Water-shine glassy skin is in, not oily skin. If your skin is starting to beam the wrong way, here are 4 effective methods to improve that.
1. Use a mild salicylic acid facial wash
You already wash your face because of your tendency to break out, so why not try one that also mattes the face? Salicylic acid is the only peel that will dissolve oil, so incorporating a low percentage of it in facial washes helps to keep the shine off the face. Start with a mild one which won’t dry your face excessively.
2. Chemically exfoliate
Some sonic cleansing systems for home use are controversial, so you are forgiven if you don’t use one. But if you don’t exfoliate at all and you have oily skin, you really should! For those with very oily skin, try ultrasonic cleansing once every 2 weeks, which uses sonic frequency to dislodge dirt and impurities stuck deep in the pores. And try something old but gold – chemical peel/exfoliation, except these days chemical exfoliators for home use are effective and safe enough for daily use.
3. Moisturize
If you have oily skin, the last thing you want on your face is more moisture, correct? But using oil stripping products only and not replenishing moisture actually sends a signal to the sebaceous glands to produce even more oil. So keep your skin hydrated with a light moisturizer which seals some moisture in, which will allow your skin to cut down on oil production.
For those who already moisturize, check your moisturizing regime. Night creams are never meant for use for oily complexions or the acne-prone. So take your bedtime skincare regime down a notch. Avoid creams and use oil-free lotions instead. If you are already using lotions, try oil-free hydrating serums or gel-based moisturizers instead.
4. Seek Science For Help
Roaccutane. When it comes to reducing oil production, nothing works quite like Roaccutane. This is an anti-inflammatory medication that belongs to a group of medicines similar to Vitamin A. It attacks the sebaceous glands which are responsible for producing oil and effectively treats cystic acne. But Roaccutane has a scary reputation requiring quarterly blood tests and other side effects such as depression and suicidal thoughts. It should not be used in pregnant women or women who are planning to start a family.
Botox. This micro-injection works like Roaccutane, by retarding sebum production, but without the systemic side effects. Injected superficially into the skin (rather than deeply into the muscles), it should not cause paralysis of muscles beneath. The only catch is you need to deal with many tiny, tiny needle pricks but that’s easily mitigated with a good numbing cream.
Try a radiofrequency treatment. Radiofrequency facials feel like a hot stone massage on the face so you can imagine that this will actually feel quite relaxing. Thermage is a radiofreqiency device which has been shown in clinical studies to target sebaceous glands. Volumetric heating of tissue at the level where sebaceous glands are found results in skin tightening and at the same time, helps to decrease sebum production.