1. Don’t over Wash

With an oily skin, the temptation is often to scrub it clean at regular intervals throughout the day. Experts tell us that this kind of approach is counter-productive. Instead of helping to combat the skin’s over-enthusiastic production of sebum, it simply induces it make even more oil.

2. Use the Right Cleanser

In addition to ensuring that you don’t wash your face too regularly, you also need to take some time to select the right cleanser for you. Ideally, you’re looking for something very gentle. Don’t be tempted to ‘cut through the grease’ with a product that resembles dishwashing-liquid; using a harsh cleanser will work alongside frequent scrubbing to encourage your skin to produce more oil.

3. Find a Good Mask

Beauty therapists recommend that oily skin sufferers use a good quality clay mask on their faces about once a week. This kind of product will help to ‘soak up,’ so to speak, the skin’s excess oil, and will remove dead skin cells and impurities into the bargain.

4. Apply the Correct Moisturizer

Again, it’s important that you find the right product for your skin. As with the cleanser, the temptation is often to go for very light cream, since the oiliness of the complexion seems like it’s ‘moisture’ enough. While very heavy lotions which use the likes of cocoa butter as a base should be avoided, you should nevertheless take care to ensure that your face cream remains nourishing. Look for the word ‘noncomedogenic’ on the label; this kind of product will soften without leaving skin feeling extra greasy.

5. Get a Primer

Make-up application is one of the real issues associated with an oily complexion. Sourcing a foundation that will ‘stick’ can be incredibly difficult, and girls with this particular skin problem often find themselves running to the bathroom to touch up several times a day. Make-up artists suggest applying a primer underneath the first layer of base, and, if possible, getting your hand on one that is designed to reduce shine.

6. Consider Medication

If your oily complexion is becoming a serious issue, it might be a good idea to chat to your dermatologist about available treatments. There is a wide variety of skin-improving medications out there today, but be warned; as your doctor will no doubt tell you, some of these come with difficult side-effects attached.

7. Monitor UV Exposure

An excess of sunshine can stimulate the skin to produce more oil than it needs to. Experts suggest that those who suffer from a shiny complexion should be extra-careful when it comes to, for example, lying on the beach. Sun block is, as always, an absolute must. Go for a gel based product; it won’t block your pores and will absorb easily into your skin.

Many of us react to a shiny complexion by attempting to ‘dry it out.’ We use cleansing products that are too harsh and moisturisers that are too light. This kind of attitude, while understandable, is also problematic, and will, ultimately, simply compound the oily problem. If you take away anything from this list of 7 tips to combat oily skin, it should, perhaps, be a gentler approach to your complexion; wash with care and not too often, moisturise with the right product … What are your thoughts? Do you have anything to add?

Top Photo Credit: mistermundo