector?
For cleaning the face one can use either low-mineral water or a mild cleansing lotion. Most effective is to apply one fingertip of oil on the face after having wetted it a little bit. Use a plant spray to spray some low mineral bottle water (like Volvic) on the face, enough to feel it, but not so much that it is visible or that drops are formed.