May 16, 2020

Oily skin – Tips to tackle the oil and retain the glow

Ever woken up from your beauty slumber only to find that your face feels sticky? And then one look at the mirror makes your mind wonder how your face alone can produce that much oil? Gone are the days when your baby fat would attract people left and right, and they would pull your cheeks and call you adorable. Since the day you probably hit puberty, it was as if million tiny oil tankers set shop on your face. This is what life is like when you have oily skin by nature. But you don’t have to live with that. There are ways by which you can control in and reduce it. Read on, to find out how.

Source of Oil on your skin

There is a misconception that the oil on your skin is basically from the food you eat. While the statement isn’t entirely wrong, it isn’t correct either. What you eat can affect your hormones or your bodily functions which may affect the oil secretion on your skin. But what indeed results in the oil production are the oil glands present in the pores of your skin. These produce natural oils which are called sebum. It is this sebum which gives you the oily shine and is sticky in nature.

Function and side effect of sebum

While sebum might be a bother to deal with, it has a significant role for your skin.

Sebum protects your skin from damages caused by physical or even to some extent, chemical means.
It also prevents your skin from losing its moisture, thus in simple terms, sebum helps in moisturization.
This sebum is also vital for maintaining the smoothness of your body hair and prevents it from getting rough.

But altered sebum production can cause problems.

A higher sebum production will lead to plenty of acne and blackhead formation.
Excess sebum production on scalp promotes hair loss and hair thinning.
The oil makes your pores look larger, which is quite unappealing as well.

Thus, there’s a general need to maintain right sebum/oil levels on your skin. For that, there are a few things you should absolutely avoid and few which you should follow religiously.

Avoid Sulphates

You might be aware of the recent wave that has caught the cosmetic industry in a web of confusion, and that is the use of sulphate free shampoos. What sulphates basically do is that it acts as a surfactant. The role of a surfactant it to trap the oil within it and strip it from your scalp or skin. Now, it sounds like the perfect solution for your oily skin, right? WRONG! These not just strip your skin off the excess oil, but they strip off the native oil from your skin as well. As explained in the previous section, sebum has essential skin protective functions, and thus, your skin must have the necessary amount of sebum at least. The major side effect of using sulphate-based shampoo or cleanser is that it makes your skin/scalp dry, flaky and itchy.

Cleaning your skin checks oil formation

The reason why you need to use a facewash is that the excess oil on your skin will effectively attract more dirt. This is not just bad for your aesthetic features, but it is also can allow harmful microbial growth. This will promote acne formation and will even create pus-filled pimples. Thus, cleansing your skin after your day out is a must. Using a clay-based cleanser can help you combat your oily skin. While it effectively removes excess oil, it doesn’t leave your skin feeling dry. This is important because dryer the skin, higher is the sebum production to retain the moisture.

Moisturization goes a long way

Another myth that needs to be busted is that the use of moisturizers will make your skin oily. When the reality is just the opposite. What it does is that it absorbs atmospheric moisture and retains the moisture that your body has. This moisture is what prevents excess sebum production. Using an oil-free moisturizer after cleansing your face will help prevent excess oil production. Once such moisturizer which has proven benefits is Jojoba oil. This oil contains vitamins B and E, which assists in skin moisturization. This oil is balanced and will not make your skin oilier. This oil can also be used as a base to apply some essential oils for treating acne.

Toners help your skin

Toners have astringent properties which can help get rid of the excess oil. Additionally, toners have other properties which can help you get that soft and supple look. They are also perfect for bringing the pH of skin back to its native state. Toners also help unclog pores, and this is very important to prevent acne breakouts without dehydrating your skin. One ingredient you should look out for is Salicylic acid. This is perfect for oily skin. It breaks down the fatty components on the skin surface, and this includes sebum. Thus, salicylic acid-based toners can help in controlling excess sebum and will simultaneously clear your skin.

Include more Vitamin A in your diet

Vitamin-A has antioxidant properties which can help combat acne and sebum production. It also aids in soothing the inflammation response of your body and can assist in treating more chronic type of acne. Though topical application can give immediate effect, for a long-term benefit, including more Vitamin-A rich foods in your diet is a wise choice. There are two kinds of this vitamin, namely Retinoids and Carotenoids. Retinoids are majorly found in lean meats such as chicken or fish and is also present in eggs. Carotenoids can be found in coloured vegetables and fruit such as carrots, mangoes and even dark green vegetables such as broccoli or spinach. While including Vitamin-A rich food in your diet is good, you shouldn’t overconsume it.