Skin Care for the Oily Skin Type

A shiny forehead or a greasy T-zone by midday is not a look you’ll want to have every day. Not even for one day. Good thing there are many ways to manage oily skin.

The Oily Skin Type

Fact: the skin naturally produces oil via sebaceous glands to keep itself moist. The big pro is that your skin is kept supple, tight and free from wrinkles or any other sign of premature skin-ageing. The con, however is when your skin regularly produces too much oil that it starts mixing up with dirt, clogs up pores and triggers acne or other skin irritations.

Oily skin can result from hormones, being overexposed to heat, or may be due to certain lifestyle choices. But dermatologists and skin experts agree that genetics is one of the main causes of oily skin. Yes, if you have parents with hyperactive sebaceous glands, there’s a large chance that your oily skin is hereditary.

If you have oily skin and you choose to leave it as it is, then you will have to get used to blemishes, acnes and other impurities. To treat this type of skin is easy. Where it gets tricky—or at least for some—is in the products and proper way of doing it.

Here’s our recommendation of skin care for the oily skin type.

• Cleanse

Clean oil with oil, and always go for the gentler formula. Harsh soaps or facial cleansers will strip too much oil than necessary, possibly even signalling the body to produce more oil in response. For slightly stronger formulations, you may want to try acne facial care products or those with acids such are benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid or beta-hydroxy acid.

Remember to wash your face with warm water, and not hot. The latter will open your pores and might even cause skin irritations.

• Tone

The same rule for gentle and harsh formulated products applies. Go for the safe and soothing on the skin. Dermatologist and clinically tested Moringa-O² Herbal Toner harnesses the natural and nourishing effects of moringa (malunggay), olive oil and omega (from sunflower oil) to effectively remove residual dirt, minimize acne and shrink pores, among other benefits.

• Moisturize

Believe it or not, oily skin needs hydration too. Best moisturizers for oily skin are those that are light on the skin. This means water-based moisturizers rather than thick, oil-based ones. Another secret yet potent ingredient in moisturizers for the oily skin is hyaluronic acid.

• Masks

Draw out excess oils and cleanse pores without drying the skin too much using clay masks.

• Oil Control Paper

Oil control films or blotting papers are a great way of removing oil anytime, anywhere. Minimize that shiny look to your nose with gentle dabs—no scrubbing or wiping—of blotting papers.

• Oil-free Sunscreen

Switch your standard cream-based sunscreen for gels or those that are water-based. The latter absorbs better into the skin, and usually feels less sticky too.