7 Tips for Dealing with Breakouts when You Have Dry Skin ...

Actually, steam treatments can be really helpful in dealing with breakouts and with dry skin, so feel free to indulge the next time you're getting a facial. When you're taking a shower or a bath, however, nix the steaming hot water. In cold weather, especially, hot water will dry out your skin even worse – and since dry skin can lead to breakouts, you're doing double damage. You don't have to freeze yourself to death, but choose warm water over steaming hot.

It's a vicious cycle. You have dry skin so you want to moisturize, but you're afraid to because you don't want to make yourself breakout worse. Keep moisturizing, even if you're suffering from blemishes. Just choose something lighter weight that's not too oily; you can even find moisturizers that are geared toward acne prone skin, so you can deal with both problems at the same time.

You need to choose the right cleanser as well. First off, although benzoyl peroxide and similar ingredients are helpful with acne and pimples, they won't do your dry skin any favors. Secondly, cream cleansers are generally better for dry skin, so you can banish your blemishes without sucking all the moisture out of your skin. Look for something creamy and gentle without too many harsh chemicals.

You should also look for alkaline facial products. From cleansers to toners to creams, you need the alkalinity to balance out your skin's pH balance. Doing so will actually help your breakouts and your dry skin.

You can avoid drying out your skin by only dealing with the problem areas as well. Look for a topical cream, which can be stronger than an all-over cleanser. Spot treatments are excellent for this. You just put the cream over your pimples and leave the rest of your skin alone.

Environmental stresses can take their toll on your skin, leading to both dryness and breakouts. Avoid that, especially in cold temperatures, by always protecting your skin. Sunscreen is essential, of course, but you should also use wraps and scarves to protect your face when you're out in cold weather.

If you're still worried about drying out your skin even more with acne treatments, just go the natural routes. Using essential oils, DIY remedies, or natural products will help take care of your breakouts and your dryness, without making either problem worse.

Dealing with breakouts is no fun, no matter what your skin type. Fortunately, there are methods you can use even if you have dry skin, and you don't have to rely on those traditional means that might make your skin even worse. Do you deal with frequent breakouts? What's your skin type?