Understanding how your skin works is so important as that will help you make better decisions in purchasing the type of products for your skin. There are dry skin, oily skin and normal skin type which is generally the three big categories. Some people are blessed to have normal skin with absolutely no skin issues. As for me, I grew with oily skin since I was a teenager with acne breakouts and shiny face for most of my adult life as fas as I can remember.
I had purchased countless of facial products that were created for oily skin, visited several dermatologists and yet the problem kept recurring until I was in my 30’s. The products that were recommended to me cleaned my face very thoroughly that it stripped all the natural skin oils and left my facial skin feeling tight each time. Little did I know, that signalled my skin to produce more oils as the skin surface is too dry, which is not meant to be. Hence it was a repeated cycle.
These are the mistakes I did previously which people with oily skin shouldn’t do.
1. Over cleansing. One of the biggest mistakes people with oily skin make is over-cleansing their face. This can strip the skin of its natural oils and lead to dryness, the skin feeling tight, irritation with more oil production on the skin surface.
2. Most commercial products that are marketed for oily skin contains harsh ingredients. Another mistake is using harsh or abrasive products that can be too drying or irritating for oily skin. These can strip the skin of its natural oils and again, resulting in more oil production.
3. Using very little moisturiser or not at all. Oily skin still requires moisture and using insufficient moisturiser or none at all can cause more oil production to compensate. Choose water based moisturiser which are lightweight to keep the skin hydrated. Apply sufficiently morning and night.
4. Washing the face with hot water. Hot water can be harsh for oily skin and can cause dryness, irritation and redness. Use lukewarm water instead to cleanse your face and rinse with cool water to help tighten the pores thereafter.
5. Over-exfoliating. Oily skin can benefit from regular exfoliation. however overdoing it can worsen the problem. Exfoliating too frequently can strip the skin of its natural oils and cause irritation, which leads to more oil production. Using too abrasive scrub can damage the top layer of the skin as well. It may not be visible to the naked eye but under microscopic view, there can be miniature tears visible. It is recommended to exfoliate once a week with a gentle, non-abrasive scrub product.
Most common cleansers are gel based that are marketed for oily skin people. It is water based with a few type of surfactants which functions to remove impurities and excess oil on the skin surface. Sadly most commercial gel based cleansers contains strong surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or any sulfates which is within the SLS family. However, there are many brands that had reformulated their cleansers by adding other surfactants to make the product milder. You may find some cleansers has addition of surfactants such as cocamidropropyl betaine. While it makes the cleanser milder, it still works effectively in removing impurities. If you are using any cleansers with this ingredient and is causing skin tightening feel, apply slightly more moisturiser onto your skin after cleansing. Do opt for a milder cleanser or cleansers that falls under the natural category on your next purchase.
The best type of cleanser for your oily skin will depend on your individual skin type and concerns. It may be helpful to consult with a dermatologist or skincare professional to determine the best products for your needs.
I would love to hear your feedback if you experienced any improvements. Take care, Eliza.
