This week I’m going to talk about a how to identify and treat oily skin. I chose this skin type as the first skin type to discuss because it is very common and can be one of the most difficult skin types to treat if you don’t know what you are doing. It is considered a common skin type among teenagers in particular, but it can affect anyone at any time in their life. Remember that your skin type can change over time due to many different things!
What causes oily skin?
Everyone’s skin produces a certain amount of oil to nourish the skin and keep it healthy. You experience oily skin due to the overproduction of these sebaceous glands. Excess oil secretion can be caused by a number of different factors, including stress, diet, weather, and cosmetics causing blockage, to name a few.
How to identify oily skin?
People who have an oily skin type will more than likely have more than one, if not all, of these issues:
- Shiny/dull complexion
- Pores
- Black spots
- Pimples/pustules
- Makeup can slip
Note that if you have some of these problems in some areas of your face and not others, you may have a combination skin type. It’s common for most people to have a fatter T-zone than the rest of their face.
How can I treat oily skin?
Cleanse the face twice a day with a gentle cleanser (foaming cleanser can be nice for oily skin)
- Use a matte base and/or matte foundations, concealers, powders, etc.
- Apply a mask adapted to the skin once a week
- Use a light, oil-free moisturizer twice a day
- Use non-comedogenic products as they won’t clog pores
What ingredients will benefit oily skin?
- Salicylic Acid – Helps dissolve excess oil on and below the skin’s surface. However, it is not suitable for pregnant women or people allergic to aspirin.
- Kaolin Clay – Helps dry out oily/pustular skin and mattify the skin. Preferably use this ingredient once a week in a mask as too much can cause dryness.
- Sulfur – This is a natural oil absorber that helps draw dirt out of pores. It may also have antibacterial effects to further help the skin.
- Glycolic Acid – Helps slough off dead skin cells, prevent clogged pores, and jump-start skin renewal, helping blemish-prone skin.
- Hyaluronic Acid – Helps draw moisture to skin tissue. This is beneficial because many products for oily skin can reduce skin hydration. Oil and moisture are two completely different things and moisture is a must for healthy skin.
- Retinol – Helps build collagen and firm skin. This helps keep pores tighter and helps them emit less oil.
I hope you enjoyed this week’s article! I’ll be back next week to discuss dry skin, another very common skin type. Until then, I hope you will get useful tips and information from this article. Let me know if you have oily skin and if so how you deal with it and what you find works for you. After all, we are all different! Be sure to use this article in conjunction with my article from last week, Basic Skincare, to get the most out of it!
