My Top 5 Tips for Oily Skin

 

Hello my beauties!!!

So today I'm going to be sharing my top 5 tips for oily skin. Oily skin is something I've dealt with throughout my teens and into my adult years. However for the past 6 months or so I've managed to combat my oiliness with certain products. I now know which formulas and ingredients work the best for targeting my oily skin. I would say my skin is more normal these days and the oily t-zone I used to deal with has become more manageable. I've compiled a list of tips I've learnt through trial and error, which helped me with my skin...

#1) Use a gentle and non-stripping cleanser

I used a really harsh cleanser for about a year before I realised that it was making my oily skin worse. It had charcoal and salicylic acid in it which I used twice a day, everyday, and was drying out my skin. When we strip our skin of its natural oils our pores react by producing more sebum to compensate which perpetuates the issue further. I then switched to the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser which helped to cleanse my skin whilst also keeping it moisturised and supple. This meant that my skin was prepped for the next steps of my skincare routine and my products could penetrate more easily. It also meant that my skin was balanced and less oily in the evening.

Recommendations: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel, Rovectin Conditioning Cleanser, Aveeno Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser.

#2) Hydrate + Moisturise!

When you have oily skin it's important to maintain your skin's oil-water balance. This means using a hydrating product (such as a toner) and sealing it in with a moisturiser. As a result this helps to strengthen the skin barrier as well as preventing TEWL. Some people mistake dehydrated skin for oily skin when actually oily skin can be a symptom of dehydrated skin. Which is why moisture and hydration are so important for regulating sebum production!

I used to think my skin didn't need a lot of hydration because that would make my skin oilier. What I didn't realise at the time was that in order to keep my oil levels balanced I had to use both hydration and moisture. TEWL also plays a big part in how oily our skin is; if you're not using an occlusive enough moisturiser then you can lose all that essential hydration from your skin. This makes any hydrating products that you used the night before useless! I would recommend using a hydrating toner with hyaluronic acid and applying it to damp skin as hyaluronic acid works by binding water to the skin. This enables the hydration to penetrate deeper into the different layers.

#3) Use oil fighting ingredients 

These include centella asisatica, witch hazel, BHA, willow bark, green tea, niacinamide, zinc PCA and mugwort. These are best delivered through essences and serums as they have higher concentrations of these ingredients. They also target the oiliness more topically and directly than a cleanser or moisturiser. I would recommend not overdoing it though, as some of them can be very drying and stripping. My favourite serum for targetting oily skin is the Purito Centella Unscented Serum which contains centella asiatica, peptides and ceramides. This product helps regulate sebum production as well as hydrating and soothing the skin. Products with BHA are especially good for regulating sebum production as BHA's are oil soluble and can unclog oil and dead skin cells deep in the pores. I'd recommend using a chemical exfoliant no more than 2-3 times a week, depending on your skin's tolerance.

#4) Use an oil free gel-based moisturiser

The best type of moisturiser for oily skin is something lightweight, oil free and has a gel texture. This is due to them being non-comedogenic which means that they won't clog your pores. However at night I would recommend something a bit thicker (especially in the winter) to prevent TEWL from occurring. There are many different types of oil free moisturisers and textures; it all depends on what works for your skin type as well as the ingredients. The best ingredients to look out for in a moisturiser include: hyaluronic acid, panthenol (B5), glycerin, trehalose, betaine glucan, ceramides and aloe vera. I currently use the Bonajour Green Tea Water Bomb which is a gel cream consistency which melts into your skin and delivers intense hydration and moisture. It's a creamy-looking formula but it doesn't feel greasy or heavy on the skin. It has a slight tack after applying but when SPF is applied over the top it absorbs really well, leaving my skin soft and supple.

Recommendations: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Sleeping Cream, Hydro Boost Water Gel, Bonajour Green Tea Water Bomb, Elf Superhydrate Moisturiser, Elf Holy Hydration Cream (Fragrance Free), Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser.

#5) Oil balancing toners are your best friend!

Ever since I discovered oil balancing toners I've found that my oil levels are much more manageable during the day. Following on from tip #2 you need to find toners/essences that help to maintain your skin's oil-water balance. The best ingredients for them are found under tip #3 and I've found that the most effective ones for my skin are centella asiatica, niacinamide, green tea and witch hazel. The Benton Deep Green Tea Toner has been one of the most effective toners for controlling my oil levels. Green tea is an antioxidant as well as effective at absorbing excess oil on the skin. It also contains centella asiatica and houttuniya cordata extract for soothing and calming the skin. I currently use the Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner which helps balance my oil-water levels and delivers hydration deep into the layers of the skin using Ultra Deep Technology.

Recommendations: Benton Deep Green Tea Toner, Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Tone, Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence, Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water.

I hope you enjoyed my top tips for oily skin and that they help you in your own skincare journey, as well as discovering new products. I know based on experience that my skin has been transformed from an oily, greasy mess to being more mattified and balanced. I think my best tip is to try out different products and notice which ingredients are most effective for your skin. Also learning which combination of products work best together. Remember not to overload your skin with oil fighting ingredients and keep your skin both hydrated and moisturised! 

Who Cares, We Care, Skincare :)