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Wondering how to take care of oily skin? Ahh, where do we start? Greasy, oily skin is what beauty woes are made of. So, while a glossy sheen could be gorgeous on your hair and nails, it’s certainly not appealing on your face (PS: unless you are accentuating your cheekbones with a high-voltage highlighter).
A skincare routine for oily skin can easily help you curb excess sebum and control oil on your face. Remember the key to glowing skin is not oil on the surface of your skin but a face care routine for oily skin that focuses on eliminating excess oil, adding hydration, and maintaining the pH balance of your skin.
Do You Have Oily Skin
Before you look for a skincare routine for oily skin ask yourself if you really have oily skin, combination skin, or acne-prone skin. There are ways to identify your skin type at home without having to shell out bucks for an expensive visit to the dermat.
1 Blotting: After you have had a shower, wait for 20 minutes without applying any products to your face. Use a blotting paper and dab it onto your skin. If the paper turns translucent then you have oily skin.
2 Observation: If you find a T-zone with enlarged pores and oil and grease stuck in them you can safely assume you have oily skin.
Causes For Oily Skin
The thing about oily skin is that there is no one definite reason for that extra slick of oil on your face. If your skin has overactive sebaceous glands, it implies you have oily skin. According to a research paper, when sebum production exceeds 1.5 mg or 10 cm² every three hours, it leads to oily skin. Here are a few reasons why your skin could develop that extra layer of sebum.
- Age: According to a study, as we age our skin loses its elasticity and protein and tends to have more active sebaceous glands that produce more oil.
- Genetics: If oily skin runs in your family, there are chances you might also develop oily skin no matter what you do to prevent it.
- Diet: More often than not, an unhealthy diet also leads to oily skin. Deep-fried and oily food, alcohol and nicotine consumption, overeating, etc can all cause the skin to deteriorate, for some, it dehydrates their skin, for some it activates the oil glands.
- Climate: Depending on the time of year and country you live can have an effect on your skin. Hot and humid climates can increase oil production.
- Wrong Products: Sometimes you do everything right, but end up using the wrong products for your skin. A wrong formulation can leave your skin more oily than ever.
- Dehydration: When your skin is dehydrated, it sends a signal to your sebaceous glands to hydrate your skin, and it in turn produces more oil. There’s a myth that moisturisers add more oiliness but in fact, they hydrate your skin to control excess oil production.
Oily skin is not the end of it, first things first, rather than following what everyone else is doing, determine what works for you. Avoid using random products (which might aggravate your situation further) and stick to tried-and-tested oily skin products. Here are our formulas, tips, and an oily skin routine that will keep oiliness at bay.
Skin Care Routine For Oily Skin
To make things easier for you, we have put together a fail-proof oily skin skincare routine to alleviate your oily skin woes.
1. Best Cleanser for Oily Skin (AM & PM)
Begin your morning oily skincare routine with a mild cleanser that is water-based to remove dirt and other impurities, without clogging your pores. Since oily skin is more prone to acne and breakouts, the best cleanser for oily skin must contain salicylic acid, as per research. It’s a super powerful BHA that exfoliates the surface of the skin and penetrates your pores to extricate all the dirt and oil build-up. Moreover, a mild face cleansing foam with tea tree oil can also work wonders for oily skin. You can use the same cleanser for your night routine as well to remove all makeup, dust, and other impurities.
Nykaa Recommends:
How To Use:
If you are cleansing your face at night, then use an oil-based cleanser first to remove any stubborn makeup residue, pollution, and other impurities, follow it up with a water or foam-based cleaner for a completely clean canvas. In your morning routine, you can simply use a water-based cleanser since your skin remains somewhat clean when you sleep.
2. Best Exfoliator for Oily Skin (AM & PM)
However, in addition to cleansing, incorporating a mild exfoliator (at least twice a week) is equally important. The best scrub for oily skin removes the dead skin, reduces excess oil production and prevents plugging of pores that lead to breakouts.
Nykaa Recommends:
How To Use:
Take a coin-sized amount both in the morning and night. Scrub your skin with that to exfoliate your skin cells and improve cell regeneration. You don’t need to scrub every day, once a week works perfectly well, but you can incorporate it into your AM or PM routine.
3. Best Toner for Oily Skin (AM & PM)
The perfect toner for oily skin prepares your skin better to absorb the ingredients from the products you use afterwards; plus, it refines your skin texture by minimising the appearance of pores – keeping oiliness at bay.
Nykaa recommends:
How to use:
Once you have cleansed and exfoliated, the open pores on your skin get unclogged, now is the time to go in with a toner to close those pores to avoid oil and dirt from settling in. Mist or apply a few drops of the toner using a cotton pad all over your skin, making sure to avoid the eye area.
4. Best Sunscreen For Oily Skin (AM)
As opposed to what you might think, layering on sunscreen is an essential part of the daytime skincare routine. Try a mineral-based product (containing Zinc or Titanium Dioxide) that absorbs oil and hence acts as the best sunscreen for oily skin.
Nykaa Recommends:
How To Use:
Follow the two-finger method and measure your sunscreen, apply it to your face, and neck, and if some of the product remains, apply it to your hands. Make sure to gently massage the product and allow it to get fully absorbed for 20 minutes before stepping out. This should be the last step before you start your makeup. Since the sun’s out only during the day, this step is for the AM routine.
5. Best Face Mask For Oily Skin (PM)
A basic mask or a peel once a week can do wonders for oily skin. A great face mask for oily skin usually contains charcoal or Moroccan clay that keeps skin calmer and clearer. You can also incorporate exfoliating masks and peels that are infused with Glycolic Acid which are some of the best face packs for oily skin.
Nykaa Recommends:
How To Use:
Face masking is an indulgent activity, and incorporating it into your AM routine will not do it justice. Pamper yourself with a face mask once a week at night for the formulation to help you relax and your skin to revive. Apply the mask for 20 minutes before washing it off.
6. Best Moisturiser for Oily Skin (AM)
If your skin is producing extra oil, doesn’t mean you forego creams and moisturisers altogether. However, instead of using heavy, pore-clogging formulas choose products containing humectants such as glycerin or hyaluronic Acid, that draw water into your skin and prevent moisture loss. According to a study, topical usage of hyaluronic acid provides excellent skin hydration. The best moisturiser for oily skin is usually oil-free, silicone-free, and reduces dehydration of the skin without getting your oil glands into overdrive.
Nykaa Recommends:
How To Use:
Take a pea-sized amount and apply it after your daily serum. Ensure to massage the product well so your skin finds it easier to absorb all the hydration.
7. Best Serum For Oily Skin (AM & PM)
Serums are highly potent formulations that must be used if your skin requires a targetted solution, so if your skin feels dehydrated, consider incorporating a hydrating serum in your skincare routine; for brightening and anti-ageing effect, use a serum with brightening and anti-ageing properties respectively. PS: Always remember to stick to lightweight formulations that get absorbed in the skin easily.
Nykaa Recommends:
How To Use:
Take 2–3 drops of the product and apply it to your target areas, massage the product well and wait for 10 minutes before you apply a moisturiser. Serums are quick absorbent, so make sure you place the dropper directly over your skin so none of the product is wasted.
8. Best Night Cream for Oily Skin (PM)
An ideal face cream for nighttime should be lightweight and that can get absorbed rapidly into the skin. Use a night cream that contains night-friendly ingredients such as retinol, which can act as a saviour for oily skin types. Not only does it exfoliate but also increases cell regeneration and helps unclog those pores. Layer your night routine with a potent eye cream that hydrates, illuminates, and fills up the under-eye area.
Nykaa Recommends:
How To Use:
A night cream and eye cream are better applied at night for the ingredients to offer better results. Apply the eye cream first since it’s lighter and apply the face cream the same way you would apply a moisturiser.
Things To Avoid Oily Skin
Now we know you can’t completely avoid a lot of things, but controlling them and consuming a moderate amount is key.
Dairy: Many studies suggest, the bacteria found in dairy causes acne breakouts among teenagers. Especially heavy dairies like cheese, cottage cheese, butter, and heavy cream.
Alcohol: Alcohol dehydrates your body and skin, this leads to your skin aggressively activating the sebaceous glands and producing more oil on the outer layers of the skin in order to hydrate.
Sugar:Sugar spikes your insulin levels and creates an imbalance in your hormones that leads to an increase in sebum production.
Junk Food:Junk food has too much salt and several chemicals and preservatives in it that can cause acne breakouts and increase oil production.
Tips For Oily Skin
Here are some pro tips for oily skin:
- The quickest and easiest way to reduce grease on the skin and fight oil is to use an oil-blotting paper or tissue to blot away any excess oil or sebum on the outer layer of the skin.
- Resist overexfoliation as it might increase skin irritation and make your oily skin issues much worse. An ideal scrub for oily skin offers a mild formulation to get the job done without drying your skin out.
- When choosing the best face wash for oily skin, pick a gentle formula that gets rid of all the impurities without drying out your skin.
- The best moisturiser for oily skin is one that is oil-free, water-based and won’t weigh down your skin.
- Try including a retinol-based serum that tightens pores and firm skin in your evening beauty routine.
- Look for products that have a ‘non-comedogenic’ label, which means it won’t clog pores.
- While doing your makeup, a primer is an absolute must, since it aids in keeping sebum under control; plus, it keeps your makeup on for a longer amount of time.
- For a base that lasts for hours, choose oil-free foundations in matte textures to battle shine and oil, all day long.
- Use concealers sparingly as this might make your makeup crease.
- Never go to bed with makeup on. This is one of the cardinal rules of skincare and makeup on your skin, when left overnight can clog your pores and aggravate other skin issues that you might be suffering from.
- Last but not least, control the urge to touch your face as it can transfer impurities to your skin, leading to breakouts or acne.
Parting Thoughts
An oily skin routine can do wonders for your skin, from minimising pores to reducing excess sebum production a skincare routine for oily skin makes your face appear healthy, radiant, and nourished. With a few tweaks in your diet and lifestyle, there’s no reason why a face routine for oily skin can’t help you achieve your skin health goals.
FAQs On Skin Care For Oily Skin
Now that you know how to ace the skincare routine for oily skin, let’s get some of those frequently asked questions answered; plus we have put together some great product recommendations to make your life easier.
1. How many times do you need to wash your face in a day? What is the best cleanser for oily skin?
You must cleanse your face ideally twice a day to combat the oil slick on your face. However, it’s important you refrain from washing your face too many times since you will end up removing all the skin’s natural oils. This in turn causes your skin to produce more oil and leads to further greasiness. A good cleanser is one that is water-based and lightweight in texture.
2. Is exfoliation a good idea for oily skin types? If yes, what is the best face scrub for oily skin?
Exfoliation is a great way to remove oil and dead skin cells. However, just as in the case of cleansers, it’s important not to exfoliate too much as it only leads to dehydration. Choose one with granules that aren’t too harsh on your skin.
3. How can I keep makeup from melting because of the extra oil on the face?
To avoid makeup mishaps, always start by using a primer that helps keep sebum under control and creates a smooth canvas for the rest of the makeup. Moreover, opt for oil-free foundations and concealers in matte texture to keep you grease-free all day long.
4. Can I use serums in addition to face creams every day?
If you have oily skin, then using serum is strictly optional (a good face cream is good enough). However, if you have any sin issues that you need to target, then it’s a good idea to incorporate a serum that could tackle those problems effectively.
