January 2023, South Africa – If your skin regularly sparkles and shines, even though you’re not intentionally going for the disco beauty look, you probably have oily skin. Skincare professionals attribute oily skin as the result of excess sebum production, a natural oil that protects skin and hair. Everyone’s skin produces sebum, but oily skin tends to make more of it, leading to a greasy appearance. However, you need to be extremely careful when establishing a skincare routine for oily skin because one misstep can make your skin even more oily, and can cause breakouts, acne and leave behind those horrid dark marks and scars.
Natasha Davel, Brand Manager at Fundamentals Skincare said: “Breakouts and acne are often associated with oily skin. Even most anti-acne products in the market cater to the oily skin type. Therefore, when treating your oily skin for breakouts and acne, it is vital to consider the below”:
- Don’t cut out moisturizer in the fear that it will make you more shiny, but rather choose a light-weight day to night product.
- Do use a niacinamide serum. Niacinamide is a great ingredient for oily, acne-prone skin as it moisturises, reduces dark spots post-acne, and helps to reduce pimples.
- Do use A glycolic acid or salicylic acid toner or tonic in the PM. These work to keep your pores clear, balance oil levels and prevent future breakouts.
- Don’t use ingredients like cocoa butter, coconut oil, petroleum jelly, silicone, alcohol, products that are oil-based, mineral oil, shea butter and vitamin E. These are all likely to clog pores or cause irritation for people with oily skin types.
- Definitely do use ingredients like green tea, niacinamide, L-carnitine, licochalcone A, aloe vera, honey, oatmeal, and products that are water-based. You may also want to consider incorporating ingredients such as retinol in your regime to reduce inflammation in the follicle and Azelaic Acid to reduce build up in the pores. Also, on the packaging of products, look for the word “noncomedogenic,” which just means that it won’t clog pores.
“Your skin isn’t shy. It will tell you what works or doesn’t work. For anyone having a hard time, visit your dermatologist for further help in managing your oily acne prone skin,” concluded Davel.
