10 Effective Tips for Managing Oily Skin Care

Beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle.

Are you struggling to balance your oily skin?

Or keep blackheads and breakouts at bay?

Fortunately, with a few additions and subtractions to your current skincare routine.

You can jump-start the oily-skin clarifying train.

To take your skin from shiny to balanced and glowing.

How to Treat Oily Skin

1. Hormonal havoc

Your period has a lot to do with that build-up of daily shine.

Your monthly hormonal cycle is caused by fluctuating androgen hormones, which increase oil production in your skin, including on your scalp, which can lead to seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Your skin gets oilier depending on the cycle time, during puberty, just before menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.

The more androgens present, the more oil gets funnelled through your pores, creating an oily sheen.

When excess oil is produced, it becomes trapped in the pores. This, combined with dead skin cells and acne bacteria, leads to pimples, blackheads, and blemishes.

2. Blame your genes

Yep, that genetic jackpot strikes again.

That’s right; the number of oil glands in your skin and their activity level are all down to the specific characteristics of each individual, which are influenced by your genetics.

This means your skin may produce more oil or have more oil glands on your face than someone else’s.

So, while using specific products will help minimise and balance oily skin, nothing will permanently change your skin type or reduce oil production; this is your gene pool.

3. Look at what’s on your plate

While a poor diet can’t cause oily skin, it can trigger, spur on, and worsen oily, problem skin.

When this happens, it’s worth taking a look inside.

From our experience working with thousands of clients, we have seen first-hand how consuming a diet rich in processed food leads to overactive oil production and the daily oily shine accompanying it.

Furthermore, a diet rich in sugary food can raise your glycemic index and insulin resistance.

4. CUT OUT THE MEAT

If you want to know how to get rid of oily skin, try cutting out the foods that cause it.

Why? The problem with cow’s milk is that it is often taken from pregnant cows and contains a high level of the female hormone progesterone.

That, coupled with the fact that there are more than 60 different hormones in just one glass of milk, wreaks havoc on the delicate balance of your hormones.

This interesting article explains why you should limit your consumption of anabolic hormone-packed milk. It is worth reading for those who struggle with oily acne skin.

5. Deal with dehydration

Your skin might feel oily, but it could be dehydrated.

But wait—oil and moisture are two separate issues. Oily skin requires sufficient hydration to keep it balanced, or it becomes dehydrated, spiking oil production.

This is your skin’s way of keeping itself moisturised, something we discuss in more detail here.

Treat your skin to H₂O Hydrating skin shot, an intense moisture shot containing hyaluronic acid. It works like tiny micro-sponges to pull moisture deep into your skin’s tissues and lock it there.

Did you know that increasing your water intake is insufficient to give your skin the hydration it needs?

Your skin is the last organ to receive water, so addressing this topically is vital.

6. Don’t skimp on sleep

It seems like a no-brainer, but do you know the feeling of waking refreshed after a good night’s sleep?

You didn’t imagine it; a good night’s rest has a significant impact on your skin.

Why? Lack of sleep results in insulin resistance. Insulin creates IGF-1, a hormone that stimulates oil production in the skin.

7. Don’t use harsh cleansers

If you have oily skin, you might gravitate toward exfoliators and cleansers that deeply exfoliate and help dry surface oil.

Theoretically, this seems like a good idea, but harsh exfoliation will break down your natural protective barrier.

Over-cleansed skin senses that your barrier function is compromised, making it shinier as your oil glands work overtime to compensate.

Instead, use a gentle face wash, such as our Miracle Cleanse. It balances and protects as it cleanses, so that skin won’t be stripped of precious oils or become sensitised.

8. Don’t skip the moisturiser

Many of our oily skin clients make the common mistake of not moisturising because they think their natural oil production is enough.

Skipping on your moisturiser means nothing keeps your protective barrier intact, making it more susceptible to external irritants such as bacteria, pollutants, and free radical attacks.

The bottom line is, don’t be afraid of moisturisers. Look for strictly oil-free and non-comedogenic products, like Clarify pH-balancing gel, which contains hydrating and mattifying ingredients to help balance the skin.

9. Quit looking for that “Miracle Cure

Oily skin is often a byproduct of overexposure to harsh ingredients, which triggers the skin to produce excess oil.

The key is to remember that your skin’s natural oils are not inherently wrong; they are there to protect and lubricate.

10. Don’t sweat the small stuff

When stressed, the adrenal glands go into overdrive, producing cortisol, which causes the sebaceous glands to produce more oil.

Studies (1) carried out on high school students found that children undergoing stressful exams had far more acne than those not undertaking exams.

Do you have fatty acid-deficient skin?

If you’re keen to learn how to remove oily skin naturally, you could do much worse than looking at your essential fatty acid intake.

Your skin primarily comprises lipids, such as essential fatty acids, ceramides, and cholesterol, all of which play a crucial role in maintaining the skin’s barrier function.

Studies (2) have found that acne sufferers have low levels of linoleic acid in their skin, which is more likely to cause follicular blockage, irritation, and inflammation. These deficiencies can be corrected internally and topically.

An easy way to treat acne is through the topical application of linoleic acid. This study found a 25% reduction in microcomedone size over a one-month period.

To Conclude. The naked truth

The plague of oily skin is a persistent skin type that can be challenging to treat.

As aestheticians, treatment for oily skin addresses and controls the triggers that lead to congestion.

While you can’t control your predisposition to oily skin, you now know many ways to treat and regain control, taking the next step towards perfecting your complexion.

REFERENCES

1. Association of Academic Stress, Acne Symptoms.

2. Essential fatty acids and acne.