Ever washed your face and felt like your skin suddenly shrank a size? And then, a few hours later, you could literally take a selfie in the shine on your forehead? Yup. Been there.

That combo of dry and oily feels so contradictory — like your skin can’t make up its mind. But spoiler alert: it can. It wants balance. And today, I’ll explain exactly how to help it get there.

This Melanin Moment is for everyone wondering why their skin feels dry in the morning, oily in the afternoon, and… completely confused by nighttime. We're not going to overcomplicate it — just make it clearer.

Grab your cup of hibiscus or rooibos tea (bonus points if you mix both 😉), and let’s go!

🔸 1. Your skin isn’t confused – it’s protecting itself

What you’re feeling as “dry but oily” is actually your skin in survival mode. When it loses moisture, it feels tight — and to compensate, your skin produces extra oil to protect itself.

This is especially common with melanin-rich skin: we tend to retain moisture less efficiently and get thrown off balance more easily by the wrong products or over-cleansing.

💛 What helps?
Hydration starts with cleansing — and that’s so often overlooked. If you dry your skin out in that first step, it’s already out of balance. That’s why I’m such a fan of our Natural Blemish Soap: it contains goat milk powder, which not only gently cleanses but also hydrates at the same time. It gives your skin what it needs right from the start — without stripping or stressing it out.

So don’t see that shine as “oops, too much oil” — see it as a sign. Your skin is thirsty. Give it moisture, calm, and gentleness. From the very first step.

🔸 2. Stop ‘degreasing’ – start restoring

I hear this all the time in the clinic: “My skin gets shiny so fast, so I try to keep it really clean.” And I totally get it. It feels logical to want to get rid of that shine — like your skin is doing too much. But usually, it’s the opposite: your skin is doing its best to protect itself because something’s missing.

What most people don’t realize is that when your skin lacks moisture, it tries to save itself with extra oil. And if your routine is full of stripping products — foaming cleansers, alcohol toners, too much exfoliation — then you’re just disrupting its natural balance even more. You’re not just removing oil — you’re removing peace.

That’s why I believe so strongly in restoring instead of correcting. Gentle cleansing, soothing care, and most importantly: hydration without heaviness. Your skin doesn’t want a battle — it wants reassurance. And the gentler you treat it, the less it has to go into defense mode.

That’s exactly why I’m so proud of our Melplexion® products. We created them with one mission: to give melanin-rich skin what it rarely gets. Real love, protection, and nourishment. No harsh acids or too-good-to-be-true promises. Just ingredients your skin understands, accepts, and uses to find its balance again.

And you know what I keep hearing from customers? That their skin feels calmer. Softer. Easier. And that the shine that’s left behind… is a healthy glow. Not panic-oil, but skin saying: “Thanks, I’m okay now.”

🔸 3. Hydrate in layers – not in loads

I get it — Vaseline feels so comforting. That thick, greasy layer that locks everything in. But if the base isn’t well-hydrated, all you’re really sealing in is dryness. Your skin might feel smooth on the surface, but underneath it’s still thirsty. And in melanin-rich skin, that often shows up as dullness, shine in the wrong places, and lingering irritation.

What your skin really needs is care in layers. Not heavy, not suffocating — but light, nourishing, and purposeful. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. I’m especially proud of our Melplexion Natural Day Cream SPF 30, because it does exactly that: hydrates, nourishes and protects your skin in one step. The formula is lightweight, doesn’t leave a white cast, and feels like a calming hug for your skin — especially on those out-of-balance days.

And I see the difference every time: once clients switch to this way of hydrating, there’s peace. The skin doesn’t feel heavy or greasy anymore, but light and supple. No emergency shine, just that healthy glow from within.
The Vaseline days are over. Let’s hydrate and balance our skin with what it truly needs.

Yes, this is another one of those topics that comes up all the time in our conversations — both in the treatment room and online. And for good reason.

Because when your skin is both dry and oily, it’s not only confusing — it can make you feel unsure about what your skin actually needs.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what’s going on beneath the surface — and more importantly, what you can do to bring your skin back into balance. Because your skin isn’t difficult or “overly sensitive” — it’s intelligent. And once you truly understand it, you’ll see: it gives everything back. Calm. Glow. Confidence.

Next week, we’ll wrap up this mini-series with what might be the most surprising topic of all:
Sensitive and strong at the same time? Why melanin-rich skin sometimes reacts differently.
We’ll dive into those moments when your skin suddenly flares up from products labeled “for all skin types.” What causes it? And more importantly: how do you protect your skin in a way that brings it back to strength?

Keep learning, keep glowing — see you in the next Melanin Moment! 💛

With love,
Angela