How to Look After: Oily Skin

(Note: this is only from my understandings as a makeup artist/skin consultant. I have no medical qualifications)

Oily skin is something which affects us all at one time or another. Whether this is your general skin type or excess oil tends to affect you more sporadically, you’ll probably need to tailor your skincare regime to make sure you’re looking after your skin properly. However, from talking to customers and models at work, I feel like there is a lot of mixed messages out there about the best way to do this. I thought I’d do a little FAQ answering questions and comments to the best of my ability about how to deal with oily skin.

Q: What is/do I have oily skin?

Oily skin is when the glands in your skin produce excess oil, which can lead to shininess, visible open pores, blemishes, blocked pores etc. If you wake up in the morning and your skin feels greasy, like you can’t wait to wash it and you also find that you sometimes suffer from some of the above, then you may have an oily skin type. 

Q: Are there any benefits of having oily skin?

Yes! An oily skin type will keep your skin more supple and better hydrated, so you will be less likely to get wrinkles as you get older if you look after your skin properly. You may not like it now, but you will love it when you’re 40 and you look younger than all your friends, promise.

Q: Should I exfoliate every day?  I do need to get rid of my blocked pores!

No! This is a very common misconception, especially in young people. The more you stimulate your skin (by touching/rubbing/exfoliating), the more oil it will produce. A daily scrub might initially make your face feel squeaky clean as all the oil has been blitzed and scrubbed away, however your skin is likely to react by going into overdrive and producing even more oil to make up for what you lost.  Also, spots are infected pores. Scrubbing will spread the infection around your skin to other pores, causing more spots. I’m not saying don’t do it, just try exfoliating a couple of times a week instead with a gentle scrub.

Q: What cleanser should I use?

Try and avoid one with high alcohol content as this will over-dry your skin. Like over-scrubbing, your skin will produce excess oil to make up for this dryness, leaving you in a vicious circle of dry/oily/dry/oily. Another ingredient that will do this is sodium lauryl sulphate, a salt based foaming agent. Also try and avoid face wipes if you have lots of blemishes as these tend to spread the bacteria round your face. Use cotton pads instead, as this is more hygienic.  Oil based cleansers can also be effective and tend to be more gentle. It may seem strange to put more oil on your face, but oil cuts through oil, so as long as you wipe or wash of your cleanser, your skin will thank you for it. You don't have to spend a lot, but if you are only going to invest in one high quality product, get yourself a nice cleanser. For oily skin, a quality cleanser takes priority.

Q: Do I need a toner?

Yes, this is especially good for oily skin as it will close your open pores, and therefore prevent bacteria getting stuck in them.

Q:  What about moisturiser?

Oily skin needs a moisturiser just like any other skin type, and there are lots of good ones out there which are oil free or have low oil content. Remember the vicious cycle, you don’t want to let your skin dry out, or the oiliness may get worse.  Maybe just apply it at night to avoid getting shiny in the day. Also, don’t rub it on, but pat it on lightly with your finger tips to avoid over-stimulation.

Q: When should I wash my face?

The most important time to wash your face is at night, so your skin can take in all the benefits as you sleep. Make sure you do your cleanse/tone/moisturise routine then, you can keep things simple in the morning. You may benefit from a clay mask once a week to draw out any more deep-set, lingering nasties in your skin. I had horrible breakouts when I moved to London and Lush’s Cupcake face mask sorted me right out.  

Q: What ingredients are good for oily skin?

Tea tree, witch hazel, peppermint, and any zesty fruit (lemon, lime, grapefruit, pineapple etc) are all purifying, brightening and antibacterial. Aloe vera, rose and lavender will soothe redness, inflammation and soreness. Kaolin, or china clay, and Rhassoul mud are absorbent and will also draw out dirt from your pores. Salicylic acid (in small doses) is great for preventing spots and blemishes.

Q: What makeup is good for oily skin?

Mineral powder foundations, such as Bare Minerals products or MAC’s Mineralize powder, are fantastic as they do not block your pores. They will, however, mattify excess oil on your skin and give buildable coverage. In terms of liquid foundations, try and avoid oil based ones. If your makeup tends to slip, try investing in an oil-free primer to use first, this will anchor everything in place. If you wear a lot of eye makeup, I’d recommend using an eye base primer, such as Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion, to fix the products in place and stop them slipping. It may also be handy to carry around little blotting papers (which you can buy from any high street cosmetics company) to blot oil on your T-zone during the day.

If you’re a little oily, it is even more important to wash your makeup brushes regularly. Excess oil and bacteria on your brushes will build up and spread spots.

Always, ALWAYS take your makeup off. I cannot stress this enough. Old makeup will make every problem oily skin already has worse. Also make sure you wash your face well after exercise, as sweat may contribute to blocked pores as well.