Ever noticed your skin looks like it’s been slathered with olive oil within the first couple hours of leaving your house? Welcome to the club! The frequent breakouts, blackheads, and so on can definitely be very stressful. But don’t worry, I’ve compiled everything I’ve learnt about skincare routine for oily skin over the years, so you don’t have to struggle so much!
No more waiting around – let’s dive headfirst into an easy-to-follow guide for oily skin—one that’ll help control the shine without stripping away necessary moisture.
Skincare Routine for Oily Skin: Step-by-Step Guide
Cleansing for Oily Skin
A good skincare routine for oily skin starts with cleansing. You might think you need harsh soaps or strong alcohol-based toners to cut through the excess sebum production. But this is not true, even for oily skin; overwashing can actually lead to more oil production as your body tries to compensate by producing excess sebum [1].
Without gentle yet effective cleaning routines, dirt and makeup residues mix with our natural oils (sebum), creating the infamous combination – blackheads and pimples.
If you have oily skin, you need a cleanser that will help you with these two tasks:
- correct and maintain the balance between water and lipids in order to protect your skin,
- effectively clean your pores to avoid clogged pores, without causing irritation or dryness.
Let’s look into how to choose the perfect cleanser to achieve this.
Choosing A Facial Cleanser For Your Oily Skin
Using too-harsh products could disrupt the water-lipids balance, causing inflammation or even triggering acne outbreaks. Selecting the perfect facial cleanser with the right ingredients that are non-stripping is key. So here are my top tips:
- Favor Gel Cleansers: These help remove excess oil without irritating and disrupting your skin’s natural moisture.
- Avoid harsh ingredients: Avoid fragrance and essential oils.
- Consider pH-Balanced Cleanser: A pH balancing cleanser helps maintain the skin’s natural barrier and prevents excessive oiliness [2].
- Double cleanse (Oil-Gel): You might think using oil cleansers on oily skin will exacerbate excess sebum, but it’s actually the opposite. If you remember from 5th grade chemistry class, oil dissolves oil, which means oil cleansers are most effective at dissolving excess sebum and makeup [3]. Following this with a gentle gel cleanser is a perfect nighttime cleansing routine combination!
There are a few standout cleansers perfect for oily skin worth mentioning.
Cleanser Recommendations for Oily Skin
- KraveBeauty Matcha Help Hydrating Cleanser – effective cleansing while providing intense hydration.
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Gel Cleanser – gentle gel cleanser for acne-prone skin.
- COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser – pH-balancing, also contains low concentration BHA(salicylic acid).
Exfoliation for Oily Skin
Exfoliating is a must for oily skin because it helps address pretty much all of the challenges that come with it – clogged pores, blackheads, acne, etc.
As tempting as it might be, don’t go overboard with the intense physical scrubbing sessions; they could irritate and inflame your skin, leading to even more oil production. Instead, opt for chemical exfoliants and remember to pay extra attention to sun protection as exfoliants often make your skin sensitive to UV rays!
Finding the Right Exfoliant for Oily Skin
Try using chemical exfoliants that contain BHAs salicylic acid – a godsend ingredient for oily skin. It penetrates pores to clear out excess sebum and dead skin cells [4]. Incorporate this into your nighttime routine two to three times weekly for your skincare regimen and trust me, you will witness the results. If you’re unsure where to start, Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is an excellent pick that I’ve seen tremendous results with!
CeraVe’s Glycolic Lactic Acid Corrector is another one of my favorite exfoliants that contains 5% blend of AHAs (glycolic acid and lactic acid) and helps remove dead skin cells.
Moisturizing for Oily Skin
If you’ve gotten this far, you probably have learnt that oily skin needs hydration too. Actually, denying your skin moisture can lead it to produce even more oil – just the opposite of what we want.
Your body is smart; if it senses that its protective barrier is dry or dehydrated, it ramps up sebum production as a defense mechanism. So keep things balanced by hydrating well.
Selecting the Right Moisturizer for Oily Skin
You don’t need heavy-duty creams meant for dry skin types. Instead, look out for lightweight formulas that won’t clog yours. Consider these tips:
- Opt for Oil-Free or Non-Comedogenic Formulas: Look for moisturizers labeled as “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic” to avoid clogging pores and causing breakouts.
- Gel-Based or Water-Based Moisturizers: These lightweight options will provide hydration without a heavy or greasy feel.
- Look for Hyaluronic Acid: This skincare ingredient locks in hydration without contributing excess oils [5]. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Face Moisturizer is a great option – light and oil-free.
Sun Protection for Oily Skin
Forget the myth that sunscreen exacerbates oiliness; wearing sunscreen is a must for everyone, even for those with oily skin. Sun protection will prevent your acne scars and hyperpigmentation from getting worse from UV rays, especially when your skin is extra sensitive after exfoliating.
Apply your sunscreen every day (yes, even in gloomy weather!) and reapply every two hours for maximum protection! Of course, choosing the right sunscreen is a crucial part of the perfect skincare routine for oily skin, to avoid that oil-slathered look.
By prioritizing sun protection tailored to oily skin, you not only give your skin UV protection but also maintain a healthy shine-free complexion. Opt for sunscreens labeled as “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic” to ensure they won’t clog pores or contribute to excess oil production. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Ultra-Light Face Sunscreen SPF 50 is a great option that can be used as both sunscreen and primer.
Treating Acne and Breakouts in Oily Skin
If you’re like me, acne and breakouts show up far too often on your oily skin.
Acne isn’t just about oiliness; it’s also about how your skin reacts to its natural oil or sebum. Some people have oily skin but don’t get breakouts while others do.
When our oil glands go into overdrive (thanks hormones.), they produce excess sebum which can mix with dead cells to clog pores [6]. This creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, causing inflammation aka red angry zits.
So, managing this excess sebum production becomes crucial in any effective acne treatment strategy for those sporting shiny skin.
Incorporating Acne Treatments Into Your Skincare Routine for Oily Skin
We need active ingredients that specifically target those acne by helping control oil without drying out your face. Let’s dive into some helpful ones:
- Benzoyl Peroxide: It kills bacteria on acne and unclogs pores [7]. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment with Benzoyl Peroxide one of my personal favorites that I’ve used on my entire face during my worst acne phase in my teenage years, and I still swear by it as a spot treatment on my breakouts.
- Niacinamide: A must for oily skin. It regulates oil production and reduces the appearance of enlarged pores [8]. You can select the right niacinamide product after considering your personal skin type and skincare needs.
- Green tea extract: This is great for its sebum production regulation and anti-inflammatory properties [9]. Kravebeauty’s Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser incorporates this ingredient beautifully, giving you hydration without clogging your pores with hemp seed oil.
Incorporate these ingredients into any part of your nighttime skincare routine, and your skin will love you, while your acne, not so much.
Other Useful Tips for the Perfect Skincare Routine for Oily Skin
Consider Incorporating Vitamin A into Your Routine
Vitamin A is famous for promoting skin renewal, treating acne preventing wrinkles. In oily skin, vitamin A regulates sebum production, unclogs pores, and promotes a clearer complexion with reduced oiliness and breakouts [10].
Vitamin A comes in different forms like retinol and tretinoin. Tretinoin is prescription-only and has some side effects like a bit of purging and peeling, which can be intimidating. But it’s known to be top-notch for tackling acne and keeping those breakouts in check.
In the meantime, try easing into things with something like the Cerave Resurfacing Retinol Serum with Ceramides & Niacinamide – it’s also good for those leftover acne marks.
Try Using Essential Oils
You might wonder, why oils on oily skin? Hear me out—carefully incorporating certain essential oils can work wonders for balancing oil production and providing natural antibacterial benefits.
Look for non-comedogenic options like tamanu oil and jojoba oil and give them a shot.
Finally, Keep It Simple!
Stick with the classics – a good cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen – you don’t need a 15-step skincare routine. Add in some serums with active ingredients like exfoliants a couple of times a week for that extra oomph.
Understanding Oily Skin
Now, let’s dive a little bit into the ins of oily skin, and what exactly having oily skin means for you. Oily skin is characterized by an overproduction of sebum – a natural oil our skin produces to stay healthy – that leads to its shiny appearance and sometimes larger, more visible pores.
Genetics often play a role in determining our skin type. But don’t start blaming mom and dad yet. Hormonal fluctuations also influence how much oil your glands produce.
The Downside & Upside of Oily Skin
You might be thinking that oily sounds pretty unappealing right about now. Yes, there can be downsides – the excess oil production can lead to common skin concerns like acne breakouts or clogged pores.
But remember this: people with oily skin tend to age better than those with dry or normal skin because their sebaceous glands keep the epidermis well-lubricated and protected from wrinkles
A Closer Look at Sebum Production
Your body naturally secretes sebum through hair follicles onto the surface of your beautiful face (and rest of your body). This secretion helps support the protective barrier function on top layers by retaining moisture within the cells below.
While we all produce sebum, those with oily skin types have overactive oil glands that pump out more than necessary. This is what leaves the surface of your skin looking like an unwanted shiny disco ball.
Skincare Routine for Oily Skin: FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions).
1. What should my skincare routine be for oily skin?
Your everyday morning routine should include cleansing, moisturizing, and sunscreen. At night, take away the sunscreen, and feel free to add a serum with your desired active ingredient serums before moisturizing.
2. What is the best method for oily skin?
The best method involves using non-comedogenic products that won’t clog pores. Regularly cleanse, exfoliate as needed, keep your skin hydrated with a lightweight moisturizer, and treat acne promptly if it appears.
Conclusion
Skincare routine for oily skin? You’ve got it covered now!
Remember: simplicity is key! Find the perfect products for your needs and focus on just the basics; cleanse, moisturize, and sunscreen! Then add your exfoliants, and active ingredients occasionally as needed to boost your skin to the next level.