11 Effective Tips To Manage Oily Skin

Does your face feel like an oil factory by midday? Or are you constantly blotting away the shine? If yes, chances are you’ve got oily skin. While it can be frustrating, oily skin has its perks—it stays naturally hydrated and is slower to wrinkle!¹ However, managing it is key to keeping breakouts and clogged pores at bay. 

So, here are 11 effective tips to help you control the shine and get clear, glowing skin.

Skin Care For Oily Skin: 11 Tips That Can Help

Here are a few simple dos, don’ts and other tips to help you care for your oily skin:²

1. Cleanse Regularly

While it is advisable for everyone to cleanse their face every morning and night, it's all the more important for those with oily skin. In fact, experts recommend opting for the double cleansing method to get rid of excess sebum from the face. But remember to look for a gentle face wash suitable for your skin type that does away with dead skin cells, dust and excess oil without drying it out excessively.²

2. Use Blotting Paper

You can try using clean blotting papers or pads to deal with the shine on your face. This can turn out beneficial for those with acne-prone skin. While choosing these sheets for your face, remember to look for ones made of natural fibres that absorb surface oils without irritating your skin.²

3. Moisturise Regularly

However unnecessary it might seem, it is important to apply moisturiser even if you have oily skin. But be smart about it and look for products that are lightweight and do not contain oil. These can weigh down on your skin and cause problems such as clogged pores and breakouts. Also, try searching for ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin, which are hydrating but not greasy.^{2 3}

4. Apply Facial Masks

Experiment with a homemade facial mask made of ingredients suitable for oily skin. You can try using a traditional mask made of chickpea flour or besan. Known for its ability to purify your skin and absorb excess oil, it can work wonders for those with oily skin types. Another great choice could be Fuller’s Earth or Multani Mitti which has an inherent capacity to remove impurities from the skin and absorb oil.^{4 5}

5. Don’t Scrub Too Hard

Scrubbing oily skin too hard can irritate it, leading to the production of more oil on the face. So no matter how tempted you feel, do not use rough abrasives like loofah or other exfoliants on your skin.⁶

6. Make Dietary Changes

Still wondering how to reduce oil on your face? Then maybe it's time you start making changes to your eating habits. Consider adding more of leafy greens, berries, probiotics, whole grains, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, etc to your diet. At the same time, avoid consuming processed and fried foods, salty snacks, sugary drinks and dairy products. Making these changes will not just help regulate the sebum on face but also give you overall healthy skin.⁷

7. Reduce Stress

We know how stress is bad for our bodies. But did you know that stress can also cause hormonal imbalance leading to excessive sebum production? This may cause your skin to appear more oily than it usually is.⁶ Doing simple physical exercises and practising yoga, meditation or even a hobby can help regulate your stress levels so that you can walk your way to improved health and better skin.

8. Remove Makeup Before Going To Bed

Sleeping in with makeup can be really bad for your skin. If you have oily skin, the leftover makeup can mix with the oil and clog your pores, causing irritation, breakouts and other skin issues.²

9. Don’t Touch Your Face 

Oily skin can be more prone to acne because the excess oil can clog pores and provide a suitable environment for the acne-causing bacteria to thrive. And touching it frequently with your hands is only going to make things worse. That’s because your hands can contain different kinds of bacteria, dust and pollutants. So touch your face only when doing skincare and that too with clean hands.²

10. Stay Hydrated

Just as important as it is to keep your face moisturised, it is also important to keep it hydrated from the inside. So drink plenty of water because doing so will relax your sebaceous glands and help control excess oil production.²

11. Avoid Using Alcohol-Based Products

One of the best ways to manage oily skin is by making sure not to irritate it. Irritating your skin can trigger the oil-producing sebaceous glands leading to more greasiness on your face. So steer clear of irritants such as alcohol-based skincare products.^{2 6}

Why Does Skin Become Oily?

Your sebaceous glands determine the oil production on your skin. When they are overactive, your skin tends to become more oily. This can be affected by several factors such as:⁶

• Genetics: You can inherit overactive sebaceous glands from your parents.
• Age: Age also determines the amount of sebum production on your skin. Older people usually have drier skin that easily wrinkles.
• Hormones: Hormones such as progesterone can stimulate excess sebum production.
• Environment: People living in warm, humid climates have an oilier skin type as compared to those living in colder regions.
• Stress: Stress increases the levels of cortisol in your body—another hormone that triggers the sebaceous glands, causing more sebum production.
• Diet: Processed foods and high-sugar diets can often make oily skin worse.

Treatments For Oily Skin

Treatment options might be available for those people with oily skin who suffer from skin problems such as acne. These include:⁷

• Retinoids
• Spironolactone
• Oral contraceptives
• Botox Injections
• Phototherapy
• Lasers

However, you must note that many of these treatments can cause unwanted side effects, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. 

How To Prevent Oily Skin

Unfortunately, there’s no way you can prevent oily skin. But you can manage it using the tips mentioned above and making certain dietary and lifestyle changes.⁶ 

When To Contact A Doctor

An oily skin is natural. And you don’t need to worry much about it as long as you follow a good skincare routine. But if the oiliness on your skin is making you conscious about your looks or you just want some expert advice, feel free to reach out to a reputed dermatologist.

Conclusion

Oily skin is more of an aesthetic concern rather than an actual health concern. The excess oil on your face is not going to damage your health or anything. But it can make your skin more prone to irritation and breakouts. Nevertheless, by following a good skincare routine, and combining it with the right diet and a healthy lifestyle you can easily address these issues and get clear, healthy skin.

FAQs

1) How To Control Oil On The Face?

To control oil on your face, you can try double cleansing followed by regular moisturisation and also make healthy dietary and lifestyle changes. Also, switch to oil-free skincare products and opt for homemade remedies like a natural face mask.^{2 6 4 5}

2) Why Is My Face So Oily?

It could be due to overactive sebaceous glands, which are responsible for regulating the oil production on your face.⁶

3) How To Control Sebum Production On Face?

To control sebum production on your face, you can cleanse daily, moisturise regularly, eat healthy and steer clear of stress, irritants and other factors that trigger your sebaceous glands.^{2 6}