Understanding oily skin can be hard, and quite often difficult to keep under control without knowing exactly what it is.
If you class your skin type as oily then read on to discover an easy skin care routine that will help you balance and maintain your skin.
If you want to find out more about one aspect of oily skin then feel free to skip ahead using these links!
Understanding Oily Skin
Everyone’s skin needs a certain amount of oil to keep it moisturised. This oil is created by the sebaceous glands which are located all over the body but are predominantly on the face and scalp.
These glands create a substance called sebum. Sebum often works well in lubricating the skin and preventing it from drying out. It can also work in cleaning your pores from dead skin cells and other dirt.
Everyone produces a different level of sebum, determining what type of skin type you have. If you have overactive sebaceous glands which produce excess sebum then your skin can be left looking shiny and pores can become clogged. This is often why those who have oily skin tend to be prone to skin imperfections such as acne.
How To Know If You Have Oily Skin
There are a few signs that will tell you if you have oily skin.
If your face appears shiny and gets ‘greasy’ towards the end of the day, or if you find that your makeup can ‘slide off’ your face then you most likely have oily skin.
Take special notice to your T-zone - the area from your forehead down to your nose. This zone tends to become the most oily as it naturally has more active oil glands perhaps producing excess sebum.
If your T-zone is oily but the rest of your face i.e. your cheeks and chin is normal or dry then you may have combination skin. If you want to read more about combination skin then click here!
What Causes Oily Skin?
Typically oily skin is hereditary, so if you have oily skin then its likely that it was passed down to you via one or both of your parents. This tends to mean that there is very little you can actually do to change your skin type.
However, excess oil can be caused by a number of various elements. Heightened hormone levels can lead to more oily skin during times such as puberty and pregnancy, as well as during some women’s menstrual cycles or menopause. This is due to the sebaceous glands being more active during these times.
How To Help Oily Skin
Although you cannot change your skin type, there are things you can do to keep your oily skin under control.
If you have oily skin then you may be prone to using products on your face that have a tendency to dry your skin out in hopes that it also takes away excess oil. But although you may feel that this is working initially, in the long run this can make your skin much worse.
Scrubbing your skin with harsh exfoliator or over washing can actually strip your skin of moisture. Which, if you have oily skin, you may think you have too much of. But actually by stripping skin of moisture you will cause glands to overproduce oil, making your skin more oily in the long run.
If you have oily skin then more than likely you have larger open pores, leaving you more vulnerable to conditions such as acne. In order to help keep this under control then there are a few steps you can take.
During the night we can accumulate bacteria on our faces, filling enlarged pores with dirt that could cause irritation and breakouts. Washing your face first thing in the morning is a great way to cleanse your skin and wash away any impurities that have gathered there.
But another thing to keep in mind is that we naturally sweat more at night. This means that if we keep re-using bedding that has been in contact with dirt and sweat then we are making matters worse. Keep up to date with washing bedding and replacing it with clean sheets regularly to decrease the amount of dirt clogging up your pores.
Step By Step Oily Skincare Routine
Here at Evolve we create products that are suitable for every skin type and concern. Here we have broken down an easy skin care routine that will help ensure that oily and spot prone skin is kept under control.
Step One: As mentioned previously, the first step to an oily skin care routine will be washing your face. This will make sure your skin is free of any dirt that could be clogging your pores, as well as any products that are still sitting in your skin from the night before.
Make sure you find the right cleanser for your skin. You may think that using one without any oils in will make your skin worse, but in reality these are actually great for oily skin types. You do not want your skin to feel tight after washing or cleansing - you want it to feel soft and supple.
Our Daily Detox Facial Wash is great for this first step. It gently cleanses the skin and works to rebalance your skin’s natural sebum levels and contains high antioxidant ingredients which will help to prevent damage throughout the day.
You can massage this facial wash into a lather on a wet face and neck, then gently wash away with cold water to help close your cleansed and cleaned pores.
Step Two: Use a serum. This may sound scary as serums often have a reputation for helping dry skin retain moisture and hydration. However, we have created a serum that is specifically designed to help more oily skin types.
Our Rainforest Rescue Blemish Serum is targeted towards oily and blemish prone skin. It contains an Amazonian blend of Acai and Copaiba which is proven to decrease sebum production and reduce the appearance of blemishes and pores, leaving skin clean, calm and matte.
It also contains Willow Bark which is a natural source of Salicylic Acid. This helps boost cell turnover and helps to exfoliate your skin without causing any irritation. It’s important to note that Willow Bark is often not recommended for use during pregnancy, although it is only used in a very low percentage.
You can use this on your clean face and neck after washing. You can also use this on individual spots for targeted action.
Step Three: Finally, remember to finish with a moisturiser. Those with oily skin can sometimes skip this important step as they believe the oil on their skin means that their skin is moisturised enough.
Excess oil can sometimes be a result of underlying dryness somewhere within the skin. Your sebaceous glands can overwork themselves by trying to put moisture back into dry skin, therefore creating excess oil.
Our gentle, mattifying True Balance Lotion is a great moisturiser designed for oily and combination skin. It contains Ginger Plant Cells which are clinically proven to tighten and reduce the appearance of pores as well as creating the mattifying effect of the lotion.
The True Balance Lotion also uses Avocado Extract which helps to limit excessive oil production by inhibiting an oil producing enzyme. This helps particularly with the appearance of a shiny T-zone. Oil production is reduced by an average of 40% in 3 weeks.
You can apply this lotion gently to a cleansed face and neck.
What Else Can You Do?
The step by step guide above is designed to help you keep oily skin under control. But there are always more things you can do.
Why not try a face mask once a week? Our Radiant Glow Face Mask smells like pure chocolate and includes clay. If you have oily skin then using a face mask with clay in it can be great, as the clay can help draw out any impurities that may still be lingering in your pores. When your pores are clean then that don’t have to stretch to accommodate excess dirt and sweat so they can appear visibly smaller and tighter too!
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