Whilst alot of skin care product ranges offer alternative product lines for their skin care products depending on your skin type, very often there exists little difference between those products for combination or oily skin and their dry skin alterntives. If you are prone to oily skin, you can provide alot of the necessary skin care yourself by adhering to some of the following advice, treatments and tips.
Oily Skin
Because of hormonal shifts during puberty, oily skin is commonplace at this time, but can also be quite common in our 30’s and 40’s as well. The skin generally tends to dry out with age, as the production of sebum reaches its high during adolescence and then slowly starts to decrease. During pregnancy and the menopause, hormonal imbalances also trigger an increase in the activity of sebaceous gland which affects the amount of oil the pores produce. Many people have skin that is oily only in certain areas, generally the facial region we call the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin), and dry or normal in others, a skin type we generally refer to as combination skin. One great advantage of oily skin you might be pleased to know is that it tends to age more slowly than dryer skin types.
The causes of an oily or combination skin type are generally:
- Hormone levels
- Cosmetics and skin care lotions
- Humidity and hot weather
- Pregnancy and brith control pills
- Heredity
Cleansing Oily Skin
Although it may seem counter-productive to cleanse an oily skin with oil-based products, they actually prove to be very effective in dissolving excess sebum on the skin surface. Avoid cleansing creams since these generally tend to be too harsh. Choose a pure soap with no artificial additives instead, or try a lightly medicated soap or antibacterial cleansing lotion.
Oily skin requires special cleansing with plenty of warm to hot water and soap to prevent the pores from being clogged. You need to avoid harsh products that will strip your skin of oil since this can bring about a reaction known as reactive seborrhoea, where the sebaceous glands work overtime to compensate for the loss of natural oils. Do not use cleansers or lotions that contain alcohol since this these tend to strip too much oil away from the skin. Its also best to limit the number of times you wash daily since overwashing can bring about the same effect. While it is tempting to use products on oily skin that leave it feeling dry, this can again be detrimental since it can cause the upper layers of the skin to shrink which restricts oil flow through the pores leading to blockages and complications of the pores.
During cleansing, massage your facial area well with your fingertips, using an outward and upward motion, taking care not to rub soap into the skin since this can cause clogging. If your oily skin is also scaly, you may wish to try a deep-cleaning exfoliant every other day. Use a clarifying mask one or two times a week and a light antiseptic night cream from time to time if you wish. The latter should be used sparingly however. Choose an oil-free moisturizer to maintain a shine-free complexion.
Before applying makeup, use an antiseptic day cream with active ingredients that diminish sebaceous secretions. Look for benzyl peroxide in the list of active ingredients. Choose cosmetic and facial care products specifically designed for oily skin.