Oily skin: a blessing and a challenge rolled into one. While it offers a natural glow and ages gracefully, it also comes with its unique set of demands. Misunderstanding or misdiagnosing your skin type can send you down a rabbit hole of counterproductive skincare practices. This article guides you through an effective care routine that helps you strike the perfect balance.
What is Oily Skin?
Oily skin is the most common skin type. For this reason, some people mistakenly think they have oily skin instead of a combination and start using the wrong beauty products, aggravating their condition. To avoid this problem, we highly recommend doing a quick experiment that you can find in the following article: Determine Your Skin Type: A Quick At-Home Experiment. If you’re sure your skin is oily, we can keep talking.
Oily skin is characterized by overactive sebaceous glands and enlarged pores. Also, it is distinguished by greasiness and stickiness, especially prominent in the summer. Some can complain about grayish hues of the skin and thick complexion. The “icing on the cake” is a tendency to form comedones and other different types of acne.
Despite these negative aspects, you can find many benefits. Oily skin is thicker, less prone to dehydration, and rarely develops deep wrinkles. That seems pretty good, but we still need to build a proper skin care regimen. Our ultimate goal is to achieve stability between having too much sebum and maintaining your skin’s natural moisture. Having a healthy look is not that difficult and takes only 15 minutes daily. Follow our simple recommendations, and you will see the difference within a short time.
Simple Skin Care Routine for Oily Skin
1. Remove Your Makeup with Cleansing Oil
It might sound crazy, but cleansing oil is primarily formulated for oily skin. Do you know why? Oil attracts oil and dissolves sebum and makeup easily. You just need a few gestures of washing with running water, and your face gets a breath of fresh air. Almost every skincare brand has cleansing oil, but we picked the one we really trust.
BareMinerals is a famous beauty brand that uses only safe and cruelty-free ingredients. We are sure you are getting in love with their cleanser. It can gently remove excess oil and even stubborn sunscreen, leaving your skin with a silky feel. In addition, this product is rich in antioxidants, which effectively protect the skin cells from damage and inflammation. Oh yeah… we almost forgot to mention that the formula is non-comedogenic and rinses off perfectly.
2. Wash Your Face with a Gentle Cleanser
If your skin is oily, washing your face with JUST water is not enough. You need a good cleanser to clear your pores of sebum overload. We would highly recommend you choose between gel and creamy formulas. They usually contain fewer surfactants and more active ingredients than foam cleansers.
Also, you need to keep your attention on the label. The cleanser must be non-comedogenic and preferably contain at least one of the following ingredients: oil-absorbing salicylic acid, antimicrobial green tea extract, pore-minimizing niacinamide, or acne-fighting glycolic acid.
Wash your face twice a day and always pat it dry with paper towels. Stop using your regular towel for the face. It might look clean, but it is a harbor for dust, dirt, and different bacteria. Oily skin is a good place for bacteria to thrive, and I am sure you don’t want to give them a chance to settle down on your beautiful face.
Vichy Normaderm Phytosolution is an effective yet gentle cleanser that doesn’t dry out the skin. This product unclogs pores and controls acne development with carefully selected ingredients, including zinc gluconate and salicylic acid. Alcohol- and sulfate-free. Nice scent. Vichy cleanser provides your skin with a fresh and smooth feeling. Leave it on for 30 to 60 seconds for the best results before rinsing it off. This allows the active ingredient to be in contact with your skin long enough to work properly.
3. Use a Toner or Lotion to Restore Your pH
No matter what skin type you have, restoring your pH after washing your face is crucial. You can choose either lotion or alcohol-free toner. This article will help you decide: “Toner vs Lotion: What is the Difference?” We also advise you to pick a hydrating formula with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, or oatmeal. This is only because we’ve decided to use a cleanser with anti-acne ingredients and don’t want to overdry the skin. Balance is key.
FAB is a well-known brand that creates safe and allergy-tested smart products. The toner we found has a perfect formula with no active ingredients leading to purging. It contains soothing colloidal oatmeal, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and anti-inflammatory green tea. Unscented and alcohol-free. Use it two times a day to make your skin feel comfy.
4. Apply Serum with Oil Regulating Ingredients
Oily skin loves serum, especially if you use the right one. The good news is that the current market offers a variety of such products. You need to learn which active ingredients can help with oiliness and which can have a high risk of breakouts. Ready? Let’s start.
No matter how old you are, incorporating niacinamide into your skincare routine is always a good idea. A study from 2006 found that this component effectively reduced sebum excretion rates over four weeks. If you want to dive deep into this topic, read the article: “Niacinamide: Everything You Should Know.”
Another superstar in this field is retinol. It is not as gentle as niacinamide but still highly potent. Despite global hype around this component, we recommend using retinol only for people after the age of 30. For young folks, it would be best to try bakuchiol. You can find more information about this ingredient here: "What is Bakuchiol?"
Besides these ingredients, you can also try serum with green tea, salicylic acid, vitamin C, and zinc. Every skin is unique, and what is best for you may not suit someone. We want to help you choose one of the best serums for oily skin.
This serum needs no introduction. Its popularity has not subsided for several years, and it’s justified. Highly concentrated niacinamide regulates sebum production, reduces pore sizes, and prevents signs of aging. Another active ingredient is zinc, which controls acne, fights inflammation, and heals wounds. To get more insights about this product, read this useful article: “The Ordinary Niacinamide Serum: A Personal Review.”
5. Moisturize with Non-Comedogenic Products
Don’t be afraid of moisturizers! Even oily skin needs it. The right moisturizer hydrates the skin by holding the water in the upper layer of the skin. Apply an oil-free, water-based moisturizer in the morning to keep your skin looking healthy throughout the day. And don’t forget to repeat this ritual before going to sleep. If you have very oily skin, you can use it just once a day, skipping this step in the morning.
PCA SKIN is a trustworthy brand with a vast number of fans. This is not surprising since all their products are scientifically proven and designed to simplify daily care. Their Clearskin moisturizer is just a masterpiece for oily skin. If you check the list of ingredients, you will find a few potent components like niacinamide and vitamin A. Together, they actively work to regulate oil production and control acne. Besides, the formula contains plant extracts that can calm and nourish your skin. Try it and see!
6. Use Clay Mask Regularly
Your oily skin will absolutely thank you for introducing cosmetic clay into your beauty routine. We recommend you try French green clay or bentonite. They are 100% natural and have strong oil-absorbing properties. Use one of these products as a face mask or scrub twice a week. And remember, don’t leave the clay on your face before it fully dries. Rinse it off and moisturize your skin.
What a product! You should definitely try it if your skin is oily and acne-prone. Fragrance- and preservative-free. When applied to the skin, it acts as a mini vacuum cleaner, soaking up anything that may be clogging your pores. After several applications, you will get smaller pores, fewer acne pimples, and a smooth skin texture.
Finally, just a quick reminder: There are golden rules applied to all skin types: choose the right sunscreen and use it daily, follow a healthy diet, and get enough sleep!
