system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: why does water dry out skin instead of moisturizing it?
gpt
Because it "tricks" your skin. The water gets the skin wet, and in response, the skin stops producing naturally moisturizing oils - because why would it need the oil? The skin is super moist. But then the water evaporates/gets absorbed super fast (compared to how long it takes to make new oils). So your skin gets dry until the oils can be made again.