How to Care for Oily Skin

Caring for oily skin can be a hard task. Too much moisturizer and your breakouts become worse. A shiny finish on your cheeks and forehead makes you feel self-conscious in photos. You blot and wipe away the oil several times a day, much of your makeup and skincare products wiping away with it. It is such a hassle, and it is not at all enjoyable.

The truth about oily skin is that it takes a lot of specialized care to manage it properly. You need to know the correct formulas and ingredients that can help keep the oil under-control while also knowing how to keep breakouts at-bay, and still provide nurturing care to your skin.

What is Oily Skin

Oily skin is partially-genetics and often caused by an overactive gland in your skin. Pores on oily skin are often larger and more visible and are more prone to breakouts including blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples.

Having oil on your skin is completely natural. In fact, underneath each pore on our skin is a gland that intentionally produces oil (called the sebaceous gland). At its core, this gland’s intention is to keep your skin moisturized and hydrated.

What Causes Oily Skin

This gland is wonderful for our skin…when it functions properly. But for much of the population, the helpful little sebaceous glands become a hindrance by over-producing oil and creating a shine that we so desperately try to eliminate or cover-up.

So why does this hyperactive functioning happen to some of us, but not all? Well, genetics for one. If you have oily skin it is likely that your parents and generations older have also had oily skin. And then there are hormonal shifts and age, which is why acne is often more common in adolescents. And even the climate surrounding us plays a part, as those who live in more humid climates tend to have oilier skin.

All of those causes are outside of our control. But sometimes overly-oily skin can be caused by using improper (or too many) products on your skin, or even (surprisingly) by skipping the moisturizer altogether.

The Surprising Things that Can Cause Oily Skin

Skipping the moisturizer is a big no-no when it comes to treating oily skin. This is especially true if you are using an acne treatment or toner, as these tend to dry out the skin quite a bit. We know that it can sound backward to add a lotion to skin that tends toward oily, but the trick here is just finding the best kind of moisturizer for you; for instance, oily skin tends to work best with a lightweight, water-based moisturizer.

You also want to be sure you are not over-doing it on the cleansing and exfoliating. Again, this can be a surprising fact since the purpose of those processes is to clean your skin and thereby remove excess oil. But exfoliating too much can cause your sebaceous gland to go into an “emergency state” and produce even more oil to compensate for the lack of any oil. Washing is only recommended twice a day, depending on your skin, and exfoliating even less often.

Another problem that often causes oily skin is using the wrong skincare products (or too many products) for your skin type. This one may not be as surprising, but with the hundreds of brands and thousands of options available, it is really easy to overdo it. All you really need are one each of a cleanser, a serum, an acne treatment (if needed), and a moisturizer. And keep in mind that all of these products may need to change periodically if your skin changes with the seasons; for example, some people use a thicker moisturizer in the winter when their skin is more dry than normal.

Best Skincare Products for Oily Skin

Want to tone down that shine? Check out these 5 great skincare products for oily skin. They were formulated with the best skincare ingredients  for skin that tends toward the oily side of the spectrum. They can help reduce the appearance of oil on your skin to remove the shine, as well as actually help control oil  production of that pesky, overactive sebaceous gland.

1. Neocutis MICRO GEL Moisturizing Hydrogel - This lightweight hydrogel moisturizer from Neocutis is packed with proprietary peptides that actively work to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It offers shockingly deep hydration given how lightweight it feels, and it actually seems to plump-up the skin. This moisturizing gel is recommended for oily and acne-prone skin.
   
   
2. Neocutis HYALIS+ Intensive Hydrating Serum - Serum hydration for oiling skin? No way. YES way! This oil-free, intensive hydrating serum from Neocutis features a blend of several types of pure Hyaluronic Acid plus key ingredients that work together to help create smooth, soft, and supple skin while minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, without adding oil to your skin.
   
   
3. Obagi CLENZIderm M.D. Pore Therapy -This refreshing acne treatment helps unclog and refine pores while clearing away dead skin. Ideal as a component of acne treatment, this therapeutic system is formulated with 2% salicylic acid and leaves your skin feeling refreshed after use, preparing it for the next step in your acne treatment regimen.
   
   
4. Obagi-C C-Balancing Toner - This perfect formula is a non-drying toner that adjusts your skin pH and prepares skin for optimal absorption of C-Clarifying Serum. Get the most out of your serum by ensuring total absorption with the Obagi-C acetone-free and alcohol-free toner.
   
   
5. SkinMedica Everyday Essentials Kit - And last up, we wanted to highlight an all-inclusive package that offers high-performance results for fighting acne and aging. This three-step process is clinically proven to reduce sebum (that oil production) and improve fine lines. It is actually specially formulated to treat adult acne, so also helps to correct signs of damage resulting from blemishes and aging such as enlarged pores, rough texture, and fine lines. Included in this package is the LHA Cleansing Gel, LHA Toner, and Blemish + Age Defense treatment.

So there you have it; our top 5 oil-control products that are specially formulated to offer more effective cleaning, toning, and moisturizing of skin that tends toward oily.