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Oily skin is a really common problem, but it can easily be managed. It’s caused by a number of things, but contrary to popular belief, eating chocolate won’t give you oily skin – the same goes for junk food! Grease does not necessarily equal greasy skin. Read on to learn about some of the causes of oily skin, how to combat it, and how to fake it.

Causes of Oily Skin

There are a number of causes of oily skin. If your mum or dad has oily skin, you’ll be more likely to have it. It might be unfair, but that’s the way it goes! If you use too much cleanser, exfoliator or moisturizer, it can also lead to oily skin – over-doing it messes with your skin’s natural balance of oils and sebums and can actually increase oiliness, even if you’re using oil-busting products.

Likewise, most of us experience oilier skin through the summer months as temperatures and humidity increase. However, you might also experience oiliness in the winter, especially if you don’t moisturize frequently enough, as your skin will release more oils to try and compensate for what it’s missing. Stress, hormonal changes, using the wrong skincare products and tools and tanning can also cause oily skin.

How to Treat Oily Skin

Oily skin can be treated. The first thing you need to do, really, is to use moisturizer. It might sound counterintuitive, but using moisturizer helps to replace lost moisture. Using it twice a day, once in the morning, once before you go to bed, will restore the natural oils within skin and will keep it soft and smooth. If you don’t use moisturizer, your skin will try to compensate for the fact that there isn’t enough moisture in the skin by releasing oils – which is why your skin will have an oily or greasy appearance.

Cleansers

One of the most effective ways to treat oily skin is with cleansers. They help to strip some of the oils from skin, so that your skin is clean and smooth, rather than oily and greasy. Just make sure that you don’t over-do it. To begin with, use a very gentle cleanser twice a day. Anything too harsh will stimulate oil secretion, and if you use exfoliators or a rough wash cloth, your skin will still be oily. Rub the cleanser into your skin using your fingertips, then wash off. Pat dry very gently with a clean cotton towel, then follow up with moisturizer. If your skin is particularly oily, use an oil-reducing moisturizer – it’ll hydrate the skin without making it oily.

If a gentle cleanser doesn’t do the trick, switch to a product that contains acid, such as benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, salicylic acid or beta-hydroxy acid. Generally, these products are marketed as anti-acne products, but they’re really good for people with oily skin, too. Use them once a day or a few times a week at first – use them too often and you could end up causing more damage.

Toners

Some dermatologists recommend using toners, and others don’t. If your skin is particularly oily, it’s worth giving them a go – if you find they make your skin too dry, stop using them. If they sort out the oiliness without causing any dryness, you can keep using them. Apply them on only the oily areas of skin, like on the forehead, the nose, and the chin, rather than all over the face. Instead of using an astringent toner, look for a nourishing toner instead. Gently dab onto your face using cotton pads instead of your fingers and follow instructions on the bottle as to whether you need to follow it up with a moisturizer or whether you can just leave it as it is.

Masks and Clays

On top of your usual skin regime, it might also be worth trying some masks and clays. Use them only occasionally, and only on the parts of your face that need attention – not all over. They can draw out oils and other impurities, improving the appearance of your skin and reducing oiliness. Again, they can be fairly drying, so make sure that you limit your use of them. Experiment with formulas until you find something that works for you.

Faking It

If you’re still struggling with oily skin, despite your best efforts, there are a few ways you can fake matte, shine-free skin. You could use medicated pads, which you can carry around in your bag and simply dab onto your face throughout the day to treat oily skin. Blotting papers are used in a similar way – they look like greaseproof paper and are impregnated with blotting powder. Simply dab onto skin when you’re on the go to touch up oily patches of skin, without ruining the rest of your makeup. You can also use blotting powder, although you need to make sure that your skin is well moisturized – if it’s a little bit oily and a little bit dry, the powder will combine with the flakes of your dry skin to make your skin look even drier and flakier.

Smooth, blemish-free and oil-free skin can be yours – just experiment with formulas and try not to use too much in the way of products and tools so that your skin doesn’t get worse. Look for things like oil-reducing formulations, especially in your moisturizer, and make sure that you don’t go for a super-hydrating product or a product used for dry skin as it’ll just make your skin even oilier and greasier.

There are many, many myths and misconceptions about acne. Some people believe that chocolate can give you acne, whilst others think that if you don’t wash your face often enough, you’ll develop acne. Neither myths are true and there is no scientific evidence to back up either claim. Read on to learn about some of the common myths about acne and whether they’re fact or fiction.

Washing Your Face Reduces Breakouts

There’s a belief that dirt = acne. Although that is true to an extent – acne can be caused by pores that are blocked with excess sebum or bacteria – if you wash your face too frequently your skin will actually be stripped of essential oils. This decrease in essential oils and sebum will actually make your skin more prone to acne, as there will be nothing to protect your skin and breakouts might actually increase in frequency.

Tanning Gets Rid of Acne

A tan might temporarily get rid of acne, but that doesn’t mean that regularly going out into the sun without any SPF protection or regularly using sunbeds is the way to go to reduce acne. Regularly tanning with no protection will not only drastically increase your risk of sun-related cancers in the future but will also dry out your skin, leaving you more prone to breakouts. Look for sun lotions that have “nonacnegenic” written on the label – they won’t clog pores and will help to keep skin clear.

Eating Chocolate or Greasy Food Causes Acne

There is absolutely zero evidence to suggest a direct link between eating chocolate or greasy foods and acne breakouts. What might be to blame is the face that if you regularly eat junk foods, you’ll be neglecting your body in terms of the nutrients that it needs in order to function properly. Chances are, if you’re snacking on burgers instead of fresh fruits and veggies, your skin will suffer not because you’re eating the wrong foods but because you’re not eating the right foods. Minimize your risk of acne breakouts by eating a varied, balanced diet.

Wearing Makeup Causes Acne

Many people also believe that wearing makeup actually causes acne. Wearing makeup and makeup alone does not cause acne and it does not clog pores, as long as you take it off before you go to bed and try not to cake your face in heavy products. What can cause acne is actually the way that you apply your makeup. For example, if you use your fingers to pat concealer or foundation onto your skin, you’ll be spreading bacteria around your face – or, if you use brushes or sponges and don’t wash them often enough you’ll still end up spreading bacteria around. Choose light, breathable makeup and use a fresh sponge each day – or, just try to avoid touching your face unnecessarily.

Using More Medication Can Counteract Acne

If you keep getting acne breakouts despite taking medication it can be very tempting to just take a little more medication – after all, more medication = less acne, right? Wrong – more medication could actually dry your skin out. As we discussed before, the drier your skin, the more likely it is that you’ll end up having regular acne breakouts as the natural oils present in the surface of your skin will no longer be there, meaning that your skin has no protection. Never use more medication than your doctor recommends – not only could it cause further acne breakouts but it could even cause medical problems.

You Need to Pop Zits to Get Rid of Acne

Popping zits might get rid of them just for a little while, but long term, popping zits will just make your acne worse. Popping zits forces the oils and bacterias from the zit further into the dermis (middle layer of skin) and can spread the bacteria over the surface, too, resulting in more pimples.

For more advice about fighting acne, take a look at our blog posts.