Top 6 ingredients to combat Chronically Oily Skin

Alexxx.V

Jun. 28

Oily skin has some serious pros and cons. First, while oily skin can be a little annoying, it helps trap moisture, so your skin doesn't become dry and flaky during the winter months. Oily skin can also combat and protect your skin from the signs of aging. However, oily skin is associated with acne breakouts, too. The key is to have a balance. If your skin is too oily, then you are losing a lot of the benefits and increasing the possibility of more breakouts.

Let's talk about how to combat overly oily skin, so you get the benefits of having a dewy complexion without the problems.

Essential oils. Essential oils, such as lemon and tea tree, are great for oily skin because of their antiseptic properties. Lemon oil is full of vitamin C, and it helps brighten your skin tone and lessen hyperpigmentation. Lemon oil also can combat greasiness and excess sebum, which means less shine and fewer breakouts. Tea tree oil is another great essential oil for your skin, and it is a gentle astringent with antibacterial qualities. Because blemishes are caused by bacteria, adding tea tree oil to your skincare routine will prevent bacteria from settling into your pores and causing breakouts.

Kaolin clay. Kaolin clay is a naturally occurring white clay that helps absorb oil and reduce the shininess of your skin. You can use it two to three times a week to reduce the excess sebum in your skin, draw out toxins, and exfoliate dead skin. Kaolin clay also cleanses and tightens pores as well. If you're having a hard time finding kaolin clay, then bentonite clay is a good alternative for this product. It can have similar benefits for your skin and is often much easier to find and purchase.

Retinol. Retinol is commonly found in anti-aging products because it can promote the production of new skin cells. Most products focus on its benefits against wrinkling and hyperpigmentation, but it's also great for oily skin. Retinol helps your oily skin by tightening your pores, so they create and release less oil. Just 1% retinol can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots while also reducing and controlling the amount of oil your skin produces.

Hyaluronic acid. Combating oily skin is not always about cleansing pores; you also have to keep your skin moisturized, so your body doesn't feel the need to make extra oil to fight the possibility of dry skin. However, traditional moisturizing ingredients can feel too heavy on someone that already has oily skin, so a product like hyaluronic acid is better. Hyaluronic acid is lightweight while being intensely hydrating at the same time, as opposed to oils like mineral oil and petroleum that suffocate your skin and have the potential to clog your pores.

Salicylic acid. This anti-inflammatory acid is one of the best acids for controlling acne with oily skin. Salicylic acid works by breaking down dead skin cells, and it can get deep into your pores to clear dirt and debris. Not only does it cleanse your skin, but it also destroys blackheads and whiteheads, the breakouts most often seen with acne-prone and oily skin.

Vegetable oils. When combating oily skin, don't forget about vegetable oils. Just like using hyaluronic acid, it can seem counterintuitive to add oil to already oily skin, but it's important to keep your skin moisturized, so it doesn't create extra oil on its own. Olive oil is skilled at pulling impurities from your body, and it can help maintain your skin's pH balance. Jojoba oil is so hydrating and light that it can help reduce your sebum production. Basically, using a moisturizing oil on your skin will tell your pores your skin is already properly hydrated, and then they will stop producing excess oils.

There are some products you want to avoid with oily skin, and those are mostly products that contain mineral oils, petroleum, or heavy vegetable oils. These products will only serve to clog your pores more and potentially lead to more breakouts and acne problems on your skin.

Creating a skincare routine is easy to do, but it's important to remember that while you are cleansing your skin, you must put the hydration back in your skin to assist your natural oil production. After using a product like retinol or kaolin clay, make sure you add hydrating products such as hyaluronic acid or light vegetable oils to your routine, so your pores feel adequately hydrated and don't feel obligated to make extra sebum.

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