Sure, it makes sense at first glance: if you dry out oily skin with harsh cleansers, alcohol-based toners and skip the moisturizer, your skin won’t be oily anymore. But … it doesn’t really work like that.

Instead, drying out your skin this way will cause it to up its oil production, making the whole situation worse. King explains that the skin tries to correct itself and so if it feels dry it will begin to produce more oil to balance things out.

The solution: treat your skin gently and keep it hydrated (but not greasy). So use a cleanser made for acne-prone skin, but follow it up with a hydrating toner and/or a light, oil-free moisturizer so your skin doesn’t freak and crank out the oil. You can also use a mattifying product on especially greasy areas to sop up oil without over-drying your skin.