Learning to care for and love oily skin is a very important aspect for those who have this type of skin. It’s more than being picky with the products you use – you investigate them well and become a skincare nerd because it helps prevent this condition from becoming an impediment to show off the face we desire.
Oily skin is considered a nuisance by everyone who has it owing to the acne that often accompanies it. Plus, having a skin always bright, with large pores and with the appearance that it does not receive the proper cleaning or care is clearly annoying for all. After all, who likes waking up to a layer of oil on their face? However, it’s not all bad. There is always a silver lining to everything, and for all you oily-skin bearers out there, let me tell you that your skin will take way more time to age than anyone with dry skin!
It’s important to know what your skin type is so that you can effectively take care of it. So, keep reading to find out what exactly oily skin is, whether you have it or not, its advantages and disadvantages and what products are best suited for oily skin! With the appropriate facial care and using products indicated for this type of skin, all these discomforts can be neutralized getting the beautiful skin you want.
How can you tell if you have oily skin?
It’s pretty simple! If you wash your face with a cleanser in the morning and then notice oil on your entire face about two hours later, you have oily skin. In addition to the accumulation of sebum on the face, oily skin usually has other characteristics, A few other signs are listed below:
Open pores due to excessive accumulation of sebum or fat.
- Bright appearance, especially on hot days.
- Skin thicker than normal.
- Areas where dryness occurs, such as the nostrils or under the eyebrows. This problem could lead to seborrheic dermatitis, so it is important to pay attention and see a specialist.
Oily skin is often confused with combination skin. In combination skin, your cheeks appear dry whereas your T zone which consists of your forehead, nose, and chin, remains oily. Be careful to correctly identify whether or not you have oily skin because the care required for oily skin is different from that required for combination skin.
What causes oily skin?
Our skin normally contains glands that secrete oil onto the surface of the skin. The oil serves as a protective barrier against the harsh external environment. However, a few factors including hormonal imbalance inherited traits and diet can cause these glands to produce excessive oil. This excessive oil causes oily skin and makes it prone to breakouts as the oil can become trapped within the pores and become breeding grounds for bacterial invasion. However, with proper care, breakouts can be prevented from occurring in oily skin.
What are the disadvantages of having oily skin?
The biggest disadvantage of having oily skin is the excessive oil itself. The excessive oil leads to some of the following conditions:
- Breakouts resulting from clogged pores.
- Makeup doesn’t stick on your face for long and tends to slide
- Your face has a greasy appearance even if you’ve cleaned it a few hours ago
How can you combat these disadvantages?
- Don’t rebel against your oily skin, instead, go with the flow. It has been found in numerous studies that the more you wash and dry out your skin, the more oil it will produce. [1]
- Use a non-comedogenic mattifying primer before you put on your make up to ensure it lasts longer.
- The greasy appearance can be prevented by cleansing your face with a gentle cleanser and wiping the excess oil with a clean tissue paper whenever it builds up. It’s important to use a clean tissue paper to prevent any bacteria from coming into contact with your skin.
- If you have oily skin you should take care of it every day, all year round, not only when the climate increases the oiliness, remember that in all beauty treatment the key is always perseverance. But how to give it the necessary attention? In the following steps, we explain it to you.
Your oily skin care routine and products:
- A fundamental aspect to take care of oily skin is to maintain a proper cleaning. You should cleanse your face twice a day, in the morning and at night in order to remove both the impurities that accumulate during sleep and those that our dermis receives throughout the day while removing the makeup.
The best alternative is to opt for light products that are removed with water, such as gels, cleansing waters or soaps, avoid cleansing creams or make-up removers as they provide more oil to the face. It is recommended that the products are suitable for oily skin as these will help maintain the balance of the dermis.
It is important that you do not clean your face excessively or this could end up producing an opposite effect, it will produce irritation and dryness in the skin. Nor should you use too many products or very abrasive because they do not guarantee a better cleaning.
Remember that the skin of the face is very delicate and should be treated like porcelain.
- The fact of having oily skin does not mean that we should not moisturize it, on the contrary! This type of skin also requires adequate and good wetting. And, as I mentioned before, it should be a non-comedogenic dermatological moisturizing product especially for oily skin, otherwise, we will increase the oiliness, acne, blackheads and make it more difficult to control the situation.
At night is when the skin is repaired and absorbs better nutrients, so opt for a cosmetic product of this type indicated for oily skin is the best option. Moisturizing gels and serum have a light texture very suitable for oily skin, so they are recommended. After 25 or 30 years, it is also convenient to purchase products with anti-aging ingredients.
- Exfoliation is one of the best allies to take care of oily skin, so it should not be missing in your weekly routine. You can choose to purchase a daily exfoliation cleansing gel or apply a special face scrub twice a week. It is important that if you have a tendency to suffer from acne, the exfoliant must have salicylic acid, excellent to control the sebum and prevent the appearance of those annoying granites.
This habit will help you to eliminate the dead cells that accumulate in the dermis improving its appearance, but more importantly, it will help to keep the pores closed, because a frequent problem in oily skin is precise to have open pores. Thus, you will get a much smoother and more beautiful skin in a simple way.
- One of the great allies for oily skin are facial masks! they are a plus that you can not miss in your facial care routine, you can perform this procedure once a week if you want to show off a radiant skin without excess fat. It is important that at the time of purchase you must choose a face mask for oily skin.
Some options with excellent ingredients are:
There are several products in the cosmetics market, many of them of natural origin, containing various active ingredients, essential components, vitamins, antioxidants, fruit extract and proteins that help us to reduce the production of fat in the skin, to clean it deeply, to nourish it and close the pores, so it is recommended to use them as allies in facial care.
What is the richest of facial masks? That you are going to take 15 to 20 minutes to relax and devote time to your skin and to you.
- The green clay mask, ideal for absorbing skin fat and balancing it.
- Activated carbon mask, helps remove all impurities and dead skin, cleans pores and reduces their size.
- Lemon masks, thanks to its healing, astringent, antiseptic properties and its high content of vitamin C is a recommended mask for oily skin and acne.
- Another point that we can not forget when caring for oily skin is the right choice of makeup. To avoid the accumulation of sebum in your dermis and unwanted shine, it is important that:
- Choose a special base for oily skin, with matting effect and water-based, any oil-based product should be immediately discarded from your makeup bag. The use of products such as bb cream is not recommended, as its highly moisturizing ingredients can increase the fat on your skin.
- Do not use the compact powder, the best for you are the translucent and loose powders, special for your skin type. They offer coverage without producing shine or favoring the increase in oiliness.
- When using the blush, it must be in powder form and never in another presentation such as the mousse.
Options to avoid shine and excess oiliness during the day
- Avoid constantly touching your face, this only increases the dirt that accumulates in the same causing the oiliness to increase.
- Haircuts in which the hair is on the face are not recommended. Do not forget that your hair also has natural sebum and that if it comes into contact with your skin, already fat, could accentuate this condition.
- Choose a special sunscreen for oily skin. This will noticeably make a difference in the appearance of your skin during the summer.
- Do not apply fat or heavy products on your face, always opt for light and special cosmetics for your skin type.
- Drink at least two liters of water a day, hydration is essential to have a dermis free of toxins, hydrated and beautiful.
Also take care of your diet, eating a diet high in fat, carbohydrates and refined sugars help increase the production of sebum in skin prone to it. Consuming fruits and vegetables in abundance and maintaining a balanced diet will benefit your skin and your health in all aspects.
The Silver Lining
As I said, there’s always a silver lining, even with oily skin! Now that we’ve discussed the disadvantages of having oily skin and how to take care of oily skin, let’s lighten up by getting to the good part!
- The natural oil produced by our body’s glands contains natural antioxidants, which fight and to some extent, reduce the damage caused by UV exposure. Since UV exposure is the main cause of aging skin, oily skin bearers have the advantage that their skin takes longer to age and wrinkles start to appear later on in their lives!
- The oil keeps giving the skin a natural glow to the skin sometimes, provided that it isn’t in a huge excess!
- The oil acts as a barrier against harsh external environmental conditions, including excessive dry and hot weather conditions.
- Your skin maintains its natural moisture with the help of the oil that is produced by your glands.
- Your skin loves the winter season and you don’t have to worry about it flaking out or getting irritated in the winter! Hence, you’ll need to spend less on winter-care products for your skin.
Tips
If you notice that the creams, cosmetics or sunscreen that you are applying increase the oiliness, change it! There is always one that will adapt perfectly to your skin and you will love it.
Therefore, like all skin types, oily skin too has its pros and cons. We advise you to accept the skin type you have and go with the flow instead of treating it with harsh chemicals. Take care of your skin so that you have an everlasting glow and your skin doesn’t start aging!
Good luck!
References:
[1] – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072392/https://www.wmagazine.com/story/oily-skin-tips-skincare-treatments
https://www.thetalko.com/15-benefits-of-having-oily-skin-that-youd-never-wouldve-thought-of/
http://lesliebaumannmd.com/pros-cons-oily-skin/
http://thevenusface.com/pros-cons-oily-skin-perspective-sides/
https://www.prevention.com/beauty/a20476022/what-to-avoid-when-you-have-oily-skin/