We know it’s hot out there and your skin might be feeling pret-ty slippery right about now. But if you’re thinking of skipping the moisturizer in favor of letting natural oil do the hydrating, you’re not giving your complexion what it needs. And that’s putting it lightly.

When you miss moisturizer:

1.) Your breakouts will get worse.

Even severely oily skin types need moisturizer to stay balanced. Your T-zone might feel greasy, but dryness in other areas of the face can lead to an overproduction of oil, something our skin naturally does to compensate for dehydration. As we all know, excess oil can clog pores and lead to blemishes, black heads, white heads and a slew of other unpleasant issues.

2). Any fine lines and wrinkles will become more pronounced.

Hydrated skin looks young and dewy, not to mention smooth. High-quality moisturizers help plump up skin, which naturally fills in fine lines and wrinkles. Without moisturizer, you’re going to start to see a lot more fine lines, particularly in the eye area. This can cause a dull, tired look.

3). Your skin is wide open to the drying effects of AC.

Any type of climate control system, whether warm or cool, has the potential to dry out your skin, and just think: we’re constantly going between extreme heat and artificial cool as we step in and out of cars and buildings. Your skin is bound to be thrown off balance!

4). You lose a layer of natural protection against the elements.

Your complexion naturally has an invisible barrier against environmental stressors, and moisturizer helps enhance and strengthen it. Without it, though, this barrier can grow weak. Before you know it, the bad stuff is getting at your skin, and you’re left wide open to damage from the sun and pollution. Even certain skin care ingredients, like glycolic acid, can start to prove too harsh and leave the complexion red and irritated.

5). Your makeup will look cakey.

Makeup has an uncanny knack for sticking to dry patches and settling into fine lines when applied to a bare, unconditioned face. This of course causes an unnatural, caked-on look that not even our best brushes can fix. In particular, under-eye concealer can turn into a hot mess, fast.

6). Your skin’s overall elasticity will decrease dramatically.

Leather has a tendency to crack if it isn’t conditioned, and the same might be said for your skin. When collagen and elastin fibers aren’t similarly conditioned with moisturizer, they can grow stiff and break down. This causes fine lines, deep wrinkles, and sagging. Once collagen and elastin has been damaged to this extent, it’s almost impossible to nurse it back to health.

Suddenly, we’re in the mood to shop for moisturizer.

What’s your favorite way to keep skin hydrated? Let us know in the comments below, or tell us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #LovelySkin!