Oily skin can make skin care a serious challenge. Combating that ever-present shine can take up way more of your time and attention than you’d like, and you’ve always got to be careful your efforts don’t cause more harm than good. Keep reading for 6 ways to bring out the best in your oily skin.
Start with a specialist. Before you begin the battle against oily skin, make sure you are armed appropriately—make an appointment with a skin specialist. A skin specialist will be able to make suggestions specifically tailored to you—taking into account your age, presence of acne or scarring, oily vs. dry spots, lifestyle; etc. In the long run, you’ll probably save money by seeing a dermatologist first, simply by avoiding spending extra cash on products that won’t work or that will inflame your skin.
Commit to a routine. Once you’ve found a regimen that works for you, stick to it. That means staying consistent with your products and any treatments such as peels or facials. Remember, treatments like peels may make a dramatic temporary difference, but the only way to truly get on top of your oily skin is to use the correct products on a daily basis.
Blotting papers are your friend. If you’re looking a bit slick by mid-day, don’t add an extra wash. This will only dry out your skin, causing it to produce even more oil. Instead, try blotting gently with oil-absorbing papers for a matte appearance without adding pore-clogging powder.
Jessner Peels are your best That’s because one of the best treatments for oily skin is salicylic acid, and a Jessner Peel has a high concentration of it. Salicylic acid penetrates deeply into the pores, cleansing and slowing down oil production. A Jessner Peel also contains lactic acid, a powerful alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps to reduce acne breakouts.
Choose your exfoliant carefully. Anyone who has ever dealt with excess oil and the accompanying breakouts knows the temptation to wash the greasies away with rough-surfaced puffs that look more like pot scrubbers, or abrasive apricot masks, or alcohol-laden toners and astringents. However, the harsher your methods, the more dramatically your skin may react. To avoid damaging skin, clogging pores, causing excessive dryness or even more oil production, use a gentle salicylic acid cleanser to exfoliate pores—no rough scrubbing or rubbing!
Consider a Broad Band Light (BBL) treatment. A BBL treatment is one of our favorite treatments for oily skin because it is gentle, yet able to effectively minimize pores and alleviate oil production. Used in conjunction with a good daily cleansing routine (see #2, above), it can help to greatly improve the appearance of oily skin.
If you’re losing patience trying to manage your oily skin, just remember there are people with super-dry skin who might like to trade with you (we’ll cover tips for them in a future blog)! If you’d like to talk to one of our experienced aestheticians about making the most of your oily skin, please call us at 423-266-3331 for an appointment.