Caring for oily skin is quite different than caring for dry or normal skin and it can often prove to be quite a problem for those who have it. Many products on the market claiming to help with the problem only irritate your skin and in turn produce more oil.
Recognizing Oily Skin
How do you know if you have oily skin? If your skin has the following characteristics:
• Acne, blackheads or white bumps on the oilier areas of your face
• Visibly bigger pores (particularly on the forehead, chin or the nose)
• Makeup “slips” off your face
• Your face is shiny an hour or so after cleansing and is looking greasy by afternoon
Then you have oily skin.
But why?
This is actually the result of your body overproducing androgen hormones (male hormones). These hormones can be found in both sexes and they simulate healthy oil production. Our bodies actually need some amount of oil and that is beneficial for the skin, but when there is too much of it, the pores become larger in order to deal with the excess production and that causes problems.
When our body produces too much androgen, the pore lining becomes thicker and the oil is prevented from leaving the pore, resulting in white bumps, acne or blackheads.
What to Avoid When Caring for Oily Skin?
Your normal skin-care routine may not be adequate for the type of skin that you have. Most products on the market accommodate only one type of skin – normal, so people with dry or oily skin have to look a little deeper to find something suitable for them.
The most important thing about caring for oily skin is to stay clear of any product that has ingredients that can irritate or dry your skin, as this actually triggers more oil production. This is exactly the thing you want to avoid!
You should also avoid products containing pore-clogging ingredients. This will only exasperate the problem. This typically includes ingredients that keep bar products (like soaps or bar cleansers) in solid form, as well as ingredients that can be found in emollient creams and lotions.
Instead of these, you should use products in liquid, gel or serum formulations.
A 5-Step Routine for Oily Skin Care
Finally, here is a simple 5-step skin care routine for oily skin:
1. CLEANSING
Start with cleaning your skin two times a day with a cleanser that is soluble in water. The cleanser you’re using should not contain fragrances or drying cleaning agents.
2. EXFOLIATION
This is the most important step when caring for oily skin. Exfoliation is the best way to remove the layer or dead skin cells that can build up on oily skin. You should look for something that includes salicylic acid or BHA, as this will exfoliate inside the pore lining and not just on the skin’s surface.
3. TONING
The toner you are using for the skin should never contain alcohols and it should have plenty of antioxidants. These toners help the skin heal and they reduce inflammation. This in turn helps reduce pores.
4. HYDRATION
At night, you should use a liquid or gel without any ingredients that can clog the pores, as you need to make sure the skin can hydrate
5. GETTING RID OF EXCESS OIL
Finally, if you still have excess oil, consider using a simple oil-blotting paper.
