There is no end to our complaints about oily skin! Skin darkening after wearing makeup, acne, open pores, greasiness, and many other such problems! But, if you choose the right skincare products and take care of your skin properly, then you will not have any regrets about oily skin. Why skin becomes oily, which ingredients are good for your skin, and how to take care to reduce skin problems—these things we need to understand first. Hopefully, you will find an overall solution for your oily skin from this article. Let’s know about basic skincare for oily skin.
What causes oily skin?
In most cases, the cause of excessively oily skin is genetic and hormonal imbalance. It also depends on weather conditions and diet. If the oil-producing hormone is overactive in the body, it is normal for the skin to produce excess sebum. Sebaceous glands become more active during puberty under the influence of the testosterone hormone. Some skincare mistakes also add to this oiliness. Overwashing, applying the wrong products, and not moisturizing properly—these are indirect causes of skin oiliness. Again, even if the food selection is wrong, the oil production of the skin increases.
How do you know if your skin is oily?
Feel the skin of your face when you wake up in the morning and look at your face in the mirror. This is the best way to know if you have oily skin. If your face feels greasy, then you know your skin type is oily. Oily skin is also characterized by oiliness, enlarged pores, greasiness, and recurring acne or bumps after washing the face.
Which ingredients to use in oily skin care?
“I don’t know anything about skincare; everything I put on my skin gives me acne!”
“My skin is so oily, how do I reduce it?”
“Which products are good for oily skin?”
Many people ask me such questions. In fact, the effectiveness of different ingredients is different for different skin types! Now know which ingredients are best for oily skin. When buying skincare products, you can check whether these ingredients are present or not.
1. Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is a type of BHA (beta hydroxy acid). This ingredient helps in getting rid of acne. Also, it keeps pores clean by removing blackheads and whiteheads. It regulates the skin’s sebum secretion and reduces excess oil production. It also has many other skin benefits. Then you understand how important this ingredient is in the care of oily skin.
2. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil has antibacterial and natural antiseptic properties. Tea tree oil works great to reduce bumps, acne, fungal infections, and other problems that are more common in oily skin.
3. Glycolic acid
This ingredient works very well in taking care of oily skin. Glycolic acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid. This acid helps reduce excess oil and shine on the skin. It also prevents clogging of pores and prevents breakouts. Glycolic acid maintains skin texture, making skin look healthy and flawless.
4. Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid locks in essential moisture in the skin. If the hydration level is not right, various problems occur on the skin. Oily skin has more sebum, but that doesn’t mean it’s hydrated skin! It is important to keep the hydration balance right even in oily skin. And that is why it is necessary to apply hyaluronic acid on oily skin.
5. Green tea
Green tea contains antioxidants and skin-beneficial polyphenols, which work great for acne-prone and oily skin. Green tea is very effective in reducing bacterial growth and hormonal imbalance.
6. Aloe vera
One of the most widely used herbal ingredients in skin care is aloe vera. It absorbs very quickly into the skin and retains moisture in the surface layer. Due to its antibacterial properties, aloe vera helps a lot in reducing the incidence of skin rashes and acne. It also absorbs extra oil from the skin and keeps the pores clean. So aloe vera works quite well for oily skin, provided you are not allergic to this ingredient!
7. Dimethicone
Dimethicone acts as an oil control and moisturizing agent at the same time. It also controls the extra shine of the skin.
How to take care of your oily skin?
Oily skin can be kept beautiful by following a very simple and basic skincare routine! In this case, first select the product by looking at the ingredients and formula. Then follow these steps below to take care of oily skin. So check now, are you properly taking care of your oily skin or not!
1. Cleansing
For oily skin, choose a low pH and non-comedogenic gel or water-based face wash. Those of us with oily skin tend to wash our faces frequently. This causes the surface of the skin to feel dry, causing the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum to try to balance the oil in the skin. So never over wash your face. Cleansing once in the morning and at night is enough.
2. Exfoliation
Oily skin needs to exfoliate twice a week. My suggestion in this case is to opt for a salicylic acid-based chemical exfoliator. First, continuous sebum secretion, then the accumulation of dead cells—what will happen to the skin, surely you understand! Dirt, oil, blackheads, and pollution, if they are not cleaned properly, will cause problems on the skin. Therefore, chemical exfoliators should be used once or twice a week as needed.
3. Ice massage
Along with cleaning the pores, it is also important to minimize them. So do ice massage on the face three or four days a week. This simple step is very effective in keeping oily skin healthy. Do not rub ice directly on the skin; wrap the ice in a tissue or thin cloth and rub it on the face. Ice does not provide any permanent solution to reduce the oiliness of the skin, but it gives a soothing and cooling feel to the skin for a temporary period and brings back freshness to the skin by controlling the oil.
4. Toning
You should select a toner that is alcohol-free and contains natural extracts or beneficial ingredients for oily skin. Toner maintains the skin’s pH balance, helps reduce oiliness, and prepares the skin for other skincare products to work well on the skin. So oily skin care should not skip toning.
5. Moisturizing
Now is the turn of moisturizing. Oily skin needs an oil-free moisturizer for a perfect matte finish. Avoid creamy and thick formula moisturizers. Opt for a gel-based moisturizer so that the pores don’t get clogged. The skin’s moisture level or protective layer gets damaged for many reasons. And then oil production is likely to increase. So choosing the right moisturizer is very important!
6. Sun protection
Sunscreen is a must for all skin types. But oily skin sweats more. Many people skip sunscreen for fear that the skin will become more oily! But this is causing more damage to your skin. So for your oily skin, use a sunscreen that is gel-based, oil-free, lightweight formula and also has a mattifying effect.
7. Face mask or face pack for oily skin care
Include a face mask or face pack in your weekly skincare routine. If you want to use a ready-made mask or pack, check whether it has oil-controlling ingredients or not. Like Multani Mati, Activated Charcoal, Sandalwood Powder, Tea Tree Oil, and Green Tea, etc. But a clay mask is very beneficial for oily skin.
8. Apply serum
If your basic skincare routine is in order, you can apply serum directly to the skin from the age of twenties. Different serums are recommended targeting different skin problems. For example, you can start using peptide serums, retinol, ascorbic acid, vitamin C, etc. in anti-aging skincare.
I would suggest using niacinamide for those with open pore problems and salicylic acid for acne problems, etc. However, two or more active ingredients cannot be used together in a skincare routine. Sun protection is a must when using serums, as they are photosensitive.
Some tips for oily skin:
- Use oil-free cosmetics.
- Always wash your face with water after coming outside.
- Remove makeup before bed.
- Do not touch or rub your face without washing your face. It can clog the pores and cause acne.
- Dermatologists recommend using vitamin A creams, retinoids, and sulfur creams for oily skin.
- Eat a balanced diet. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts to avoid vitamin B2 and B5 deficiency.
- Drink 9-10 glasses of water daily.
- Avoid smoking. Stay relaxed and get enough sleep.
- Avoid oily food as much as possible.
- Eat at least one seasonal fruit after dinner every day.
- You can take hot water steam twice a week to keep oily skin healthy.
Hope I have cleared your confusions about oily skin. Along with following the above basic skincare routine, drink plenty of water, stay away from oily food or fast food, and start skincare based on your skin type. Many of us don’t take care of ourselves due to a busy schedule. But to keep the skin beautiful and to increase your confidence level, you have to be aware of this, right? So take care of yourself and stay confident!
