If you had to say what your must-have beauty essentials were, we’re willing to bet that many of you would confess that you slather lots of hydrating stuff on your face at least once a day. We’ve been told day in and day out that this stuff is really good for us, but surprisingly enough, there is such a thing as a moisturizer addiction. The good news? This is one problem that doesn’t require a 12-step cure.

“The most common cause of skin sensitivity and dryness is the overuse of moisturizers,” Dr. Zein Obagi told StyleList.com. “Many people consider moisturizer a universal cure-all – however, when used improperly and excessively, moisturizer can lead to dependency and skin weakness.”

To counteract these effects, Obagi recommends slowly weaning yourself from the need to use moisturizer excessively and replacing it with products that stimulate cell turnover. Products that contain retinol and vitamin A are great for promoting strong skin that can hydrate itself with the help of moisturizer on an as-needed basis.