August 05, 2021

6 top tips for Oily Skin

6 TOP TIPS FOR OILY SKIN TO TRY THIS SUMMER

How to stop oily skin from getting shiny in the heat

The quest for healthy, glowing skin is universal but a serum or cream-induced lit-from-within luminescence or a strategically-placed highlight at the tops of your cheeks is much different than a greasy sun and sweat-induced shine.

Here’s the deal: Oil, also known as sebum, is produced by your sebaceous glands.

Oily skin is the result of these glands producing too much oil and there are a number of reasons why this happens including genetics, hormones, over-cleansing, taking certain medications or using the wrong skincare products for your skin type.

What’s more, the sun, heat, and humidity levels in the summer can make a difference to the amount of oil your skin produces too.

With oily skin you’re often more prone to breakouts. This is because when your oil production is on overdrive, the extra sebum made by your skin combines with dead skin cells to clog your pores.

Bacteria can get trapped within these pores, causing inflammation and ultimately spots and acne.

Thankfully there are ways to alleviate breakouts and the shine you don’t want. We’re sharing our top tips for oily skin to answer all your burning questions below. Hint: ditch your mattifying products for ones that guarantee skin that glows from within.

What cleanser is best for oily skin?

When your skin is feeling greasy it’s tempting to want to scrub it as squeaky clean is possible, but this can actually have the opposite effect on oily skin.

Using harsh cleansers and toners or too frequent cleansing strips skin of its moisture which triggers more sebum to be produced, leaving you with even oilier skin in the longterm.

Instead, try a double cleanse. Start with a cream or balm format like I’m From Fig’s Cleansing Balm, which gently exfoliates and purges pores while nourishing skin with hydrating fig oil water and plumping peptides at the same time. It’s key here that your cleanser keeps your skin’s barrier intact.

Next, use a gel cleanser dedicated to oily-prone skin. We love Sioris Day By Day Cleansing Gel as it’s enriched with Hottuynia Cordata Extract – a flower plant from Southeast Asia – which helps to regulate sebum production.

What cleanser is best for oily skin?

Twice a week is key for healthy cell turnover. Any more and you risk destroying your skin’s barrier which can also lead to excess oil production. When it comes to what you should be using, the key here is to tread gently.

I’m From Fig Scrub Mask is made up of fig powder, which nibbles away at dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, together with refined sugar particles to help keep breakouts at bay.

If your skin tends to get irritated easily try a 100% chemical exfoliant instead like By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water. This gentle AHA is particularly good at helping to de-clog spot-prone pores without any stripping action.

Should I be using serums?

After cleansing and exfoliating you always need to replenish your skin’s moisture levels and this especially applies to oily skin. But you don’t need a heavy hydrator to do the job.

Choose lighter, gel-like textures when it comes to both serums and moisturisers.

While not a serum, we swear by Aromatica Tea Tree Balancing Toner as the first step post-cleanse. It mixes astringent tea tree oil with hydrating aloe vera for the perfect skin-balancing combo.

Next, use a mega-hydrating cream with a gel texture like Dr. Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Gel Cream to top up your skin’s moisture levels without any heavy, potentially pore-clogging emollients.

Are there any treatments I should be doing?

Definitely! Oily skin is often irritated so you want to calm and soothe your complexion while helping to keep pores clear. Clay is a key ingredient to look out for.

The natural clay in Dr Ceuracle Jeju Matcha Clay Mask is rich in Caolin, Bentonite and Beatin which work to purge pores and refine the skin’s surface. At the same time, it’s packed with amino acids and vitamins to replenish lost moisture that’s the result of heat and humidity in the summer.

I’m From Mugwort Mask banks on Mugwort, the Korean wonder herb, to detoxify the skin while infusing it with a potent medley of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

You can zone-treat with these masks too. If you’re normally only oily on your t-zone, slick them on that area only and apply a hydrating mask to the rest of your face, taking it up under your eyes.

It may sound counterintuitive but facial oils can actually benefit oily skin. As mentioned above, skin that’s stripped of natural oils will go into oil production overload.

Adding an oil into your nighttime routine will help keep your oil levels balanced. Use it as the last step of your evening skincare routine to seal in hydration and help reinforce your skin’s barrier since a damaged barrier can contribute to breakouts. Our favourites for oily skin? The featherlight Huxley Oil; Light And More.

What about SPF?

I’ve you’re prone to oily skin it’s tempting to skip the sunscreen as these formulas can often feel greasy or slippery on skin. But you need to protect your skin from harmful UV-rays no matter your skin types.

The trick is to use a formula that is made specifically for oily or acne-prone skin. Thank You Farmer Sun Project Light Sun Essence sinks into skin without leaving any residue on the surface. It’s fromulated to shield skin with an SPF50 PA +++ protection while cooling and hydrating too.

If you need a little more moisture, try Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream instead which boasts the same UV protection with added nourishing bamboo water to lock in hydration. On extra humid days skip your moisturizer as these SPF’s work double duty as a facial cream.