Dealing with oily skin

Oily skin, while common, can be tricky to look after. While you may have always been told to use harsh cleansers to clean sebum away, it’s actually the opposite. Treat oily skin with a bit of care, and it will stop supplying masses of oil which is created as a reaction to the astringents.

So with no further ado, here’s some wonderful little tips, courtesy of HealthCentral on how to look after oily skin.

1. Wash your face twice a day – once in the morning and once before bed. Washing more often can strip your skin of all the natural moisturizers and increase oil production. The only time you should wash your face more than twice a day is if you have been perspiring.
2. Use a gentle cleanser. If you need something stronger, look for ingredients specifically made for oily skin and acne, such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or beta-hydroxy acid. Although usually marketed for acne, these products work well for oily skin too.
3. If you are experimenting with different cleansers to find one that works for you, keep a notebook and write down the date, what cleanser you are using and keep track of how your skin looks after a few weeks. If you notice irritation, write that down so you know not to try that cleanser again.
4. Don’t scrub your face as this can stimulate oil production.
5. If you use a toner, use it only on areas that are oily, such as your forehead or around your nose. If you have areas that aren’t oily, toners can create dry patches.
6. If you have oil build up in between facial washings, use a medicated pad or blotting paper to remove excess oil. These products have the added benefit of being portable, allowing you to freshen up your face no matter where you are.
7. Oily skin still needs to be moisturized, but be careful to choose the right moisturizer. Look for water based or oil-free moisturizers and stay away from creams and heavy moisturisers.
8. When choosing foundation and other make-up, pick those with gel, liquid or powder bases. If using a liquid make-up make sure it is water based, not oil based. Makeup labeled “noncomedongenic” contain ingredients that won’t clog your pores.
9. Exfoliate once a week to help loosen and remove dirt and oil in your pores.
10. No matter how tempted, don’t pick, pop or squeeze pimples as it can cause scarring and leave red spots on your face.

One wonderful cleanser for oily skin is La Biosthetique Lotion Desincrustante – Deep Cleansing Lotion for Oily Skin. This is a special deep pre-cleansing lotion for oily skin and disinfection for blocked pores. Dissolves comedomes and makes removal faster. The complexion becomes clearer and fresher.

Put some product on a cotton wool pad, rub the affected parts of the face with it. Follow by cleansing the skin thoroughly using Clair de Teint Purifiant.

Ingredients:

• Ethanol acts as desinfection and reduces irritated skin on deeply cleansed skin areas.
• Lemongrass essential oil has antimicrobial, antiseptic, bactericidal properties.
• Salicylic acid is an antibacterial agent.