Get Oily Skin Under Control!

Oily skin can be the result of high levels of sebum, hormones, humidity, cosmetics, birth control pills, or over active glands that produce a substance called Asebum. Oily skin can also be due to heredity. Oily skin needs constant care. Even while this type of skin is less prone to wrinkles and early aging, it can lead to blackheads, acne and excessive oiliness.

Keeping your oily skin clean is of utmost importance. Use lukewarm or cool water as hot water is too harsh and may strip your skin of all natural oils. Use white/pink clay masks as they are gentle and declog the pores of your skin. Face packs/masks made with crushed strawberries, Aloe Vera and yogurt and kept on for 20 minutes acts as an astringent that will mildly clear the excess sebum and dirt from your oily skin. A puree of fresh tomatoes and yoghurt will help keep your skin smooth without being oily.

Watch your diet if you want to get that oily skin under control. No food can match the nutrient density of dark green leafy vegetables. These will increase the blood flow and supply you with all the vitamins and minerals you need to have a healthy skin. Walnuts, wild salmon and fresh/dried seaweed will supply Fatty Acids and Flavonoids – nutrients strongly associated with healthy blood vessels. Wheat germ, nutritional yeast and whole grains, beans and nuts will help control the sebum production and keep your skin less oily and healthier.

Aromatherapy is becoming more and more popular because it has proved effective. Aromatherapy oils – lemon, rosemary and cedar wood – mixed with lanolin and massaged into your oily skin helps to reduce the roughness and sallow texture and keeps your skin silky and smooth. Today, vitamin derivatives like tretinoin and isotretinoin are being prescribed by dermatologists for reducing oily skin

Did you know that a ‘lathering cloth’ is used for facial cleansing? Due to its form, these cloths have very low level of surfactants that makes them mild and gentle on the skin. The conditioning agents are directly deposited on the oily skin surface. This product improves the skin’s overall condition besides cleansing it gently. It also allows for gentle exfoliation that removes dead skin flakes.

Makeup for oily skin includes oil free moisturizers, sunscreen that are not oil based and less greasy gels. An antiseptic day cream beneath your foundation will keep sebaceous secretions under control.

And what has been YOUR experience?

Have you developed a regimen that works really well to control your own oily skin problem?

Tell the other readers what things you've tried and what you find works well for your oily skin!

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