Oil Change: Forget Everything You Thought You Know About Oily Skin

Even though there's a lot of advice packaged under the pretense that you can get rid of oily skin, the fact remains that you can't get rid of your skin type - sorry guys. But what you can do is learn to live with it and make it more manageable. Oily skin has a bad rap, but did you know that this skin type actually has some positives? It's time to forget everything you think you know about oily skin and let us share a definitive guide to this often misunderstood skin type.

What causes oily skin?

Oily skin, referred to in the skin care world as seborrhea, is characterized by excess sebum and is most closely associated with skin during puberty. However, while puberty is the main cause of excess sebum and shine, it's not just teenagers who have oily skin. Additional factors may be: 

• Genetics: Just like those sparkly baby blues, if mom or dad has oily skin, there's a good chance you will too.
• Hormones: While hormonal ups and downs during puberty can cause sebaceous glands to become overactive, fluctuations can occur during menstruation and pregnancy.
• climate: Away or living in a humid climate? Oily skin may be the result.

How to care for oily skin

The fact is that you cannot control the above factors, but you can take care of your skin and control excess sebum. While oily skin is often blamed for pimples, the truth is that lack of care can cause these pimples. When the oil mixes with dead skin cells and impurities on the surface of the skin, it can often lead to clogged pores, which in turn can lead to breakouts. Blotting papers and fat-absorbing powders are great in a pinch, but you really need a skin care regimen tailored to your oily skin type. We offer five tips to help you reduce shine and take care of oily skin. 

Oily skin

While you're going to cleanse your face twice a day with a cleanser designed for oily skin, you should avoid overwashing your face. Washing your face too much can rob your skin of moisture, tricking it into thinking it needs to produce more sebum, which defeats the purpose. That's why it's so important to cleanse your skin no more than twice a day and always (always, always!) apply a light, non-comedogenic moisturizer. Even though your skin is oily, it still needs moisture. Skipping this step can cause your skin to think it's dehydrated, leading to an overload of the sebaceous glands.

Benefits of oily skin

It turns out that oily skin can have its benefits. Because oily skin is characterized by an overproduction of sebum, our skin's natural source of hydration, people with oily skin tend to experience signs of skin aging at a slower rate than, say, people with dry skin, as dry skin can develop wrinkles. seem more pronounced. What's more, oily skin is never "boring". With proper care, oily skin can appear more “wet” than its counterparts. The secret is to regularly exfoliate and moisturize with light, non-comedogenic formulas to control sebum production. Get more oily skin care tips here.

L'OREAL-PORTFOLIO CLEANSES YOUR OILY SKIN NEEDS

GARNIER SKINACTIVE CLEAN + SHINE CONTROL CLEANSING GEL

Remove pore-clogging dirt, excess oil and makeup with this daily cleansing gel. Contains charcoal and attracts dirt like a magnet. After one application, the skin becomes deeply clean and without oily sheen. After a week, the purity of the skin is noticeably improved, and the pores seem to narrow.

Garnier SkinActive Clean + Shine Control Cleansing Gel. MSRP $7.99.

CERAVE PENI FACIAL CLEANSER

Cleanse and remove sebum without breaking the protective skin barrier with CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser. Perfect for normal to oily skin, this unique formula contains three essential ceramides, plus niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.  

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser. MSRP $6.99.

L'ORÉAL PARIS MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER COMPLEX CLEANSER FOR NORMAL TO OILY SKIN

If you like to cleanse your skin without using tap water, check out L'Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water. Suitable even for sensitive skin, this cleanser removes makeup, dirt and oil from the surface of the skin. Apply it to your face, eyes and lips - it is oil, soap and alcohol free.  

L'Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete cleanser for normal to oily skin. MSRP $9.99.

LA ROCHE-POSAY EFFACLAR HEALING CLEANSER

Control excess sebum and acne with La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser. It contains 2% salicylic acid and micro-exfoliating LHA and can target excess sebum, blemishes, blackheads and whiteheads for clearer skin.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Healing Gel Wash. MSRP $14.99.

SKINCEUTICALS LHA CLEANSING GEL

Fight excess sebum and unclog pores with SkinCeuticals LHA Cleansing Gel. It contains glycolic acid and two forms of salicylic acid and can help unclog pores. 

SkinCeuticals LHA Cleansing Gel. MSRP $40.