After battling oily skin my whole life (well, since my teens, more like), I think I’ve finally come to terms with it. For the way I see it, you just can’t win a battle against oily skin, so the sooner you realize and accept it, the better.
I mean, think about it. If you have oily skin, it means that your sebaceous glands produce more oil than normal… Do you really think you can change the amount of sebum you produce just by applying something on top of your skin? I don’t know about you, but I personally don’t think that’s possible.
You can use products containing oil-absorbing ingredients that do help a little, but if you really have oily skin, nothing will keep you shine-free all day. What I try to do is use products that won’t make me oilier, which unfortunately, in my experience, is not as easy as it sounds, especially because many products specifically formulated for oily skin on me have opposite effects than they promise.
But luckily, after about 15 years of trial and error, I can now say that I’m finally satisfied with my skincare regimen, and today I’d like to give you a few general tips and product recommendations that I hope may be beneficial to at least some of you.
At which point I’ll insert the usual disclaimer: I’m not a dermatologist, and all the advice and recommendations in this post are solely based on my personal experience. Obviously, what works for me might not work for you.
That being said, if you have oily skin and are not satisfied with your skincare, the following tips and products might inspire you to change something in your routine that will hopefully help keep your skin under control.
Cleanse with gentle, yet effective products
You’ve probably heard it a million times already, but I’ll tell you for the million-and-oneth: cleansing properly is essential to keep your skin healthy. As an oily-skinned gal, it’s important you find the right products that get rid of any excess oil without being too stripping.
The Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser fits the bill perfectly. It’s not one of those cleansers you remove your makeup with (for that I love my Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm – been using it for years!), but it’s great in the morning (which is my favorite time to use it) or as a second cleanse at night.
Opt for an alcohol-free toner
I feel like toning is probably one of the most skipped skincare steps, and I was “guilty” of that myself until not too long ago, since I still hadn’t found the right product. That’s because many toners contain alcohol (especially those aimed at oily skin), which on me is one of those ingredients that cause the infamous “rebound effect”, making my skin even oilier.
If this sounds familiar, you may want to give the Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion a go. It is very gentle on the skin and, thanks to salicylic acid, it also helps prevent any unwelcome zits.
Hydrate with a serum and skip moisturizer (in the morning)
After years of trial and error, I’ve come to the conclusion that most moisturizers (even those formulated for oily skin) make me oilier. I much more prefer the lightweight texture of serums instead, because I feel like they deliver the hydration I need without the extra stuff my skin tends to reject (if you have oily skin, you’ll know what I mean). At the moment, I’m rotating among the Collistar Pure Actives Hyaluronic Acid Serum, the Oskia Renaissance Brightlight Intensive Pigmentation & Dark Spot Serum, and the Skinceuticals Retinol 0.3 Refining Night Treatment.
Since hyaluronic acid molecules have the ability to attract and retain more than 1,000 times their weight in water, the Collistar serum is a great one for a nice boost of hydration.
The Oskia Renaissance Brightlight, besides delivering enough hydration for my oily skin thanks to glycerin and hyaluronic acid, has specific ingredients to target pigmentation and dullness, like vitamin C, niacinamide, arbutin and fruit enzymes.
Retinol is said to help with pigmentation, too, as well as skin-aging and enlarged pores. Plus, I’ve noticed that whenever I use Skinceuticals Retinol 0.3 at night, the next day my skin gets less oily.
Use a sunscreen specifically formulated for oily skin
As I mentioned in my spring beauty essentials, I love the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dry Touch Gel-Cream SPF 30 because it has a completely mattifying effect upon application, and also helps keep me matte over time.
Apply a face oil at night for extra nourishment
If you had told me five years ago that someday I’d voluntarily put oil on my skin, I would’ve probably laughed in your face, but these days I actually LOVE using oils as the last step of my nighttime routine. They feel so soothing and luxurious!
If you’re afraid of turning yourself into a grease ball, I suggest you get accustomed to face oils with jojoba, which absorbs pretty quickly into the skin and doesn’t leave much of an oily residue.
Once or twice a week, deep cleanse your skin with a non-drying clay mask
Clay masks are ideal to remove deep down impurities and excess sebum from pores, but some of them can be quite drying. My suggestion is to look for a mask that also contains moisturizing ingredients (like glycerin) and not to leave it on too long.
Personal favorites include the SEPHORA Mud Mask and Pixi Glow Mud Mask, which I’m using at the moment.
Makeup
To stay shine-free as long as possible, I like to start my makeup with a completely matte base. My favorite products to achieve that are the Make Up For Ever Step1 Skin Equalizer Mattifying Primer (but I’ve recently tried the BECCA Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector and found it just as good) and Chanel Perfection Lumière Velvet foundation, which I’ve already mentioned a number of times.
If I use a satin-finish foundation (let alone a dewy one!), the stage where I could fry an egg on my forehead comes much quicker.
Anyways, no matter how many oil-absorbing products I use, I’ll still get shiny at some point, so I ALWAYS have blotting papers in my purse to freshen up my base. I like them way more than powder for touch-ups because they get rid of any shine without giving me a cakey face.
And that’s pretty much it, my friend. I’d love for you to tell me how you take care of your oily skin, and if you have any favorite products you think I should know of. Thanks! 🙂
Starbucks napkins are perfect if you forget blotters. My favorite blotters are Boscia.
Toilet seat covers also work in a pinch. Unused, of course!
Haha, no Starbucks in Italy! 😉
I’d never thought of that!
Haha, no Starbucks in Italy! 😉
Hi Carolina!
I used to have oily skin back in the day (now I’m combination oily and dry). For my oily spots, which are my forehead, nose and chin, I really like that Make Up For Ever primer you mentioned. I also like Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer. It does such a lovely job blurring pores and it controls oil like WHOA.
Thanks, Karen, I’ll keep the Smashbox one in mind!
Great post!! I’m an oily girl too so will have to try some of these products! Have you ever tried hourglass veil mineral primer? It’s really good for keeping oil down underneath foundation.
Ooh, I have to weigh in on this! I use that Hourglass primer and LOVE it. It’s so great for the oily spots, and it doesn’t leave a white cast if you’re taking flash photos.
Thanks, Liana! No,I’ve never tried that Hourglass primer, but I’ve heard good things about it before. It’s going on my wishlist! 😉
Yes to all of your skincare tips! Even though I haven’t tried the serums you mention or the toner (which goes straight to my wishlist), I use similar steps every day.
YAY, I got the LLL stamp of approval! 😉
I wish I’d seen this info back when I was a teenager. They used to teach us the exact opposite. Lots of cleansing and strong toners. I know now that all that just makes oily skin worse.
Face and eyeshadow primers are a must for me! They keep products from oxidizing and sliding off or creasing. Blotting paper, too. Less powder and more blotting papers.
Yeah, I know, it took me a while to figure it out, as well.
I completely agree on ‘less powder and more blotting papers’!
I am with you all the way on this one, my friend! I find also using a moisturiser/serum with a high hyaluronic acid content is great – Mizon and Hylamide’s anti ageing serum are what I reach for!
And I second the Hourglass Mineral Veil – though it is pretty pricy!
Beekeyper – Latest post – 6 steps to swoon-worthy skin
Thank you, Becky! I’ll definitely check out those serums and now I really want to try the Hourglass primer!!!
Yessssss!!! I’ve never read such an honest low down on oily skin. Most people seem to think just using a matte primer will solve oily problems. Certainly not for the off shore oil rink that is my face.
My go to product is a silica based setting powder applied to the forehead, chin and sides of the nose. I use the Australis Ready Set Go powder as it seems to sit on top of your makeup and absorb oil very well. It’s very matte so I wouldn’t use it anywhere that isn’t necessary. Then blotting papers after lunch time.
Does anyone else have problems with oily eyebrows?
Hi Mia! I don’t think I have particularly oily brows… My oiliness starts just above them! Do you have problems with brow products staying put?
Carolina, I also have oily skin. I’ve always hated it until recently…you’ll notice you don’t wrinkle as much! ? As for Starbucks, Italy does not need one…you guys know how to make the BEST coffee!
Haha, I agree that our espresso tastes better than any other coffee I’ve ever tried, but I actually really like big cups of brewed coffee!
It’s so nice to see some USEFUL oily skin tips!
Yay, it’s so great to hear you found them useful!
Thanks for the great tips! I have such issues with my overly oily skin!
-Cheyanne
http://www.lifeofcheyanne.blogspot.com
You’re welcome, Cheyanne! I really hope my tips will help you keep it more under control.
It took me YEARS to figure out how to care for my oily skin! It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I realized that I was going way too overkill with all the aggressive cleansing and harsh mattifying products. Like you said, gentle yet effective, that’s what we need!
For years I didn’t buy anything that didn’t have ‘oily skin’ written on the packaging…
Wow thanks so much for the tips! I’ve also tried o use more gentle projects but always blot using powder and it makes my acne worse! Will try blotting with paper and skipping moisturizer in morn
You’re welcome, I really hope they work for you!
Remember to always use at least a serum, as oily skin still needs to be hydrated. 😉
I used to have oily skin, and I was really mistreating it, so it was both oily and super dehydrated. I used a face oil by Clarins (the Lotus one) and it really helped balance it out. Nowadays I have combo skin that only gets really shiny in the summer.
That’s one thing that also confuses people: having some shine on your T-zone by the end of the day doesn’t mean you have oily skin. Everybody gets a bit of shine there, for one, and then it could also be related to the products you use, the climate, etc… I’ve talked to so many people who killed their skin with super harsh products even though their skin wasn’t oily to start with!
Yeah, I agree that many people seem to think they have oily skin when they really don’t. It’s usually the people who just need to use a mattifying primer or foundation to stay pretty much shine-free all day. I wish it were like that for me!
Thanks for the tips. I have combination skin, but still helpful!
Hi! I’m super-late to this blog, but I came across this entry after looking at some beauty tip videos.
I’ve had oily skin forever, and the one product I’ve found that _for me_ subdues shine effectively is Paula’s Choice Shine Stopper (they call it a primer, for what it’s worth – I call it an oil sponge):
http://www.paulaschoice.com/shine-stopper-instant-matte-finish-with-microsponge®-technology/360-3600.html
It has to be applied very sparingly on top of one’s foundation. The application method that I found best is to apply a very small amount to my wrist, tap the pads of my forefinger and middle finger to the liquid, then tap lightly on the facial “problem area”. (In my case, I have a forehead that gleams as brightly as the Eddystone Lighthouse, given half a chance, so that’s my go-to spot 🙂 If you over-apply, it gets kinda gummy and will ball up: moderation is key. I’ve found that on me it holds up for 6-7 hours after application, which isn’t bad.
Anyway, caveat, it doesn’t work for everyone, but for me it’s been a godsend. So I thought I’d share it in case you’d like to give it a go.