Help for Oily Skin

If you struggle with the daily annoyance of a face that resembles an oil slick (something our founder Paula has struggled with herself for years), you know how difficult it is to reduce or prevent the occurrence of oily skin. Adding to the frustration, whether you know it or not, is the fact that many of the products claiming to get rid of oil actually make matters worse because they contain ingredients that aggravate skin and trigger more oily shine. We’re here to help — armed with the research-backed facts for what really works.

Understanding Oily Skin

Oily skin is hard to control or prevent because it's something we’re born with, with excessive oil production kicking in sometime in our teen years or randomly as we age. Having oily skin is the same as being born with the predisposition for having thick hair or how tall you will be; you can’t stop those things any more than you can stop oily skin. 

For those of us with super oily skin, it may be hard to believe that a normal, balanced oil flow from our pores does good things for skin. But it actually relieves dryness, maintains a healthy skin surface, and keeps skin pliable.

However, oily skin obviously becomes maddening when too much oil is produced. This causes pores to become enlarged as they’re stretched beyond capacity to handle the amounts of oil being generated. It gets worse as the pore lining thickens, which blocks oil from getting to the skin’s surface, resulting in blackheads and white bumps. 

Before we move, we have one myth to bust: oily skin does not age less than dry skin. Oily skin may look less wrinkled, but the cause of wrinkles is not something oily skin can stop or change. 

Tips to Reduce Oily Skin

The first step in preventing oily skin is to assess your current skincare routine. Using products with drying or harsh ingredients may make your skin feel less oily, at least initially, but in the long run, using such ingredients will only make matters worse. Here’s what you need to remove from your skincare routine:

• Harsh, drying ingredients that can trigger more oil production. SD alcohol and denatured alcohol are common culprits. 

• Ingredients that make your skin tingle (such as menthol, mint, and eucalyptus) and can cause irritation. Tingling is just one way your skin is telling you it is hurting, and that cumulative damage will end up causing more problems.

• Products that contain pore-clogging or emollient ingredients that can exacerbate oiliness. As a rule, ingredients that keep products in solid form (such as bar soaps or stick foundations), or that are present in emollient lotions and creams, are likely to clog pores and make your skin look shiny. Instead of using creams or thick formulas, consider using only liquids, weightless serums, fluid lotions, or feather-light gels.

Step-by-Step Routine for Oily Skin

The following guidelines will help you take control of your skin, allowing you to regulate oil production, minimise the appearance of pores, and potentially reduce the formation of bumps and blemishes.

1. Cleanse

Use a gentle, water-soluble cleanser for oily skin twice daily. Ideally, the cleanser should rinse without leaving a hint of residue, be fragrance-free (fragrance is always a problem), and not contain drying cleansing ingredients. (Drying up skin doesn't help anything.) For extra cleansing, please avoid skin-aggravating scrubs or cleansing brushes with stiff bristles. A soft washcloth or cleansing brush with ultra-soft bristles can be helpful — being rough on your skin is not. 

2. Tone

An alcohol-free toner for oily skin loaded with antioxidants and skin-replenishing ingredients is an incredibly important step for oily skin. Toners that contain these ingredients help skin feel and look renewed and recharged, minimise the appearance of enlarged pores, and remove the last traces of makeup that can lead to clogged pores. For some, this can be the only "moisturizer" they need at night.

3. Exfoliate

Exfoliation is one of the most important skincare steps for oily skin. Oily skin tends to have an extra-thick coat of built-up dead skin on the surface, along with a thickened pore lining. Gently exfoliating is the only way to remove that buildup and diminish clogged pores. It is also the best way to improve the look of stubborn, tiny, hard white bumps that can form beneath the skin. 

The best exfoliants for oily skin contain salicylic acid (BHA). BHA is a completely non-abrasive, hydrating, soothing ingredient that helps skin shed naturally as it did when we were young, before oily skin began taking its toll. Salicylic acid also exfoliates not only the surface of your skin but also inside the pore lining, thus allowing oil to flow easily to the surface instead of clogging the pore. 

4. A.M. Sun Protection

A sunscreen is essential for reducing the risk of early signs of aging (and skin cancer). Additionally, unprotected exposure to UV light causes key components in sebum to oxidise, setting off a chain reaction of damage. If you've avoided sunscreens in the past because the ones you tried were too greasy or too occlusive, there are weightless, mattifying sunscreens for oily skin that will change your impression of such products for good. 

5. P.M. Hydration

At night, choose a feather-light but exceptionally effective hydrating and skin-renewing gel moisturizer for oily skin that is free of pore-clogging ingredients. These types of products will give your skin the essential antioxidants and skin-replenishing ingredients it needs to look as healthy and revived as possible.

6. Absorb Excess Oil

Try an oil-absorbing primer to help control oil and minimise the appearance of pores. A clay mask for oily skin may also offer temporary help. Both are optional but beneficial steps for anyone with oily skin. 

Learn more skincare tips for oily skin.

You may also shop for our range of CALM and RESIST products for oily skin here. 

References for this information

The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, August 2017, pages 49-55

Skin Pharmacology and Applied Physiology, Volume 25, 2012, pages 227-235

Journal of Dermatological Science, April 2015, pages 34-43

Indian Journal of Dermatology, January-February 2011, pages 2-6

The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, May 2012, pages 32-40

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, October 2015, pages 519-525

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, January 2005, pages 44-45

Experimental Dermatology, September 2015, pages 651-654

International Geology Review, July 2010, pages 745-770