Having dewy, hydrated looking skin may be in right now but what happens when the dew is out of control? For those of us that are prone to oily skin, finding a skin care routine that helps control shine without drying too much can be hard to come by. Luckily, there are a lot of great products and resources available to help control and get rid of excess oil while helping your skin look and feel its best. But before we begin telling you how to treat your oily skin, we should take a moment to help you understand why your skin produces excess oil in the first place.
While you may want a gentle shine to accentuate your cheekbones and brow area, having oil slicked around your forehead and nose area is more frustrating than it is attractive. The overproduction of oil is caused by sebaceous glands in your skin that can change oil production based on external factors like which products you apply or simply what time of the month it is. Sometimes it can be obvious which factor is contributing to your greasy skin (summer heat, for example, can be a big one) and other times it can be harder to track down exactly what the culprit is.
Regardless, treating greasy and oily skin actually involves nourishing your skin with more moisture and oil—when done correctly. Below you will find a list of tips and tricks to help tackle and treat oily skin for good—plus a couple of our most recommended products to help take care of your skin the right way.
Find The Right Cleanser
Cleansing with the right product can help treat oily skin tremendously, as it can help treat and prevent the over-production of oil that leads to issues such as acne and blackheads. When your skin produces excess oil, it becomes important to remove that oil before it becomes trapped inside your pores along with other dirt and pollutants that your skin picks up throughout the day. If you workout frequently, you should also wash your face after workouts to keep your skin from reabsorbing any of the oil created while you were getting sweaty.
A salicylic acid (also called BHA—beta hydroxy acid) cleanser will help remove these oils and keep your pores from accumulating dirt and germs that create acne. Once you have finished cleansing, however, you should follow through with a proper regimen of hydrating products that will prevent your body from thinking it has to produce more oil to make up for what was removed. We recommend cleansing at least twice per day both morning and night. This will help control oil production on your face and keep your pores from getting blocked, which can produce acne.
Product recommendation: Murad’s Clarifying Cleanser is a 1.5% salicylic acid acne treatment that diminishes and controls oil production without sensitizing or irritating skin. This product can be drying, though, so we recommend pairing it with a hydrating serum and moisturizer where needed.
Use A Toner
Toners are often some of the most misunderstood skin care products, as not many people seem to know exactly what they do. Using a toner after cleansing helps neutralize the natural pH of your skin to prepare it for the rest of your skin care routine. It can also help balance oil production, and prevent pore blockage that causes acne.
Product recommendation: If you suffer from oily skin we recommend the Balancing Lavender Toner from Elemis. This gentle yet effective toner helps to neutralize the pH balance of your skin while combating oil production.
Trust Serums and Moisturizers
We get it, when you spend half of your day blotting away excess oil from your face it can seem daunting to want to add something to your face that, logically, seems like it would only make things worse. But trust us when we say that oily skin does not mean hydrated skin. Often, oily skin is a signal of dehydration, as your body is fighting to prevent dryness by creating more oil to protect your face.
Look for hydrating serums such as hyaluronic acid serums that help protect and nourish your natural moisture barrier. Moisturizers that help maintain hydration, rather than products that intend to plump such as collagen. These are often present in night creams, so consider switching to a sleeping mask or hydrating serum in the evening instead of using a traditional rich night cream. We also recommend lightening how much product you put around your nose, as that is one area that generally thrives on its own in the moisture department.
Product recommendation: Cloud Cream Moisturizer from Peter Thomas Roth is formulated to hydrate and moisturize without boosting the amount of oil on your face. It contains hyaluronic acid, which helps balance the ratio of water to oil on your skin and prevent your face from looking more oily than hydrated.
Prime Properly
Priming and prepping your skin can help your pores appear more smooth and less prevalent, especially if you have oily skin, where your pores are often magnified and appear larger. Opt for a primer that does not contain oil, as it can help suck up any oil your skin produces throughout the day and provide you with an oil-free blank canvas to work with when you start doing your makeup.
Product recommendation: The Present from Philosophy can help you achieve that light, airbrushed look without the use of harmful ingredients that block your pores and help produce more acne. Use it in the morning before you apply your makeup but after you finish your skincare routine, or at night if you simply want a product that can help lock in all of the skin care products you just applied to your face.
1 comment
I love your content! Blogging inspiration!
Damica