Healthy skin naturally is moist and supple. It does not appear completely matte and is ideally free of flakes and dry patches. Some oil appearing on the surface of your skin is normal and a good thing but excessive oil spots are definitely not.
Oily skin can break down makeup and make application difficult.
It can also reduce the effectiveness of skincare products and even reduce the wear time of color cosmetics. Over producing oil can also lead to blemishes and breakouts which can be uncomfortable.
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How to Cleanse Oily Skin?
Fortunately, oily skin is rather easy to combat and certainly one of the milder skincare woes out there.
If you have oily skin, one of the best ways to help reduce greasiness is by cleansing. Use a gentle cleanser twice daily, once in the morning and once just before bed, with a soft cloth.
Do not scrub or exfoliate with non-chemical exfoliants, as you can actually damage your skin and stimulate more oil production.
If gentle cleansing does not do the trick, buying cleansers with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or beta-hydroxy acid will likely help dry up any remaining residue.
These products are typically marketed as acne fighting cleansers but will target oil production effectively as well.
Clay masks can be great for drawing out excess oil. These can be rather drying so use them sparingly but they certainly do the trick! Apply them in a liberal layer on the areas that are oily or blemished and let them dry down per the packaging instructions.
Moisturizers that do not contain oils will be absorbed by the skin and can actually convince your skin to not produce as much oil. If your body already thinks that your skin is moisturized enough to be healthy, it will reduce its output.
Rinse the area thoroughly and follow up with an oil free moisturizer. I know it sounds crazy to add more moisture to oily skin but it is very important for your skin’s health.
Oil free SPF products can help, too, as they will protect your skin against the sun which can help your body begin to regulate the oil production to a more reasonable amount.
Can Oily Skin Cause Acne?
If you have oily skin, you have probably heard the continuous warnings that soon your skin will erupt into a full on acne flare.
This is simply not true.
While having oily skin can increase the possibility of acne related issues due to creating a more effective means of travel for bacteria, having oily skin does not mean you are doomed to experience acne.
Scientists do not know why some people break out while others do not but they do know that oily skin is not a requirement for acne. Even people with skin as dry as the Sahara sometimes get breakouts.
Acne is determined by your unique body chemistry and external environmental factors. You certainly are not destined to break out simply because you have more active oil production levels.
Just keep your skin cleansed and steer clear of physical exfoliants that can create micro tears and allow bacterial infiltration and you should be just fine.
Should I Use Natural Treatment for Oily Skin?
You may be tempted to go the all natural route and try moisturizing with coconut oil. There are tons of benefits to this but proceed with caution. Coconut oil can clog pores and cause some rather serious breakouts, especially if your skin is already oily and therefore at a higher risk of being clogged up as is.
Try adding just a few drops of coconut oil to your regular moisturizer at first to see how your skin will react. If the two play well, feel free to give it a shot as an all over moisturizer.
Alternatively, you can try other more skin-friendly carrier oils like hazelnut, grapeseed, black cumin seed, sunflower seed, and olive. All of these are skin nourishing and will give a healthy dose of moisture with several, like olive oil, giving added antioxidant boosts as well.
Is Oily Skin Less Likely to Wrinkle?
There is an old wives tale that has circulated for decades that states that those with oily skin will age better than their dry skinned counterparts. The logic is that the moisture in their skin will keep wrinkles at bay, allowing youthful, healthy skin to prevail as they grow older.
Unfortunately, this is not wholly true. Everyone will eventually have some weathering due to the hands of time. Crows feet, for example, will happen regardless of your skin’s moisture levels, as will smile lines.
Forehead wrinkles may be less prevalent in those with oily skin though this needs more testing before it can be scientifically confirmed. Regardless, wrinkles are a natural part of life and are honestly kind of beautiful.
Can Diet Help to Treat Oily Skin?
They are a sigil of how far you have made it in life and are just as natural as the act of breathing.
Like many other skincare concerns, oily skin can sometimes be attributed, at least partially, to the things you eat. Junk food, refined sugars, and gluten can all cause the overproduction of oil, as well as breakouts.
To combat this, cut back on unhealthy snacks and try to make good mealtime choices.
Final Thoughts
Your whole body will feel better and you will likely see a reduction in the production of oil on your face. Oily skin is easily corrected with a bit of care and patience. If you are willing to make small changes like adding moisturizer or paying attention to your food choices, you will likely see an improvement.
If you find yourself exceptionally concerned or not making progress in your reduction efforts, reach out to a dermatologist. Sometimes prescription grade pharmaceuticals are necessary to really take care of aggressively overprotective oil glands.
Either way, there is an answer out there somewhere for you. Just remember that healthy skin now means youthful skin later in life and that a little effort goes an incredibly long way.