There’s absolutely no reason for going out with an oily face these days. Check out these tips for treating oily skin naturally and effectively.
We all feel conscious about getting oily skin. Even well-known beauties like Maria Sharapova or Scarlett Johansson are not immune to this. Luckily, we can avoid the dreaded greasiness and get that smooth complexion we’ve always dreamt of by following these 10 great tips.
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Consider What You Eat
Apparently, the adage “have your cake and eat it too” doesn’t hold true when it comes to skin care. Indulging in foods high in sugar and fat will wreck havoc on our skin by leading to an increase in insulin levels. And this might lead to skin irritation and acne break-outs.
Go for superfoods that are chockfull of antioxidants and omega-3 instead. Antioxidants are crucial in protecting your skin from free-radicals that are notorious for causing skin aging while omega-3 helps keep skin supple, hydrated and free from inflammation. Eat more cranberries, artichokes and salmon to boost your antioxidant and omega-3 intake.
And don’t forget to drink a lot of water!
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Never Wash Your Face More than Once or Twice a Day
It might come as a surprise but washing your face several times a day is actually not good for oily skin. While washing with a good cleanser might remove dirt and give a fresh, oil-free feeling, it’s a temporary fix that’s harmful to the skin in the long run. Our bodies produce sebum, a natural oil that’s essential for preserving and keeping it supple. Whenever we wash our face, we strip our skin of this important natural oil and force it to generate more sebum.
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Moisturiser is a Friend
A lot of people wrongly believe that moisturizers will just make oily skin worse. As previously mentioned, washing your face and using toner several times a day will strip your skin of sebum and force it to make more. Plus, the skin outside the T-zone might end up being too dry.
A good moisturizer that’s developed especially for oily skin can help prevent this. Remember to choose a moisturizer that’s oil-free, non-comedogenic and light. You should also consider moisturizers with talcum, for that clear and shine-free complexion.
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Don’t Forget to Exfoliate
One thing people with oily skin should never forget to do is exfoliate. Exfoliating will rid your skin of dead skin cells and dirt from your pores, ensuring less acne from a sebum build up. But choosing a good exfoliant is key. Your skin will benefit from an exfoliant with tea tree oil or salicylic acid. The former has antibacterial properties while the latter is known for being anti-inflammatory, ensuring that skin pores are working effectively.
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Pamper your Skin with a Face Mask
Not everyone has the means to indulge in a luxurious face mask. Luckily, you don’t have to. There are numerous, easy to make face masks that can be found online. One popular, do-it-yourself face mask for oily skin just needs 3 easy to find ingredients – lemon, banana and honey. The lemon dissolves the existing oils while the banana minimizes oil production. And everything is brought together by the honey. Plus, it has great anti-bacterial properties.
Ingredients:
1 banana (preferably overripe)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
Combine all ingredients into a paste. Apply on face and neck and leave for about 15 minutes. Wash and pat dry. Your skin will feel clean, refreshed and smooth afterwards.
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Start with a Primer
It might take time to see the results of caring for your oily skin but one easy, quick fix is to use a great primer before putting on makeup. A primer will ensure your makeup stays in place and will minimize shine. Choose a matte finish with silica for better oil control.
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Invest in Good Cosmetics
Now that we’ve established the importance of a good primer, it’s time to consider the cosmetics that you use. Stay away from oil-rich foundations if you have oily skin. Look for non-comedogenic and mineral-based products. It’s even better if you can find makeup that uses dimethicone, a moisturizer that’s not oil-based.
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Dabble in Blotting Paper
Your makeup kit should always have blotting paper. They’re convenient, easy to use and will get rid of excess oil brought about by humidity or intense work. A gentle dab with an oil blotter on your T-zone will get rid of that shine in no time and will leave your skin with a beautiful matte finish for hours.
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Keep Your Hands to Yourself
We might not notice this, but resting our heads on our hands actually makes things worse for our oily skin. Our hands are busy touching things every day, things that are chockfull of bacteria, grime and oil. So when we touch our face, we transfer all that into the pores of our face, resulting in acne or breakouts. Controlling this innocuous habit will go a long way to preventing acne.
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Sit Back and Relax
Doing everything to take care of your oily skin is useless if you’re always stressed out. Our bodies produce too much cortisol when we’re stressed, and this hormone exacerbates skin inflammation and breakouts. So if you’re feeling the pressure, take a step back, relax and indulge in the things that make you happy. Don’t forget to pamper your skin with products with anti-inflammatory properties like green tea or chamomile.
Caring for oily skin doesn’t have to be challenging. Just follow these 10 simple tips. Your skin will thank you for it.
