Best Way to Treat Oily Skin

‘You won’t age so quickly,’ the beautician reassured me, but at that time I would rather have had wrinkles than every pore oozing grease. Oily skin is the result of increased sebum production, which can clog the pores and lead to blackheads and spots.

Treatment - Steer clear of fatty or sugary foods, drink plenty of water, and eat a diet that is rich in vitamin B, which will help to slow down the skin’s oil-production rate. Don’t be tempted to use harsh, alcohol-based or medicated products on your skin. Instead, use a gentle product from the plethora of skincare ranges available that have been specially formulated to control oil by balancing the skin: try Aveda’s Balancing Infusion for oily skin, Swisscare Givenchy’s Regulating range or Clarins’ Oil Control range, for example. If you feel the need to wash your face more often than just in the morning and at night, this is fine, as long as you only do so once, because overwashing can produce more oil.

The skin’s natural oils act as a lubricant, but oily skin also needs moisture to help it to lock in water and prevent dehydration – it’s not uncommon for skin to be oily and dehydrated at the same time. Compromise by using a light, oil-free moisturiser, such as Philosophy’s The Present Oil-Free, Clinique’s Moisture In Control Oil-Free Lotion or L’Oreal’s Plenitude Hydra-Matify All Day Shine Control Moisturiser. If you wear foundation, choose a mattifying, oil-free formulation, such as Almay’s Clear Balance Foundation or compact, Bobbi Brown’s Oil Free Foundation, YSL’s Teint Mat Parfait or Mabelline’s Oil Free Foundation. Finally, a dab of an oil-control product, such as Lancome’s T-controle or Origins’ Zero Oil, will mop up any excess oil and keep your face shine-free.