Got Oily Skin? Here’s How To Deal

What’s this stuff leaking out of your pores, making your make-up look all greasy and shiny? Yep, that’d be oil and it’s a bugger to deal with, but it does have a few advantages – like making the skin super soft, and less prone to ageing too! But nobody wants to look they’ve dipped their face in the chipper’s fryer or have their make-up sliding off by noon, so how do you deal with it?

“Oily skin is caused by the overproduction of the sebaceous glands,” explains Bernie Fahy, skin care professional at The Skin Specialist. “The good news is that most people can combat this by cleansing with the correct product.” The trick? You want to switch out any harsh products, for something that will keep your skin balanced instead. “Cleanse both morning and night with a ph balanced cleanser,” recommends Bernie. “A little bit of exfoliation will help too, but keep it to once a week and choose a scrub that isn’t too harsh.”

Next up, you might wanna forgo your toner “A lot of toners contain alcohol which strip the skin of it’s natural oils, and in turn cause an excess production of sebum,” Bernie explains. “Using cold water instead will close all the pores and is very effective.” Simply swipe a cotton wool pad, soaked in ice-water around the skin to mimic the effects of a toner without stripping anything away.

“The most important product though, is moisturiser,” she reveals. That’s ’cause dehydrated skin will produce extra sebum to compensate so you need a non-greasy, oil-free formula that will also help to mattify the skin and reduce shine. Our fave? We like Nivea Oil Free Moisturising Day Cream, because it’s lightweight and super hydrating.

Still having probs? Bernie suggests you try an epi peel, which uses fine micro crystals to remove sebum from the pores, or a fresh up treatment which uses a compound of herbs and algae to stimulate the sub dermal layers of the skin and clear the oil glands.

Her top tip for nixing oily skin? “Keep it simple with the correct products and you will see the difference. But be warned, it will take three weeks to see any changes and your skin may become more oily before you see an improvement.”

Pic credit: Burberry

• advice
• oily skin
• skincare