Oily skin?! Ain’t nobody got time for that!
I’ve dealt with oily skin since I was in my pre-teens, and it has been quite the bumpy relationship. (To say the least!) The fact that I live in Florida, doesn’t really help the situation much because even on a cool day here, the humidity in the air penetrates my pores like crazy and out comes the greasy face! Ladies with oily skin, do you feel me?
Well, let’s have a little pow-wow to talk about how we can alleviate this problem. I’ve come up with a pretty reliable personal skin care system that has worked very well with keeping my oily skin under control and I’m excited to share them with you all.
Check out these 5 tips to help you kick oily skin’s butt!
1. Keep your skin clean.
Cleanliness is next to godliness and who doesn’t want an angelic glow? We must keep our skin clean in order to preserve our pretty! Most professionals recommend cleansing your face at least twice daily. My usual routine is to wash my face as soon as I wake up in the morning, right before I workout (Especially if I’m wearing makeup, and I usually use a cleansing towelette post workout to remove sweat.) and just before bed. Clogged pores are a no-no and it’s just gross to have makeup and other gunk building up on your face. Dirty skin doesn’t just cause oiliness, it could also lead to blemishes and other skin care issues. Keep it cute; keep it clean!
2. Remember, moisturizer is your friend.
I know you’re probably thinking, “If I have oily skin, why would I goop on moisturizer to make it even oilier?” Trust me, I’ve had this conversation with myself on more than one occasion. A couple of weeks ago, I got so frustrated with a increase in the oiliness of my skin, so in an act of protest I decided to completely stop using moisturizer. That was a total fail because my skin got ridiculously dry to the point of me developing small dry patches on my cheeks.
So, I did a little research and discovered that since dry skin tends to be thicker than normal and have large pores, moisturizing is is key for keeping oil under control because it helps reduce skin’s sebum production and improves the texture of skin. However, there are certain ingredients that work better than others depending on the nature of your skin.
Good moisturizing ingredients:
- Jojoba oil
- Olive oil; a friend of mine who’s in her late-40’s and looks like she is in her mid-20’s (No exaggeration.) swears by applying a daily coat of this to her face and body.
- Coconut oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Avacado oil
Moisturizing ingredients to avoid:
- Mineral oil
- Castor oil
- Petroleum
- Lanolin
- Parrafin
3. Treat yourself with a masque.
I’ve noticed that adding a weekly masque to my skin care regimen helps to drastically unclog my pores. Not only is this a great way to experience instant results for the look and feel of your skin, but it’s also a great way to treat yourself to a little at-home spa action. My go-to product for a weekly face-lift in a bottle is Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. Your pores will thank you for this!
4. Exfoliate weekly.
Another way that I help reduce my oily skin is by exfoliating. Exfoliating your face removes dry, dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. This is an essential step to maintaining healthy, glowing skin because it increases blood circulation. I do this at least once a week, but sometimes, I double it up and do it every Sunday and Wednesday.
5. Choose your toner wisely.
Have you every put toner on your skin and nearly screamed because it burned like crazy or suddenly your skin felt tight and irritated? Trust me, I’ve been there! I have a love/hate relationship with toner, and as a woman with oily skin, I know it’s important to be vigilant about finding the perfect product. Using the correct toner can bring pH balance to your skin, which results in smoothness and a nice glow. Toner, for me has been one of those products that takes a bit of trial and error to find the perfect formula. I recommend trying a water-based toner because they’re much more gentle on your skin than alcohol-based toners are.
I’m no dermatologist, so of course, I recommend seeing a professional before making any drastic changes to your skin care routines. Following a daily skin hygiene program with products that suit your skin type is important and not everyone’s skin is the same, but I hope these tips from my personal experience will give you a bit of glamspiration for ways to combat oily skin.
Ciao Bellas,
