How To Treat
Oily Skin
What Is Oily Skin?
Oily skin is, exactly as its name suggests, a dermal state defined by the production of excess sebum, resulting in a greasy or shiny look to the skin. Although the entire face can be prone to oiliness, the T-zone is usually the major focal point and it subsequently plays host to a number of imperfections. Namely, these are: enlarged and congested pores accompanied by the manifestation of blackheads, whiteheads and/or blemishes. If allowed to get out of control, oily skin can be a precursor to dermal conditions such as acne.
What Causes Oily Skin?
Oily skin can be caused by one or more factors. Though its origins are, more often than not, the result of genetics, the production of excess sebum can also be triggered by our external environment. This may refer to anything from a warm climate (heat triggers sebum production), to applying the wrong products for our skin type (which can cause it to react), and even making poor dietary choices (i.e. eating processed foods and those that contain an excessive amount of refined carbohydrates, sugar, fat and dairy, all of which can have a negative impact on our skin).
Treating This Skin Type
Though combating oiliness can be trying at times, it’s by no means an insurmountable challenge, especially if you take care with what you use to treat it. Because excess sebum is the foremost concern that those of us with this skin type have, it’s quite a common reaction to reach for harsher products (such as astringents) to help subdue it. Though this might initially sound like a good idea, it can actually be a fairly problematic one. While some astringents are helpful, products that are too harsh in nature can strip the skin of its natural oils, sending your dermal barrier into a state of distress, which can prompt yet more sebum to be produced.
To avoid irritation with this skin type, treat it with kindness and don’t overdo any activity like exfoliation or applying products with drying ingredients like alcohol, and even clay, too frequently. Start by trying these instead:
A BHA
BHAs (i.e. beta hydroxy acids) are plant-derived, potent, oil soluble acids that are designed to exfoliate both the surface and deeper layers of your skin. They have many uses, the main ones being rebalancing sebum production, reducing blemishes and redness, in addition to dissolving keratin plugs.
Tea Tree
Tea tree essential oil is a holy grail when it comes to tackling oily or blemish-prone skin. Imbued with naturally antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it helps to control the production of sebum, calm redness, swelling and the eruption of any blemishes that surface.
Orange Oil
Orange essential oil is antiseptic, astringent and anti-inflammatory, and is likened to tea tree due to its effectiveness in helping to target unwanted breakouts and curb excess oil. It’s also a great anti-aging asset due to its reported ability to boost collagen production.
Warning: If you plan on using essential oils on your skin, don’t apply them neat unless instructed otherwise. Essential oils are naturally potent and have been known to cause irritation, redness and damage to the skin if applied too liberally or without the proper precautions. Although you can apply tea tree to the face in its neat form, it’s advised to dilute it with either water or a non-comedogenic oil first. As a side note, citrus essential oils are photosensitive, which is why they’re best to be used as part of your nightly routine rather than during daylight hours.
You can read all about non-comedogenic oils and essential oils here in their respective Glossaries.
Products To Use:
Cleanser
With oily skin, it’s always helpful to use a cleanser morning and night. Although excess sebum is more commonplace in younger people, it can be an issue for all ages. A gentle foaming or gel-based cleanser is best suited to this skin type since such products are able to both hydrate and purify without being too severe on the face. Just make sure to avoid ones that list alcohol, artificial fragrance and man-made dyes in their ingredients.
Moisturizer
Moisturizing isn’t just reserved for dehydrated skin. Contrary to what you probably think, giving your already greasy complexion a hydration boost is actually helping to deceive it into thinking that it’s amply hydrated, which means that your sebaceous glands don’t secrete any excess sebum, and your skin remains matte for longer. Look for either water-based moisturizers or ones that rely on non-comedogenic oils, hyaluronic acid or niacinamide. Argan, jojoba, strawberry seed and pomegranate seed oils are some of the best choices for this skin type since they’re both soothing and non-clogging. Being a humectant, hyaluronic acid hydrates as well as increasing plumpness by encouraging collagen production. Niacinamide, on the other hand, has shown its potential at not only taming sebum production but defending against moisture loss by strengthening the dermal barrier.
Face Masks
Face masks can do many things, especially for oily skin. Apart from being a great go-to for some TLC, a face mask targeted at your skin type can aid in cleansing your face, hydrating it and helping to treat imperfections. Be wary, though – masks for oily skin tend to use clay or similar ingredients to draw out dirt and other impurities. While this is highly beneficial, it’s best not to use them too frequently as they can dry your skin out and cause irritation.
Tips For Oily Skin
Drink Water
A lot of us overlook the importance of drinking water when it is, in fact, a very effective and crucial step in controlling oily skin. Your skin is, after all, your body’s largest organ and healthcare professionals recommend that we drink around 2 liters of water per day in order to properly care for it. If you have an already greasy complexion, this means you’re already facing a higher risk of clogged pores, which may evolve into conditions like acne. Ensuring that you’re drinking enough water doesn’t just hydrate your body and reduce inflammation – it also helps your skin to maintain a balance when it comes to oil production so it doesn’t overcompensate.
Try Salicylic Acid
Though usually recommended to those with acne, salicylic acid can do wonders for oily skin in general. A BHA (beta hydroxy acid), salicylic acid is praised highly for its ability to purge pores of impurities, which extends to fighting off the emergence of blackheads and whiteheads. An exfoliant by nature, it originates from willow bark, although synthetic variants are commonly used in the skincare industry where it’s usually biosynthesized. If you’re having trouble with congestion and breakouts, try investing in a product with a low concentration of salicylic acid to reduce the risk of potential irritation.
Cut Back On Dairy And Sugar
Firstly, the question of whether dairy causes breakouts has been the subject of debate for many years, with various sources offering vague statements about it. This is mainly due to the fact that many people react differently to dairy, leaving a slightly grey area. However, what does ring true about it is that the findings of various clinical trials have found that humans’ response to dairy boils down to two main factors – its saturated fat content and the protein casein. It’s no secret that there are many people who are either lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy and, as such, are sensitive to casein. However, you don’t have to have a dairy-related allergy to react to saturated fat. While not the worst of fats, saturated fat has still been found to incite an inflammatory response within our body. Saturated fats have been linked heavily to insulin production, which is connected to breakouts and acne.
Comparable to milk’s effect on the skin, sugar has been highlighted as being culpable for a bad complexion. The low-down on this is: foods that hold a high rank on the glycemic index (i.e. foods that rapidly convert to glucose) are known to raise your body’s insulin levels. Refined carbohydrates and foods that contain an excessive amount of sugar prompt an inflammatory response within the body, caused by a rise in the aforementioned insulin levels. This, in turn, has been proven to lead to breakouts and, ultimately, acne. Of course, a little of what you fancy always does you good, but do take note of sugar’s influence on your skin, especially if it’s already struggling.
Reduce Stress
Stress can be one of the most prominent culprits of oily skin as it is known to boost the body’s production of cortisol. This reaction can trigger excess sebum production which can cause a variety of dermal issues, from breakouts to acne. If your skin is suffering, try and find ways to reduce your stress levels – your skin will benefit hugely from this in the long-run.
Consult A Dermatologist
If you have any dermal issues, be it an overproduction of sebum, continuous breakouts or even a sudden change in behavior, consulting a dermatologist can really help to identify and expose the root cause of any issues you’re currently experiencing.
Additional Information
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