Finding out how to mitigate abundant oily secretions on your skin can be tricky. We often end up worsening the problem as we try products which may not be adapted to our specific needs. Here are 10 proven tips that will help you reduce the oily look on the skin… and prevent many headaches in the process!
- Clean Thoroughly, but Gently
A rigorous hygiene regimen is always the necessary first step. Be sure to be gentle, as lipidic skin is especially reactive and prone to inflammation. Cleaning morning and evening with a cleansing milk or non-foaming gel is sufficient. Avoid regular soaps, foaming gels and tensioactives which all tend to irritate and induce sebum overproduction. Do not scrub your face too vigorously and choose disposable wipes instead of a terry facecloth, as it tends to easily accumulate germs.
- Apply Soothing Lotion
A thorough cleaning should always be followed by lotion application. For oily skins, go for a soothing, purifying, or normalizing lotion in order to trigger corneal inhibition. This balances the pH level and enables better absorption of the adapted correcting cosmetic.
- Exfoliation – With a Twist
Exfoliating your skin twice weekly using vegetal enzymes or AHAs is strongly suggested. Those are preferable to mechanical exfoliants (with beads) which are more aggressive on the tissues. This simple personal care treatment greatly helps to manage the hydro-lipidic balance of the skin.
In a professional setting, a gentle microdermabrasion procedure can be performed once a month in order to make the skin texture appear finer, but only if it is not subject to acne.
- Use Masks and Other Specific Products
Once your skin is exfoliated, the time is ripe for a beauty mask application! Opt for gel masks or collagen sheets so as to limit unnecessary handling. Oily skins are very sensitive after all! Also available are specific water-based cosmetic products which deal with the latter’s specific problems: inflammation, sebaceous hyperproduction or dryness. Also do not hesitate to avail yourself of what essential oils can offer, provided you use them in the evening to prevent issues linked to photosensitization.
- Protect the Skin
If you think that proper hydration is not a major concern for oily skins, think again! Despite the abundant sebum secretions, they are by default dehydrated, which prompts sebaceous glands to be even more active. To break the loop (and to protect your skin from outside aggressions) we suggest the application every morning of mattifying, light-protecting, hydrating and antioxidant products to prevent comedones from cropping up. Note also that powder-based makeup provides an additional layer of protection and reduces the unsightly sheen of oily skin.
- Indulge in a Professional Treatment
A monthly beautician appointment will prevent comedones from invading the surface of your skin. Left untreated, they can even evolve into microcysts or full-blown papules and pustules. In such case, an intensive 4-part weekly treatment is advised.
- Harness the Power of Electricity
Continuous current can be harnessed in a professional setting to treat oily skins. Anaphoresis not only revitalises and deep-cleanses the skin by eliminating sebum surplus but also relaxes ostia which enables easy extraction of comedones. Cataphoresis, on the other hand, reduces redness, tightens ostia and purifies the skin. Combined with continuous current, using ionized products according to skin condition can also help re-establish cutaneous barriers.
- Undergo Lymphatic Drainage
A manual or electrical lymphatic drainage, combined with a facial can work wonders on your skin. This type of massage can indeed help contribute to the elimination of toxins from the conjunctive tissues, which helps cellular regeneration.
- Oxygenate the Skin
Pure oxygen boasts great anti-bacterial properties. It can thus be a valuable ally when trying to deal with oily skin. Many devices such as the Vital-O2 Lux can provide to the skin the purifying effects of this precious gas.
- Give Light Therapy a Try
Light therapy, through devices such as the VitaSensa LT, is a worthy addition to any care protocol. Blue light will allow you to purify the skin whereas green light will soothe redness.
A gentle touch, sustained hydration, targeted care… If even with these your skin still gives you trouble, keep in mind that there is a silver lining to oily skin. Indeed, because the subcutaneous tissues are generally thicker and sturdier, wrinkles and fine lines appear later in life. In other words, oily skin will tend to age gracefully, provided it is properly taken care of. Now there’s good news for you!
