Categories: Beauty How TosSkincare How-Tos

How To: Avoid Oily-Looking Skin

How to Prevent Oily Skin and a Greasy Face Feature JPG

If you’re young, in a humid climate, or just have naturally oily skin, you know the pains of a greasy, unwashed-looking face. Heck, even living here in the desert, by the time 5pm rolls I’m usually glinting off the bathroom lights like nobody’s business. There’s nothing wrong with a little “fresh from the beach” glow, but when people have to shield their eyes from the glare when looking at you, your mug’s gone way beyond dewy and entered downright drippy.

How can you solve oil problems and beat excess shine? Easy! Simply check out these great tips and affordable! products that you won’t want face the humidity without.

Available in any drugstore, I’ve found Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends Translucent Oil Control Powder to be an oil-controlling lifesaver! In one swipe of my makeup brush, my face is shine-free. (Pro Tip: assign a brush to this task and cleanse it often so you don’t transfer dirty oil to your others brushes.) This powder is also non-comedogenic (meaning it won’t clog pores, an important aspect for the oily-faced), fragrance and oil free, and very light-weight – it feels like you have nothing on. Because it’s translucent, it works for any skin tone. Perfect for a quick fix.

Studies suggest that iodine, most commonly found in salt and fish, can aggravate oily skin conditions. (Sodium can also increase water retention making you look puffy and swollen, so salt is an all-around no-no for pretty skin.) You might want to avoid these foods to find out if there’s a correlation between consuming them and your oily woes.

If you haven’t tried Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets already, I highly recommend them. Rice paper is an easy way to get rid of disgusting shine quickly and on-the-go. You’ll also be surprised at how oily your face really was after blotting with these – there are days where my used blotting paper looks like a grease-soaked pizza napkin. The small package is great to store in a purse of any size, and they’re easy to use. Just blot and go!

Ever notice that stress pops up in all of these articles? It seems to make everything in our lives worse. True to form, stress is known to increase oil production, due to your body’s increased production of androgens during high-stress times which in turn stimulates sebaceous glands. It’s not just emotional stress, either: physical stress like illness or menstruation can cause the same reaction, so if you notice a shinier face during your period or when your allergies are acting up, that may be why. Relax, do some yoga, deep breathe for a few minutes each morning, and treat yourself to some pampering time either at home or at the spa. It could do good for your skin and your peace of mind.

If you’re looking for an oily-skin friendly foundation, try Neutrogena Skin Clearing Liquid Makeup. Often, girls with greasy faces have trouble finding a lightweight, non-comedogenic foundation that won’t clog their pores further and cause them to use blemishes. I use this stuff daily and I love it!

Tags: Acneacne treatmentblemishesClean & ClearNeutrogenaoil controloily faceoily skinshine controltranslucent powder

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View Comments

The Beautiful Disaster says:

March 22, 2015 at 12:21 am

FIRST! Which I can't even believe because this is an awesome post! Great job!

My oily skin drives me nuts everyday. My bangs stick to my forehead and I feel like more and more pimples are coming. Thanks for this great advice!