Photo credit: @estherscanon

Written by Joy Yap, founder of Wyld 

Oil Isn’t Hydration (Why Your Skin Still Feels Dry After Using Oils)

Have you ever put facial oil on your skin and still felt dry underneath?

Your skin looks shiny, but it still feels tight.
Or you wake up dry again the next morning no matter how much balm you used.

This is one of the most common skincare misunderstandings:

Oil is not hydration.

And it explains why so many people with dry, sensitive skin feel stuck.

Does oil hydrate the skin?

No, oil does not hydrate the skin.

Oil can be deeply supportive, and I love using oils, but oil does not add water into the skin.

Hydration refers to water in the skin, not oil on top of it.

Our skin already makes oil naturally in the form of sebum.
What it doesn’t produce is water.

That’s why hydration has to be replenished.

Why your skin still feels dry after oil

If your skin barrier is fragile or sensitive, water escapes more easily.

This is why skin can feel chronically dry, reactive, flaky, or uncomfortable even when you use rich oils or balms.

Oils can help seal the skin, but they don’t solve dehydration on their own.

Sometimes what’s missing isn’t more richness.

It’s the hydration step underneath.

Hydration vs moisture: what’s the difference?

This is where many routines go wrong.

Hydration is water.
Oil helps slow water loss.

If there isn’t enough water in the skin to begin with, oil can end up sealing in dryness instead of relieving it.

The order matters:

Hydration first. Oil second.

Sensitive skin needs hydration that stays

Sensitive skin often needs hydration that absorbs and stays in the skin, not something heavy sitting on the surface.

The goal is calm, comfortable, resilient skin over time.

This is Skin Peace.

Not quick fixes. Not harsh ingredients. Just consistent daily support.

Where Moon Dew fits in

Moon Dew is a lightweight hydration treatment I created for chronically dry, sensitive skin, because this is what it felt like for me for so many years. 

Moon Dew serum goes on first, sinks in quickly, and supports the skin’s ability to hold onto moisture over time.

Then, if you choose to layer an oil or balm afterward, it has something real to seal in. Not sealing in dryness.

Hydration first. Oil second.

Moon Dew Serum is for thirsty skin.

https://www.wyldskincare.com/products/moon-dew-serum